There comes a time as we age that we realize we will need some extra help to stay living independent lives in our own home. Or you may have noticed over the festive period that a loved one, your parents or other senior relatives are not coping as well as they might, and will need some assistance. Equally, thatdecision might need to be made more quickly if we have have a severe illness or surgery.

The good news is that home care is available at any level you require, including: • Weekly visits for help with household chores

• A visit every day to provide assistance with daily life
• Regular daily visits for personal care
• Respite care for carers

However, finding a professional, quality home care provider to allow you or your loved one to stay at home safely can seem daunting. That’s why we have put together a checklist to help you and your family make an informed decision.

Asking these questions and knowing what you are looking for will help you make the right decision on who you choose as your home care provider.

1. Does the home care company have a website that outlines their services?

Understanding exactly what home care services a company can provide is very important. Some companies may only offer weekly visits, for example, or not provide respite cover. You want to ensure that the one you choose has the caregivers and the capacity to deliver the care you require, and doesn’t over-promise and under-deliver.

2. How much experience and knowledge do the home care company owners have?

Sadly, many home care company operators enter the home care sector with little to no experience in working with seniors or their families. They also don’t have the passion and dedication for the work either. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask any home care company owners or operators why they are in the home care industry, and what makes them equipped to care for you or your loved ones.

Knowing why someone is in the home care sector and what their training, background and credentials are to run a home care agency and to manage a team is very important in determining their companies’ abilities to deliver on your needs. At Vytality at Home, our owners Nicole and Brad have extensive experience in care, and have the passion and compassion for their customers too. Read more about them here:

3. How is your care plan developed?

Every home care company has a different assessment process to create what should be your personalized home care plan. Some are far better than others. Ensure that the company you are looking at offers a free comprehensive assessment that they will complete in your home. A comprehensive assessment will ensure that all your needs are met.

Here at Vytality at Home, we complete the most comprehensive home care assessments in the Calgary market. This may include all of the following formalized screenings:

• MMSE
• MoCA
• Lawton IADL
• PHQ-9
• ZBI-12a
• Quality of Life screen
• proprietary MBI-C

These professional objective tools help home care companies such as ours measure your mood, memory, function, and medical conditions.

We firmly believe that any professional and dedicated home care provider needs to see for themselves what you require, and the specific features (and challenges) of your home environment. So, your home assessment should also include a home environmental evaluation to look at strategies so you can remain safe at home.

4. What range of senior home care services are offered?

Some home care companies provide non-medical care, whilst other provide a full range of medical care services. It is important to understand:

• What your needs are
• What you want to access from private pay home care
• Which services you can access through AHS

If you are confused by your options, do contact us here at Vytality and Home. We’re happy to help. Tel: 403 476 3680

5. What additional services can the home care company deploy to keep me safe at home?

Having a great home care provider that has community linkages and partnerships to create a holistic approach to aging in place will be of great benefit to you and your family. Ask them about their ability to coordinate services above and beyond your home care needs. This could include services such as;

• Physiotherapists
• Occupational Health
• Massage Therapists
• Pharmacists
• Home Oxygen services
• Medical Supplies

When a home care company can access these additional services, they can meet the care needs of a range of customers, allowing you and others to enjoy continued independent living in your own home.

6. Can the home care provider tailor their services or caregivers to your non-healthcare personal preferences?

It’s important to remember that your home care will be delivered by a caregiver, a person who comes into your home. A truly caring home care company will work hard to ensure that you caregiver/s are a good match with you, in terms of language spoken, gender or cultural preferences).

At Calgary at Home, our team of experienced, caring and friendly caregivers have wide cultural and language flexibility allows for a truly customized experience for you. This then allows for a solid relationship to be built between you and the caregiver.

7. How can your homecare company ensure that there is consistency in caregivers?

Many less experienced home care providers may struggle to ensure that the caregiver who provides yours or your loved one’s care is consistent. At Vytality at Home, you can choose your caregiver, and you can choose to have the same caregiver come to see you whenever care is required. What’s more, with over 100 caregivers working for us, we can ensure both consistency and choice for our home care customers.

8. Are the caregivers bonded and have they had Vulnerable Sector screens and background checks?

Allowing someone in your home to help you in any capacity requires a high degree of trust. Knowing that your home care provider has done their due diligence to screen, bond and background check all of their employees is both reassuring and an indication of the commitment of the company to your health, safety and welfare.

9. How open to communication and feedback is the home care provider?

You want to be able to communicate with every level of the home care company and know that they are open and are fully transparent. Ask them if you are able to communicate with the owners, the manager and the care team that are coming in to provide care.

Why choose Vytality at Home for your Calgary senior care requirements

At Vytality at Home, we’ve poured our decades of experienced into creating a Calgary home care company that goes way above and beyond.

• Our owners have over 45 years of experience working with seniors and their families.
• They both live here in Calgary, so they know the health care environment and the respective services that allow their clients to age in place successfully.
• They manage their team and their company based on their purpose of Creating Exceptional Experiences, that transcends the basics of care and extends to all aspects of aging in place.

Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have – we are happy to help. Rest assured, if we are not the right fit or can’t provide you with the services that you require, we will help you find someone who can!

• Call us
• Email us
• Book a consultation