If you’ve used the internet to try and find help when it comes to senior care, you are not alone. The web has made this not only possible, but easier than any method that’s ever existed before. The problem with the use of computers, though, when it comes to enlisting help for an elderly loved one, is that computer research is often impersonal, and therefore not completely accurate. The web’s a great place to start, but it is not the final decision maker in this complex process.
When you’re looking for care, there’s no better place to start than the internet. Type in something like “senior care” and the city and state you live in, and you will get multiple choices, even if you live in the middle of nowhere. If you live in a big city like San Francisco, you might even find that you have too many choices and that you are downright overwhelmed. This is okay, but you might need to do a bit of your own research before you go making phone calls. The best approach is to figure out what kind of care you are looking for. There’s in-home care, assisted living, skilled nursing care, hospice care, and respite care, just to name the big ones. You can also find variations of these things that don’t fit easily into a single category. Start with what you need, narrow down your choices that way, and then start reading reviews.
Make sure you focus on independent reviews first. Anyone can design a fancy website, but not everyone is able to impress the people that actually use their services. When someone feels strongly enough to leave a positive review online, you can tell that the service they are recommending went above and beyond. There are tons of sites that do this out there, and social media is quite telling, as well. Utilize all of these things before you make your short list.
That leads us to the next step. Make some phone calls. Emails can work, but they’re often not sufficient to get what you need to make your decision. You want to call, talk to a real person, and set up a meeting to discuss your loved one’s care. Here, you will meet face to face with the people that will be potentially providing care for your family member. This will allow you to see their personality and the level of professionalism that they carry. Ideally, you want someone that knows what they are doing, does it well, and has a kind and loving personality backing that up. This will be the best way to ensure the happiness and safety of your loved one, regardless of the type of care that you actually need.
Finally, check that your choices have the proper credentials and background work done. If you choose in-home care, for example, make sure that the caregiver coming into your home is licensed, insured, bonded, and has a criminal background check. You love your family, and you need to make sure that the people caring for them are going to keep them as safe as possible.
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