June 12, 2023 | Aging Life Care, Home Care
Our last blog post was about choosing the right type of care management for your needs. This is proving to be a popular topic because more and more caregiving agencies are offering what they call “free” care management. Potential clients ask us why they can get free care management from another agency while Windward bills for the service.
Take a look at that post for thorough answers about the professionalism, experience, and qualifications of our Aging Life Care Managers. We also suggest that if you speak to an agency that offers free care management, you ask the types of questions below. This is a great way to understand the level of care you will receive for your money.
Questions to ask care management providers
1. Who notifies the responsible party of a medical emergency at the home? Does a member of the agency accompany and/or advocate for the client at the ER?
2. Who does the caregiver call with a question about caregiving, such as diversion techniques for Alzheimer’s patients or diets for a diabetic patient? Or a question about implementing the doctor’s orders? Or a question the caregiver might have about whether they should call 911 in the event of a fall?
3. How frequently does the care supervisor physically visit the home and observe the caregivers? How often does a care expert interact with the family or responsible party?
4. If there is no family around, who does the caregiver immediately call about a plumbing emergency? The electricity was shut off? The heat isn’t working? What to do about people who come asking for money?
5. Who will monitor changes in the patient’s condition, whether cognitive or physical, and can discuss those changes with the caregivers?
6. Who will suggest activities to the caregiver to promote socialization at the appropriate cognitive level for the client? Who makes sure the caregivers take the client to the activities? Who helps the caregiver participate with the client in favorite activities?
7. What elder care expert accompanies the caregiver taking the client to the doctor’s appointment and implements the medical recommendations as follow up? Who communicates the medical recommendations and observations the physician makes to the family or responsible party? What elder care expert advocates for the client in the medical system and can provide the treating physician with the name and contact information of the power of attorney?
You may have guessed it by now: Aging Life Care Managers provide all of the above, and more. To us, there really is no comparison between the service we provide and what the other agencies say they can do – whatever the cost. Please contact us to learn more about Windward. We’d be happy to serve you.