When choosing a home care agency, families should consider these important questions:

• Do they have an RN on staff to oversee the Home Health Aides and create the Create Plan?
• Do they use Telephony software to confirm the Aides are on time?
• What training/experience do the caregivers have?
• How do they supervise their caregivers?
• Are the caregivers bonded and covered by workers compensation insurance?
• Are the caregivers employees held accountable by the agency or independent contractors accountable to no one?
• Does the agency carry Professional Liability Insurance, Workers’ Compensation Insurance and manage payroll taxes?
• Who owns the agency? Is it part of a larger organization?
• Do they have references from clients?
• Does the agency have an emergency or after-hours phone number?

If you are considering hiring an individual directly we recommend that you ask the following:

• What client references can you provide?
• What is your experience/background?
• Do you have any certificates or training? Is it current?
• Have you worked with (Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, etc)?
• What would you do if I had medical emergency?
• How much notice would I have if you could not come in for a day? Can you arrange your own substitutes?
• How do I contact you?
• Are you bonded? Have you ever been convicted of a crime?
• Do you have liability insurance?