How to Find a Home Health Aide
Receiving personal at-home care is a critical option for seniors facing the alternative of living in a nursing home. Whether you or someone you love has reached the stage in life where regular care at home is necessary, there are plenty of resources to help find a suitable home health aide. Read on to get started.
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Instructions
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First, determine the amount of home health care you or your loved one will need. Think about whether you will need an aide only during certain hours, such as when the patient is awake, or 24/7 care. These are important aspects to keep in mind when you begin a searching for a home health aide.
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Use local resources during your search, as they usually cost less than private agencies and may offer free services, such as transportation and food deliveries. Try looking through the nearest Area Agency on Aging (see Additional Resources below) or call the national Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116, which will direct you to appropriate agencies near you.
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Check out private agencies, starting by scanning the "home care services" section in your local phone directory. You can also find agencies online, and some websites provide a matching service to link patients with a home health aide who's right for them (see Additional Resources).
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Consider employing an independent home health aide, one not affiliated with an agency. Such aides can be found through newspaper and Internet classified ads. These aides charge less per hour than those from official organizations but they tend to come without agency-backed guarantees, such as background checks and professional training.
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Tips & Warnings
Know that home health care isn't cheap, and figuring out how to finance it will take an understanding of insurance policies and plenty of savings or other assets. Read up on various home health care options. A couple of comprehensive books on the subject are Home Care for Older People, published by the United Senior Health Cooperative, and The Fearless Caregiver: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One and Still Have a Life of Your Own, by Gary Barg.
