Elder Care Assessment
Questions to Ask When You're Parent Needs Help |  Q. When is it time to get live-in help for my parent(s)?- When the amount of time you spend at your parent's home is more than you are spending at your own.
- When you find yourself calling them several times a day from work because they haven't been feeling well.
- When your parent requires help with day-to-day living, i.e., bathing, dressing, cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, transportation.
- When you find yourself spending sleepless nights worrying about your parent living alone, i.e., have they turned off the stove, is the door locked, have they fallen, etc.
- When you notice they are becoming very forgetful and confused.
- When they call you at all hours of the night because they are nervous being alone in the house.
- When you notice bruises and scrapes because they have been falling.
- When you notice that they have not been taking their medication.
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 Q. What are the benefits of home care?- Patients can remain in their own home with familiar surroundings, which brings them a sense of security and comfort.
- If both spouses are still alive, staying in their own home prevents unnecessary, and emotionally painful separation.
- It is usually more cost effective for the patient to remain in their own home.
- Patient can be visited by friends and relatives on their schedule, not the hospital or convalescent home's schedule.
- Patient has the opportunity to go on outings which would be prohibitive in a hospital type setting.
- One-on-one attention from their home aide, vs. care from an in-hospital aide or nurse who has many patients to care for.
- If a patient is not satisfied (or their family isn't satisfied) with the care they are receiving from a home care aide, they can call the Agency and request another caregiver.
- If the patient is mentally alert, the caregiver is there to assist them in their day-to-day lives, not to take over their lives.
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 Q. What should I ask the caregiver during an interview?- How long have you been providing in-home care?
- What types of cases have you worked on?
- Are you willing to stay on if my parent becomes bedridden and requires total bed care?
- Are you the type of person who will take my parent out, vs sitting in the house all day?
- Are you willing to take my parent to church?
- Do you have your own car? Ask for proof of insurance, or be sure the Agency has the caregiver's proof of insurance on-file as well as a copy of their latest DMV printout.
- If your parent is in a wheel chair or uses a slide board or a patient lift, ask the caregiver if they are experienced with transfers.
- Are you looking for permanent or temporary work?
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 Q. What should I look for once the caregiver is hired?- Talk to your parent alone after the caregiver has been there for a few days to see if they are comfortable with this person. Be sure to look for signs of unusual agitation or fear.
- Check your parent's personal appearance. Are his/her clothes clean and neat. Is their hair combed? If the parent is a male, has he been shaved?
- Walk around the house, check to see that everything is neat and clean.
- Speak with neighbors to see if they have seen or heard anything unusual.
- Talk with the caregiver privately to see if there are any problems that you can take care of around the house, or supplies that may be needed.
- Be sure that the caregiver is keeping a daily log, and read it.
- Watch the interaction between the caregiver and your parent. Be sure the caregiver is paying attention to your parent and being respectful.
- If your parent is well enough to go out, ask what kind of activities they have been doing. If they have to remain at home, find out what the caregiver is doing to occupy your parent's time.
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