If home care is what your loved one needs, choosing a home care company can be a daunting task. There could be dozens of home care companies in your area providing different levels of care and offering different things. You want to ensure that you are selecting the right service, a professional organization, and an accessible company. The first step is to gather a list of local home care companies by going to a referral service (usually has a minimal cost or is free of charge), yellow pages directory, or using internet search engines. Once you have your list of between five to seven companies, do an initial call to ask about what services are offered, the geographic areas where services are provided, and what the rates are. Cue in to a few important factors:

1. How was the phone answered? Professionally or half-heartedly? Were you placed on hold for a long time (over one minute)?

2. How knowledgeable did the person on the other line sound? Did he/she answer all your questions? Did he/she offer some helpful tips or education?

3. Overall, how professional does the company seem from your initial call?

4. Did the person on the other line ask you questions about your situation and show an interest?

Next, narrow down your list to the top three companies that you would consider and call each company to schedule an initial consultation. This may be done at their office or in your loved one’s home. It would be preferable to hold the appointment at your loved one’s home so that the representative could do a thorough evaluation of your loved one’s needs. Be prepared with questions to ask the representative, such as the following:

1. What is your selection process?

2. What is your recruitment process?

3. What types of insurance do you have?

4. What are your rates? How often do they change?

5. What do I do if the person you select isn’t the best fit?

6. What happens if the caregiver can’t make it?

7. Can the caregiver drive my loved one’s car or would the caregiver use her own car?

8. How do the caregivers handle medical emergencies?

9. Can we meet the caregiver before starting?

10. Can you give me a brief background on your company?

11. Can the schedule be changed?

12. Is there someone available at the office for emergencies during non-business hours?

13. Do the rates change for holidays?

14. What are all the services that the caregiver can provide?

After your initial consultations you should have a good idea of which company will be best for you and your loved one. The best way to measure a home care company is on the flexibility with scheduling and services, professional customer service, accessibility, and their ability to communicate.