Our Homecare Company has Changed

If you have been unsatisfied with your Homecare provider, the caregivers and office staff of late because they don’t respond to you satisfactorily, it may be time to make a change. Of course that is hard on you, your aging parent, and possibly other family members. Often it is up to your tolerance level of how much you or your elder mother or father will accept until it is “No Mas”, and a change is really for the best. It is not uncommon to have more than one Home Care provider and switching does happen, with positive results.

Signs it May Be Time to Switch

Caregiver becomes too complacent.

Your parent tells you upsetting things about caregiver, and/; or wants to end care.

Tasks are not being completed.

Lateness or missed shifts occur too often.

Suspicion of wrongdoing or unsafe practices.

Phone calls to company are not answered in a timely fashion.

Concerns are not taken seriously and remedies do not follow.

You feel that you are no longer a priority or that your business is being taken for granted.

Best Ways to Handle Dissatisfaction

Speak to a Supervisor and express, with detailed examples of what is unacceptable.

You may wish to send a follow up email or letter.

Discuss a change with your parent.

Ask how they plan to make improvements either with same caregiver or changing the caregiver for another.

Shifts may be changed or another caregiver added to roster.

Reread your contract or service agreement to see what their procedure is for ending care.

Find another company and speak with them to see how they would handle the same or similar issue.

Put a new company in place before ending care with current company.

Notify your Long Term Care Insurance Company of the change.

Homecare is an important facet of your family’s life. Both you and your older parents are affected by a change in personnel and indeed a new company. Red flags do incentivize us into action and if you are not getting the resolution and care you want and deserve, there are many companies in South Florida, eager for your business, who can arrange for excellent care. Like with a doctor, you want to feel secure in their care and a front office which is easy and friendly to deal with. No, it is not too much to ask for.

The other type of Home Care is skilled.  These are done through Medicare agencies and provide visits by RNs,  Physical, Occupational and Speech threapists as well as a Social Worker and bath visits. Medicare.gov tracks all agencies on a myraid of variables.