5 Ways to Ensure Your Loved One’s Caregivers Are Qualified

January 24, 2018

People expect excellent service any time they are paying for it. Good service is typically built on experience, and while everyone needs to start somewhere, it is usually best that those with experience are paired to train those with less time on the job.

The same goes for caregivers. Families entrust their loved ones to specific caregivers with the expectation that their loved ones will be capable hands. However, there are many cases in which the opposite occurs. There have been multiple instances of underqualified staff being employed by nursing homes, and these people may be handed more responsibility than they are capable of handling.

Before you leave your loved one in the care of a nursing home or a home health caregiver, there are a few questions you need to ask:

1. Proof of Current Documentation

This is especially important if you are hiring a home healthcare provider. Be sure that whoever is caring for your loved one is trained in all of the areas that your loved one may need assistance for. For example, there are certain certifications for workers who will be working with dementia patients.

2. References

This is also especially important for anyone hiring a home healthcare provider. Before you allow anyone to care one-on-one for your loved one, be sure to ask for a list of three references and call every one of them. In a nursing home environment, it might be more appropriate to inquire about the administration’s hiring policies rather than to request references for every staff member.

3. Experience

This aspect is important in any environment. Be sure to ask what experience someone has in the field before you allow them to care for your loved one. Get an idea of how many years they have been in the field, what types of illnesses and disabilities they have handled, and how they managed that.

4. Stress Management

Many times the environment that caregivers work in is one of high stress. It is important that someone in the field knows how to manage the stress in order to complete a task in an efficient manner. Before you hire a home caregiver, be sure to ask how they handle the stress of such an important job. If you’re considering a nursing home for your loved one, ask what programs are in place to make sure staff receives adequate breaks and resources for stress management.

5. Situation-Specific Questions

When considering whether someone is qualified to care for your loved one, don’t be afraid to ask situation-specific questions. Present possible situations and ask the caregiver how he or she would handle the specific dilemmas.

Help from an Indiana Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Hiring a caregiver is no small task. It is a huge step to trust the care of your loved one in the hands of someone else, and you never want to hand this responsibility to someone underqualified. However, if your loved one was hurt or abused because of an underqualified worker, you could be entitled to compensation. Call Hensley Legal Group today or contact us online for a free consultation.