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How to Choose A Home Care Provider

Apr 11, 2018

Today we discuss the things to consider when choosing a home care provider and explain how The Care Collection can help if your current provider is not meeting your expectations.

Things to consider when choosing a home care provider

Receiving home care (also known as domiciliary care or home healthcare) rather than moving into a care home is the preferred option for the majority of people due to the benefits it offers – continuing the usual routine and retaining independence, control of costs and no hassle of moving among others. However, choosing a home care provider can be a daunting task, particularly when there are so many options available – in Kirklees there are over 35 home care companies and over 30 in Calderdale! So, how are you meant to choose? Below we have set out a checklist of things to consider when shortlisting potential home care providers:

  1. Who owns and manages the company? Someone with hands on care experience or not?
  2. Is it a local company? Or an agency or franchise with a national head office?
  3. Who will be your day-to-day contact person if required?
  4. Does the home care provider have the expertise and capacity to meet your needs now, and in the future?
  5. Will you receive a regular team of Carers who you can form a bond with? Will they will be matched to you based on interests and hobbies?
  6. How long will the Carer spend with you on each visit? Will they have time to care?
  7. Consider the costs now and in the future? How often are costs increased and at what rates?
  8. Is the provider regulated by the Care Quality Commission?
  9. Finally, and most importantly, read independent reviews on www.homecare.co.uk and speak to current users of the service where possible.

If you wish to discuss any of the items above, please contact us and we would be happy to assist.

Is your existing homecare provider meeting your expectations? If not, rest assured The Care Collection is different

It’s a sad fact, but we are regularly contacted by Clients and their families who are not happy with their current homecare service. In some cases, people reluctantly remain with their service for months, and even years, despite it not being up to scratch. When we ask families why they haven’t replaced them sooner, the most common answer given is that they assume other home care companies will “just be the same”. The second most common reason given is that it may be “a hassle” to make a change. However once families decide that enough is enough, they are pleased to discover that The Care Collection provides a very different quality of service. As the daughter of one Client put it:

 “After dealing with a care company whose attitude was arrive at any time, get in and out as soon as possible and send anyone who was available, The Care Collection are completely different. They arrange a time to suit you and send the same two Carers.
They are caring and treat mum with dignity, respect and spend time with her. The management are easily approachable too. I would highly recommend the company to anyone who needs care.”

So, what exactly is it that makes The Care Collection different?

We are a local company owned, managed and led by a highly qualified and experienced Director of Care, not an agency or franchise owned by someone with no care background

  • Catherine Haigh has over 20 years’ experience working in care. She started working as a Carer when she was 16 and has since worked across the whole care sector with people of all ages and a range of conditions. Catherine has also grown up around Vascular Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and Autism in her own family.
  • Catherine is personally involved in every Client’s home care package and uses safe, inclusive and creative care planning methodology to develop complex care management strategy and intervention techniques which allows our Clients greater freedom and independence.
  • She also acts as a 1-1 independent advisory resource and advocates directly for Clients, whether it be care concerns, navigation of the social care system, funding streams such as Continuing Health Care (CCG) or support with legal matters.
  • During her career, Catherine has built trusted relationships with outreach teams and associated professionals which allows for fast tracking and sign posting to speed up referral times to other services such as occupational health, nutritionists and falls prevention.

We offer the full collection of home care services, adaptable to meet changing needs

  • Our services range from long term complex care through to support with everyday living including companionship, domestic support and personal care. As a result, our care plans are fully flexible and can grow or lessen as and when the care needs change providing our Clients with continuity of care.
  • Catherine regularly reassesses care packages in consultation with all parties to ensure they are appropriate at any given time, as well as acting as an early warning system.

 We provide consistency of service meaning you are never left without care

  • We have strong recruitment processes and invest in and support our staff by providing them with market leading pay and benefits as well as career development opportunities.
  • Our staff retention is high allowing our Clients and Carers get to know each other over a long period of time. This means our Carers develop a deeper level of understanding of their Clients’ needs as well as creating a better-quality relationship.
  • As a result, there is less disruption for our Clients, letting them settle into the support service knowing that they are not going to have to constantly adjust to new faces and personalities.
  • Where a Carer takes a break, for example to go on holiday, we have the depth of resource to immediately supply a fully trained alternative Carer. We ensure that the change over from one Carer to another causes no disruption to the service and all introductions are made and agreed in advance of changeovers.

 We encourage lasting bonds to form through our bespoke matching service and minimum 1-hour visits

  • From the outset we spend time getting to know our Clients and their families and make our services bespoke to their wishes. Our Client to Carer matching service based on hobbies and interests ensures a healthy rapport between our Clients and Carers.
  • Our minimum of 1-hour service gives our Carers time to talk and take an interest in a person’s life encouraging relationships to flourish. In many cases our Carers are considered extended family which allows relatives of our Clients to feel confident with our service knowing their family member is happy, safe and cared for at home.

 All of our staff are employed and managed directly by us. We do not use agency staff or self-employed personal assistants

  • We take full responsibility for ensuring our staff are highly trained, including all necessary specialist training such as Dementia training.
  • Our staff are appraised and supervised regularly to ensure they provide their Clients with the highest quality support.
  • We also take responsibility for payroll and recruitment checks.

We provide an award-winning service, rated “Good” in all 5 areas by CQC

  • Before choosing a home care provider is important to do lots of research, read reviews and speak to current users of the service where possible. Many companies say they will do certain things but the reality can often be very different.
  • We are proud to have been recognised in the Top 20 Home Care Providers across the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber by independent review website homecare.co.uk based on the feedback given by our Clients. You can read the reviews here and we would be happy for you to talk to our Clients and their families about their experiences with The Care Collection.
  • We have also recently been awarded a “Good” rating in all 5 key areas in our recently CQC inspection, receiving extremely positive feedback from the Inspector. You can read the full report here.

We can transfer a service from an existing provider to us safely and effectively

  • Our multidisciplinary good practice guidance along with our high-level core principles and responsibilities ensure the safe transfer from an existing provider to us.
  • We understand that strong, clear communication and coordination are essential for a successful transition.
  • Clients and their families feel less anxious about the transition because they know it is being managed by professionals and feel supported and informed at all stages.
  • A Client’s individual circumstances are carefully considered and we liaise with heath care professionals on their behalf to ensure the smoothest of transitions.

If you are considering home care, or thinking of replacing your existing provider, and would like a free and friendly Care Consultation with Catherine please contact us to arrange it today.

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If you’d like to discuss anything in private instead, just get in touch using the contact details at the bottom of the page!

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