Choosing care at home for yourself or a loved one can feel daunting, and here at Visiting Angels we understand that you need to weigh up all the options when selecting the right care at home. Finding the courage to accept that care is needed is the first step, followed then by the minefield of selecting a care provider.
There are lots of advantages of choosing a CQC registered domiciliary care agency over a private carer.
Firstly you can be assured that the agency have conducted rigorous background and reference checks using professional, accredited bodies. You also have piece of mind knowing that the agency will have full responsibility for legal risks, such as insurance and employment laws. This is an important consideration, particularly as the carer will be often lone working in a private, home environment with lots of risks to be assessed.
If a private carer is unavailable due to illness or holiday, finding a replacement can be challenging. With a home care agency you never have to worry about sickness or holidays as there is guaranteed cover for all eventualities.
A good home care agency will deliver tailored, person-centred care through a small team of regular, consistent carers. This leads to stronger relationships and safer practices. At Visiting Angels we carefully consider our clients needs and personalities to select a well matched caregiver. In fact we go one step further and offer our clients the option to participate in our award winning ‘Choose Your Caregiver’ scheme.
A quality home care provider will provide you with access to an app to allow you to review your bespoke care plan, and visit notes. At Visiting Angels we use the Birdie app which allows the carers to log in and out of visits and record their notes in real time. There is full transparency about the duration of the visit, and so you feel ‘in touch’ no matter how far away you live from your relative or loved one. If there is an issue or complaint, it is far easier to follow the company complaints procedure, than have awkward or difficult conversations with a private caregiver.
Lastly, the cost of private care through an agency is sometimes seen as expensive, however at Visiting Angels Fylde Coast we will discuss with you how we can tailor your care package around budget. We support lots of different clients, with varying budgets and funding arrangements, including those receiving Direct Payments from Lancashire Adult Services.
