The True Cost of Home Care, May NOT Be What You Think…
When considering home care support, families are well served to do their homework before engaging an agency to deliver service to their loved one. There are many questions to ask but one of the most common initial questions when families start exploring home care support seems to be;
How Much Does Home Care Cost?
It’s an obvious question but with an answer that is not obvious at all;
The question cannot be appropriately answered without knowing what you are getting for that cost. What is the value that my family receives? As a service, that value can vary significantly from one provider to another. And if the service is inadequate, a client may find themselves filling in where that service falls short. Consider these scenarios:
A revolving door of Caregivers
Without proper planning, you can end up with Caregivers who either do not that the skillsets for your needs or are not properly prepared. You end up with caregivers leaving or needing to be replaced. This leads to instability with family members often filling in the gaps and having to continually provide new instruction.
Caregivers who never seem to be engaged
Without a clear instructions and proactive management, sometimes the best Caregivers may not know or understand to take initiative. This leads to frustration and a sense that the service doesn’t really accomplish anything.
Caregivers not showing up
There can be many reasons for why Caregivers don’t show up. Sometimes it is because they are not reliable but other times it is because there is some scheduling conflict. The result is the same, you are unexpectedly left without a Caregiver
Proactive Home Care Management
While some of these issues are unavoidable at times, they can be managed. With upfront planning and proactive management of home care services, you can continue to make progress and ultimately find the solution that works for you.
Because every situation is different, the key is determining which elements create the most value for you and your family.
Reliability
For most people, reliability is important. But how do you create reliability. It’s not just about getting lucky with the right caregiver, although that certainly helps. It is also about navigating conflicts to find a solution that works for everyone, and to think of backup plans in advance so you can be prepared. It is also about establishing a relationship where there is mutual respect and a Caregiver feeling valued. That starts with their relationship with the agency that hired them.
Consistency
Reliability and Consistency are related but not exactly the same. Consistency is not just about having reliable coverage but having it provided by the same people. However, it is managed the same but with greater flexibility on finding the right fit. This can take more time and understanding to get those individuals who can align consistently with your needs.
Total Solution
Home Care is not just about supplying Caregivers. But if you listen closely to what Agencies tell you, that is effectively all they do. Virtually all Home Care Agencies source from the same pool of Caregivers. But it is the efforts above and beyond the supply of Caregivers that makes the difference. It is the planning, the preparation and deeply engaged Care Management that turns it from a supply business into a Service Solution
The Broad Street Home Care Service Solution
Broad Street’s direct home care service solution involves an in-home consultation with our Care Managers. Our Care Managers are Registered Nurses who will work closely with you and your loved ones to gain a thorough, in depth understanding of you, your living environment and your needs. During this consultation, your Care Manager will develop a plan of care with you, for you and about you. This plan outlines the skill set that the Care Professional will need to have as well as the activities that they will be performing while in your home.
The Care Manager remains involved throughout your care, communicating with family members, training and overseeing the Care Professionals and adjusting your plan of care as your needs evolve.
It is a process that takes time and must be proactively managed to get to the right solution.
How Broad Street’s Solution Works
Your Care Managers is in communication with your Care Professional before, during and after your care. As part of our Back-up Plan and Procedure, we work with you to establish a variety of working guidelines that are designed to promote:
Reliability
Consistency
Back-up plans – Being prepared allows you to move quickly to resolve issues
Greater Understanding of your needs and how to support them – This can only happen when you have greater consistency and reliability,
The Broad Street Plan of Service
During the initial consultation with your Care Manager, your Plan of Service is developed. This document evolves as your needs change. Your Care Managers use this document to train the Care Professional(s) working with you.
Preparation is key to a successful start of service. We review your Plan of Service with your Care Professional before they are introduced to you. We also conduct a hands-on demonstration of activities and safety precautions specific to your needs. We emphasize relevant aspects of professional conduct to make sure your Care Professional is considerate of any unique personal or household requirements.
Once service begins, we proactively manage your care to ensure everyone is following the plan and you are receiving the service that meets your needs. Our success is based on this constant process of communication, adjustment and improvement.
Ongoing Support
With Stability being another penultimate goal. Stability comes from adapting to change. This is accomplished by having dedicated Care Professionals who are highly engaged and invested in your safety and wellbeing, working collaboratively with Care Managers providing additional support.
This combined support builds over time. It is the relationship and trust developed over time that creates Stability.