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Keeping a loved one at home while dealing with life ending sickness can be a comfort to both the sick person as well as yourself. The comforts of home can be reassuring and make final days a bit more tolerable. When considering home care for your end of life needs, there are a few things to keep in mind. Here are top considerations.
Finance
While you are likely to decide that finances don\’t matter when choosing the best home care provider, it is still important to consider costs and how you will fund the care. Talk with your insurance provider and life insurance providers before hiring an agency to see what allowances are made in your plans. You may be surprised to learn that some home care is included. Also look into VFW, Mason, and other fraternal funds if your loved one ever provided a service that may have lead to inclusion.
Shop Around
Be sure to interview at least three options of provider for in home care. Weather these are personal nurses or hospice care providers. You should also ask what services are covered in your premium, what is additional, what the response time on a call is, how often the care provider will be out for regular check ins and how long you can expect each visit to last. This is one area where there are never too many questions to ask, nor are there questions that are out of line.
Comfort is Key
Ultimately the most important thing to find in a home care representative or company is someone you as a care giver are comfortable being around. The next several hours, days, weeks or months will be extremly difficult on you as well as on the sick person. You need to find someone who makes you feel comfortable. Choose someone who understands the illness with which you are dealing and can answer your questions knowledgeably and with tact. Choose someone who will allow you to run your errands or will run them for you. It is OK to be very picky in choosing your provider. Consult private nurse ads in the local paper if you have to.