First Use an AHCA Licensed Home Care Company
AHCA licenses are given by the Agency for Health Care Administration in South Florida. Important things are included in this license. AHCA Caregivers are required to have Level II- FBI background checks and be fingerprinted. All Home Health Aides and Certified Nursing Assistants must be certified, carry insurance and have all their legal documents presented and updated regularly. These include: driver’s license, CPR training, Medical Check Up, Social Security card and so forth.
AHCA is the licensing body for both agencies and Nurse Registries. Once you meet with a representative of the company, together you will discuss your individual needs and expectations. Here in Palm Beach County, there is a lot of competition to choose from but of course, not all companies are alike. A Care Plan should be created so that you, the company and the caregiver will know what tasks you need help with and where you are totally independent. Responsibilities of the aide usually include ADL assist, driving, cooking, and light housekeeping as basic duties. When looking for the right caregiver for yourself or a loved one, the magic comes in the personality match. All aides through a licensed company should be experienced caregivers, but not all are experienced in Stroke, Heart disease, Diabetes, Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS and so on. It is important to have an aide in your home that has experienced with the health challenges you are managing. Safety issues should always be addressed and anyone who is a Fall Risk should be duly noted. Medications and allergies should also be reviewed, as well as having an Emergency Contact.
Tips to make a great match:
If your expectations are for an aide to prepare all of your meals, then a caregiver who cooks well is important.
If you expect ironing to be done and all floors mopped or vacuumed, then this should be said at the initial meeting.
Here Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach and surrounding cities, most folks live in senior communities with pools. Do you expect help to get in and out of the pool, help with walking outdoors and doing exercises? This is best discussed at the initial meeting.
If you or your loved on seeking assistance is a man, do you prefer a male or female caregiver?
Do you or your loved one want someone to hover around you, being in the same room, or just check in with you a few times an hour?
Do you prefer someone younger or older?
Do you have pets, or do you smoke? These questions are usually asked in the first phone conversation.
Do you want the aide to wear street clothes or scrubs?
Remember, the big issues of screening, interviews and reference check have been done for you. The nitty gritty of a successful match between client and caregiver comes down to two people clicking and getting along. You must be comfortable with who is in your home and who is caring for you. We understand how difficult it is to have a stranger in your home. The magic is when you feel that this stranger becomes a part of the family.
As with most things, honesty in the beginning helps for the best positive match. Even so, people being people, sometimes it takes another try to get it right.
