Finding the Right Caregiver

Posted: February 2, 2023

Frequently Asked Questions About Finding a Personal Home Caregiver

As people get older, it is not uncommon for friends and family to encourage a move to a senior living community so they can get the extra assistance they may need. But according to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), nearly 90 percent of adults over age 65 want to remain in their current homes as they grow older—even if they do need some assistance and finding the right home caregiver can be a challenge

There are benefits to “aging in place” for older adults, including:

• Maintaining a sense of independence
• Enjoying quality of life and less stress by staying in familiar surroundings
• Staying close to neighbors and a familiar community
• Keeping a sense of worth and purpose
• Paying less for caregiving than with an assisted living or other communities

But the reality of aging can also mean older adults do need help taking care of themselves. This is where a home caregiver can make such a difference.

What Are the Benefits of a At-Home Caregiver?

Aging in place is a good choice for people who are proactive and want to be involved in the decisions regarding their future. Having a support network of friends and family that value this decision-making process with the older adult involved will assure great success. Aging in place has many benefits, the most important being the ability to live in safety, comfort, and dignity in a person’s later years.

Often older adults are accustomed to handling everything on their own, dividing up duties with their spouse, or relying on family members for minor help around the home. But as people age and their circumstances change, getting around and taking care of themselves can become more and more challenging. For some of these people, the idea of moving to a retirement community, assisted living facility, or nursing home doesn’t sound appealing. A home caregiver can make all the difference in their quality of life if it means they can live in their own home for longer.

What Do At-Home Caregiver Services Include?

Home care services are designed to meet your individual needs—whether you need help daily or just once a week. Among the services your home caregiver can provide are the following:

• Personal care. This includes help with the activities of daily living (ADL), such as dressing, bathing, or meal preparation. Home caregivers can provide personal care services that range from a few hours a day, a few times a week, or daily in-home care. In some cases, home caregivers may be able to provide limited assistance with things such as taking blood pressure or offering medication reminders.
• Transportation. Transportation can be an issue for older adults as driving becomes more of a challenge. Having access to public transportation, rideshare apps, reduced-fare taxis designed for older adults, and other senior transportation services can help prolong their independence and make it easier to maintain their social network.
• Healthcare. When older adults need some type of home healthcare services, these can be provided at home by trained caregivers. Occupational therapists, social workers, and home health nurses can provide the care needed. Some insurance plans may offer coverage for this type of assistance.

How Are Caregivers Matched With Loved Ones at Rhythms Home Care?

“We take pride in finding the right match for our clients,” explains Nimota, a personal home caregiver for Rhythms Home Care. “After selecting us as your homecare company, we will sit down with you and your loved one to learn about them. We look to identify personalities and caregiver preferences.  Once we have that information, we look for the best match.” We look at a range of things like personality, skill set, schedule availability. The process of finding the most compatible caregiver for a loved one usually takes just one or two weeks.

What Training Does Rhythms Provide Their Caregivers?

Continuous training is an investment in Rhythms’ team members and is part of ensuring they have the right tools to provide quality care.  Upon hire, all caregivers attend initial orientation, which includes a thorough review of Rhythms policies and procedures. Following orientation, team members go on a series of client visits with seasoned team members for hands-on training before they are assigned clients of their own.

After initial training, team members have monthly, quarterly, and annual training.  Monthly training is conducted online and includes a variety of topics.  Quarterly training is in person and conducted by Rhythms leadership.  Annual training focuses on testing for the key competencies each team member is held to.

Are Rhythms Caregivers Bonded and Insured?

Yes, there is a stringent hiring process that includes background checks, drug testing, and five professional references.  In addition, all team members are required to have an up-to-date insurance policy.

At Rhythms Home Care, we want to ensure that our caregivers are trained for the benefit of providing the best type of care for your loved one. Call today to get a free assessment.

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This article was originally published on July 30, 2019.