Senior home care services are an excellent alternative to relocating your elderly loved one to a nursing home or assisted living center. With in-home senior care, elderly individuals can remain in their homes while receiving assistance with their daily activities, such as cooking, cleaning, and maintaining personal hygiene, or help with their medical needs. When considering a company for senior home care, here are a few questions to ask to ensure they're a good fit for your loved one.

1. What Kind of Services Do You Provide?

Different companies have various offerings to assist with senior home care. Some companies may focus on providing assistance with personal care and offering companionship to help your loved one stay mentally and physically active.

Others may offer some level of in-home health services to assist with medical needs, like administering physical therapy or connecting and cleaning medical equipment. If your loved one needs medical care and help with daily activities, it's possible to utilize multiple companies to ensure they have the care they need to remain at home. 

You may have the option to use in-home care to assist with your loved one's transportation needs, like driving them to and from their doctor appointments and picking up prescriptions. 

If your loved one is receiving care through a hospital or medical center, a patient liaison can assist with coordinating multiple in-home care companies. 

2. How Long are Your Visits?

You know your loved one will be more comfortable in their own home, but you also want to avoid having them alone for extended periods. Ask how long the in-home visits are so that you know what to expect.

Usually, home care visits last a couple of hours while visits for medical needs may last for longer periods. You can likely request longer visits if you think your loved one will benefit from them, but their insurance may not cover visits that extend the standard times.

It's possible to pay privately for care that exceeds their insurance's guidelines so that your loved one is more comfortable. 

3. What Payment Options Do You Accept?

Some companies that provide senior home care will bill your insurance, Medicaid, or VA benefits so that payments are made directly to them. Other companies aren't willing to handle insurance billing and only accept private payments; while you can still use your loved one's insurance or benefits to pay for their in-home care, you're responsible for filling out the claim and paperwork and will receive reimbursement once the claim is approved. 

Share