Sometimes silence isn’t golden, as in the case of having a caregiver providing home care for your loved one. Verbalizing your families’ needs and expectations is one of the best things you can do to ensure that you find someone who meets your caregiver expectations.
The best times to let your expectations known are:
- When you have your initial discussions with your home care agency
Letting them know your expectations help them select the right caregiver to meet your needs.
- When your caregiver arrives at your home the first day
Setting expectations immediately paves the way to open communications and sets your caregiver up for success. It’s difficult for anyone to hit a target they can’t see or don’t know exists.
So, what are reasonable expectations for you to set with your caregiver? Here are four that are reasonable and necessary for the proper care of your loved one.
Be attentive and actively engaged
We live in a world where we’re constantly connected to others, particularly through social media sites where we spend countless hours scrolling on our phones. As a result, it can be very challenging to disconnect.
You need to let your caregiver know that you expect them to disconnect from the outside world when they’re with your loved one. All of their time and attention should be focused on your family member when they’re at your home for a couple of reasons.
First, it helps the mental health of your loved one. Many seniors are lonely, and the companionship care aspect of home care is critical to maintaining their feelings of self-worth. Interaction with other people improves seniors’ happiness and gives them something to look forward to as they anticipate their caregiver’s next visit.
Second, the safety of your loved one depends on your caregiver being attentive and aware of what your family member is doing and what they may need. For example, your caregiver should be constantly aware of hazards in the home that could cause your loved one to fall. They should remove obstacles from walkways and wipe slippery surfaces, like bathroom floors, which they should be expected to notice.
Be clean, professional, and reliable
Your caregiver should be expected to arrive on time, be dressed neatly, and be ready to assist your loved one according to the agreed-upon schedule and services to be provided.
Be comfortable helping with incontinence care, hygiene, and other personal care needs
If your loved one needs help with personal care, you caregiver should be ready to help with their daily needs, such as
- Dressing
- Bathing
- Grooming
- Toileting
- Incontinence care
- Overall personal hygiene
Not all caregivers are comfortable dealing with these kinds of personal care, making it important that your caregiving agency and the caregiver they assign know that these services are necessary, and you expect them to be performed with skill, respect, and discretion.
Consistent communication and 24/7 support
Clear and consistent communication between caregivers, families, case managers, and the agency’s scheduling and administrative teams is imperative for quality, comprehensive care, and you should expect it from both your caregiver and the agency.
Tell them that you expect regular updates, with documentation detailing your family member’s activities, routines, eating and sleeping habits, behavioral changes, needs, and other behaviors.
On-call support should also be available to answer questions or address concerns during evenings, weekends, and holidays. Be sure that you confirm with the agency or caregiver the right communication medium in case of any unplanned circumstances.
You can expect the best from Dependable Senior Care
Dependable Senior Care pledge to you is that we will not only meet your expectations…we’ll exceed them. We’ve provided dependable care to seniors in Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River Counties for over 25 years, and we also expect the best from our caregivers.
Call us today at (800) 500-9192, and let’s discuss your needs and expectations. We’ll provide you with a free evaluation and a customized care plan for your loved one. We look forward to serving your family.