How to Choose a Home Care Agency

You are hiring someone to be alone with your mother. Interview them like it.

Ask these questions before you sign anything. Are you a licensed Residential Service Agency in Maryland? Are your caregivers employees — insured and bonded — or independent contractors? What do your background checks and training actually involve? Who supervises the caregiver, and how often does a nurse review the care plan? What happens when a caregiver calls out — is there a guaranteed backup? How do you match caregivers to clients, and what if the personality fit is wrong? What exactly does the hourly rate include — and what’s your cancellation policy? A quality agency answers every one of these in writing, without flinching.

The right agency becomes part of your family. The wrong one becomes a second crisis. Ten questions up front is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy.

This has been Care Without Crisis Explains, presented by Vanguard Care Solutions.

For more free videos and family resources — or when you’re ready to talk about care at home — visit vanguardcaresolutions.com or call 301-327-1444.