How to Locate the Right Home Care Services for a Senior

There are about 15,000 home care agencies in the country, which offer services ranging from home companions - who assist in cooking, cleaning and errands - to registered nurses, who address a range of health care needs.

Things You'll Need

• Prepackaged Meals

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Instructions

• 1

  Consult a senior family member's doctor or social worker for a list of quality home care agencies.

• 2

  Check the yellow pages for a list of home care agencies.

• 3

  Talk to a geriatric care manager for a home care agency recommendation. A geriatric care manager is usually a nurse, social worker or psychologist by training, and specializes in geriatrics.

• 4

  Find out if a prospective agency does national criminal background checks for all its employees. Be aware that most agencies only do state background checks.

• 5

  Make sure the agency you hire bonds its workers in case of theft. This way a senior will be reimbursed should a worker steal from his or her home. Also, make sure the agency has malpractice insurance.

• 6

  See if the agency does pre-employment drug screening. Also, does the agency do random drug screening?

• 7

  Know that a non-nurse companion or a homemaker will cost between $10 and $18 per hour. Companions help seniors with cleaning, cooking, laundry and errands.

• 8

  Expect to pay between $17 and $25 per hour for a certified home health aid and between $30 and $55 per hour for a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse.