How to Choose a Home Care Agency in 5 Easy Steps
If you find yourself in the position of considering care for yourself or a loved one it can be a bewildering and complex new world. At Caremark Basingstoke we know It’s important that you feel confident when beginning your search so we’ve put together this handy guide in the first steps you should take so you can trust who is going to help you care for you or a loved one at home.
Step 1 – What support at home do you need?
The first step is to consider what you need help with. Being clear about your needs will help you ask the right questions and get the answers you need. Support can come in many forms; typical areas that people want care support with include:
- Their personal care and hygiene (cleaning and showering yourself or others)
- Shopping or helping you with everyday tasks (such as cleaning and tidying)
- Cooking and preparing meals
- Company and companionship
- Nursing and healthcare
Care and support is not a one size fits all approach. Good home care companies practice what’s known as a person-centred approach where the needs and requirements of the customer guide what care is given, when and how. As things change so the care should evolve and agencies should be prepared and happy to be flexible.
Once you’re as clear, as you can be, on what type of support you need, think about how much you care you will require per day or week.
Step 2 – Get a care assessment
If you think that you need some care at home and think the Local Authority can help you, you should contact the social services department of the local council and ask them for an assessment of your care and support requirements. You can being the process of contacting Hampshire County Council here (https://www.hants.gov.uk/socialcareandhealth/adultsocialcare). If you think you can fund the care yourself then go to step 3.
Once the local authority has assessed you, they will let you know if they agree that you need care and support. They will then do a financial assessment to assess if you qualify for Local Authority funded care. If you do qualify for care to be paid for by the LA then they will usually source a care company for you but if, for the sake of argument you really wanted Caremark Basingstoke to be your agency, then you can opt to receive the money directly from the council and then pay Caremark directly yourself, this is usually referred to as ‘direct payment’ or a ‘personal budget’. This can also be given to people with care needs and to carers.
Step 3 – Calculate your care costs
Most companies will quote you an hourly/half hourly rate per carer to visit so based on your idea of how many visits or time you need per day/week you can begin to get an idea of overall costs. There will be variations, so weekends and Bank Holidays will usually be at a higher rate. Rates can vary alot between companies, which is why it’s important to do your research on the companies themselves.
UK Care Guide have a calculator to help you estimate how much it will cost you to receive care in the home.
If you are still unsure about how your care will be funded we recommend that you visit our pages on paying for care, to help you understand which approach is likely to be most cost effective for you.
Step 4 – Search for Home Care providers
If you know people who are receiving care already you can ask for recommendations from friends and family. If you receive any existing support from Occupational Therapists or your GP they may be able to suggest well-regarded companies.
If you’re searching online then homecare.co.uk or Care Sourcer (England and Scotland only) have local companies listed. Homecare.co.uk also have client reviews which is a very useful tool to help you know get a feel for which companies are regarded well by their clients. You can see the excellent reviews for Caremark Basingstoke here.
All independent home care providers are regulated by the Care Qualities Commission, which means they have to reach minimum standards in things like training and record-keeping. The CQC website also has a search facility so you can see all registered companies in your area. The CQC site will also show the latest ratings for agencies. We would suggest that you do not consider any company which does not have a CQC inspection rating.
Step 5 – Speak to the Home Care agency
As you go through the companies you can find make a shortlist of those who you and a friend or family member wish to speak too.
A good care company should be happy to go over lots of information on the phone and that can be a good indicator of the type of people they are and how they run their business. Don’t be shy about asking for information, a good company will be open and honest about how they operate.
If you’re happy to then meet in person the agency they will arrange for a home visit or assessment. Remember having them do an assessment does not mean you are in any way committed to them or have to take their services. The assessment should be a friendly and relaxed visit where you can discuss your needs. It also means that you can together agree how you spend your money and what the right type of care and support would be for you.
Questions to ask a home care agency
The questions you should ask the home care agency during the meeting can be split in to three key areas:
The home care agency – Questions to ask
Is there a standard contract that I need to sign?
Is there a minimum number of hours?
What is the hourly charge and how often is this reviewed?
Are there any other charges I have to meet, e.g travel time?
Do I have to pay more if I need care in the evening, weekends or bank holidays?
How do I make my payments (cheque, direct debit, cash) and how regularly do I have to make these?
Do you have any insurance in case of damage to property by a carer?
Can you engage with the agency for a trial period to see how things work out?
About their care workers – Questions to ask
Will you receive a regular carer and do they live nearby?
What training do the carers receive and how does the agency monitor their training needs?
Do the carers have any qualifications and does the agency support their carers in undertaking any qualifications?
How many other people do the carers look after?
What records do the carers keep and how do you monitor when the carer came and how long they stayed?
Can details of any written records and timesheets be sent to a relative?
Your needs – Questions to ask
How does the agency determine who the right carers for you are?
Do you have any religious or cultural requirements you want the care workers to be sensitive too?
How often will the agency speak to you about the suitability of the carers and whether they are meeting your needs?
Will the carers have direct access to my house?
Choose your Care Company
Going through this process should give you all the information you need to pick the company that’s right for you. Once you’ve agreed the care plan it should all go ahead smoothly. Contracts will need to signed and you care should start on your agreed date.
If you have any questions then please feel free to contact Caremark Basingstoke about any of you care needs.