Forming a Successful Partnership with Your Home Care Agency

You may have noticed that almost every business you encounter, whether it be a grocery store, restaurant, movie theater, hospital, etc. is hiring. Unemployment is at an all-time low in the Sioux Falls area and also a majority of states and regions throughout the country. This makes the old adage “good help is hard to find” truer than ever. Despite the tight labor market, we as a home care agency, don’t get hasty when it comes to choosing the caregivers that come into you or your loved one’s home and provide quality one-on-one care. We must remain selective to ensure that we are providing the best care possible.

Sometimes people assume we have an office full of caregivers available and ready to work any shift at any time. In actuality, scheduling 40 caregivers around their doctor’s appointments, college classes, time off requests, other jobs, etc. to see 70 clients during their respected times, for their requested amounts of time per day can be a challenge. In order to meet both caregiver and client schedule needs and care preferences a good partnership must be formed between the client and the home care agency. Here are a few ways you can form a successful partnership with your agency:

1. Keep your schedule as consistent as possible

We know things come up and people get busy. This goes both ways between caregivers and clients. If you can set a day and time that always or almost always works for you, it will be much easier to schedule you steady team of caregivers.

2. Give Caregivers a Chance

It helps to be open to a variety of home care aides. We try our best to match caregivers and clients in a way that will make both parties happy. Everyone has a different way of doing things. Be open to trying new ways but don’t hesitate to communicate any preferences you might have. When a new client begins services, it can take a little while to figure out what works between them and employees. Try a few shifts and be open to a variety of employees while we work to see who might be the best fit.

3. Communicate

Communication is extremely important for a successful relationship between a client and their home care agency. You should always feel free to call with compliments, feedback, and any concerns you or your loved ones may have. We are open to communication with not only our clients, but any family members that wish to be active in their loved one’s care as long we are given permission to disclose information to said family or friend. We also understand that clients become close to their caregivers. It’s okay to talk to them about any issues that may arise, but make sure you or the employee are also reporting concerns to their supervisors so that proper adjustments can be made to ensure you are satisfied with your care.

4. Be Flexible

As much as we try to plan ahead, life just happens sometimes and we can’t prevent last minute illnesses and emergencies. We know these situations are a nuisance and can disturb prior arrangements, but if your scheduled caregiver cannot make it to their shift last minute, we more than appreciate your cooperation in changing times or being open to a new caregiver for the day.

Our goal is to do your best to meet both client care needs and schedule preference while also considering our caregivers needs and we are thankful for all of our clients, their families, and our employees patience as we do so!