Tips for choosing senior care services to best fit your needs
As your loved ones begin to age, you may begin to wonder, when is the right time for senior care and caregiving services? At FirstLight Home Care, we understand that the responsibility of choosing a Home Care service isn’t one that comes lightly. Selecting the right type of care for your loved one is an important step in ensuring they continue to have great days, just like the many great days they had alongside you.
With a range of service offerings developed with senior needs in mind, FirstLight strives to be a top choice for senior care. Before you make the decision of what type of elderly home care you’d like to utilize, there are a few important questions you’ll want to ask. These include asking what specific services are offered, what values the agency holds, and how the agency supports its in-home caregivers.
Determine the Needs of Your Loved Ones
Once you’ve identified the signs that it might be time to hire an in-home caregiver for senior care services, it’s important to understand what type of services you’re looking for. Home care agencies can provide a variety of services ranging from personal care to dementia care to specialty care such as disability or hospice care. The type of care you select will also depend on whether your loved one needs full-time live-in care for help with all of their activities of daily living tasks or companion care, which is focused more on conversation and company.
Compile a List of Agencies and Meet With Each to Find the Best Fit
If you’ve never utilized or even considered senior care services before, it’s hard to know what type of agency will be the best fit. First interactions can tell you a lot about an agency. If they’re hard to get a hold of, it may make you question how difficult it will be to maintain communication once your loved one starts receiving care. Don’t assume what type of care will be provided. Be prepared with questions and encourage your loved one to ask questions as well. Good agencies will be open and transparent in their answers, even if the questions are challenging.
Important Questions You Need to Ask About Home Care Caregivers When Selecting an Agency
In addition to learning about the type of services an agency offers, we recommend asking about the company culture and support provided for caregivers. The more agencies invest in their staff, the more their staff is able to grow both professionally and personally. Doing research into caregivers will also provide you with peace of mind. You will feel at ease knowing your loved one’s best interests and well-being are made a priority by their caregiver.
How Are Caregivers Treated at the Agency?
Respecting and valuing caregivers should be a non-negotiable at the agency you choose. Ensuring that the agency you choose adheres to New York State Labor Laws is important to make sure that it is compliant in what caregivers are paid and the time that they have off. At FirstLight, our caregivers are always paid amongst the highest in the county and receive holiday pay, sick time, and overtime pay when earned.
Do Caregivers Receive Opportunities for Additional Training?
Once in the field, it’s important for caregivers to receive additional training and ongoing education to help them provide the best care possible. At FirstLight Home Care, we pay staff for training and provide opportunities for continued education that allow our team to grow both personally and professionally.
What is the Average Longevity of Caregivers?
At FirstLight Home Care, half of our staff has a tenure of 3 years or longer and 20% of our field staff has been with the agency for at least 7 years. Choosing an agency that values its staff can help ensure that your loved one can build a trusting relationship with their in-home caregivers. We recommend asking about the size of the agency and how many caregivers are employed, what the staff-to-client ratio is, how replacement caregivers are assigned if your regular caregiver is unavailable, and how to contact the agency after hours.
Focus on Finding a Home Care Agency That Aligns With Your Beliefs and Values
FirstLight Home Care prides itself on creating a Culture of Care philosophy that guides us every day as we serve and care for others. Our core values focus on helping people to have their best day, every day, whatever that means for them. If your loved one isn’t in urgent need of senior care services, take your time when researching home care options to make sure you find the very best fit.
FirstLight provides transparency, follow-up, and attention to our client’s needs. We offer in-person complimentary consultations for potential clients as well as ongoing client visits and support calls to ensure your loved ones’ needs are being met. We will even visit you on your Birthday! You can trust that you and your loved ones will receive all necessary information upfront so you won’t experience hidden surprises or false promises down the road.
A FirstLight Home Care Caregiver with our Client Mrs. C.
We Provide a Straightforward Intake Process With Clear and Concise Communication
Our values are in action every step of the way at FirstLight starting with our clear, honest, and transparent intake process. Our clients and their families can rest assured knowing they’ll receive all of the necessary information upfront. This provides a comprehensive understanding of services, costs, and care they’ll receive from the very start. We take pride in our clear communication to families and their loved ones as well as to our caregivers.
We Are Respectful and Supportive of Our Caregivers
Just as our team of caregivers is committed to providing quality care to your loved ones, we as an agency are committed to providing the support they need to be successful. We empower our caregivers to grow personally and professionally through training opportunities and ongoing education. Our caregivers are vital to the success of our agency and we are dedicated to making them feel valued and appreciated.
We Are a Boutique Firm With a Personal Touch
Providing individualized in-home senior care services is a cornerstone of FirstLight Home Care. We understand the importance of keeping your loved ones safe and comfortable to give you peace of mind while they are in our care. Our agency provides many benefits of private home care, especially when operating with a smaller, close-knit team. Whether you’re in need of home care services immediately or are just beginning to plan your journey, we’ll be with you every step of the way.
Find Senior Care Services for You and Your Loved Ones at FirstLight Home Care today
Choosing the best senior care services to meet your aging family member’s needs can seem like a daunting process. At FirstLight Home Care, we want to help ease this burden. We’re proud to provide a variety of caregiving services developed with your unique situation in mind. Learn more about our programs for in-home senior care including companion care, dementia care, specialty care, and more.
Your loved ones deserve to age with dignity and independence in the comfort of their own home and FirstLight Home Care is here to make that a reality. Request pricing online or give us a call today at 914-215-1915 for more information about at-home help for seniors.