5 questions to ask when choosing a home care assistance provider

It’s a jungle out there for anyone looking for a new or different home care provider. With a multitude of options to choose from, how will you determine the best option for you and your family?

Here are some questions to consider if you are looking for a new provider.

What level of vetting and screening of new people is conducted by the home care provider?

When it comes to trusting a stranger with your own or your loved one’s health, safety and wellbeing, it’s reassuring to know that the provider of home care services you choose has a comprehensive vetting system and onboarding process when recruiting support staff.

Since they are caring for the most vulnerable in our community, a support worker needs to embody certain personality traits in order to be successful – such as reliability, trustworthiness, respect, patience and positivity to name a few.

A good home care provider may ask potential support workers to undergo the following to ensure they are reliable:

• a face-to-face induction
• reference checks
• police check or NDIS Worker Check
• Working with Children Check

Can I choose a disability support worker from my local area?

Finding local community support with local knowledge could make life much easier if flexibility is important to you. This is because the commute time for the support worker to reach you is much shorter and it will be easier for them to provide support with short notice. They will also be more familiar with local community groups or events in your area.

Local support is also valuable if you are looking to explore new cafes or parks but don’t want to venture too far.

Can I choose to see the same person each week?

It can be especially frustrating experience having to repeat instructions to a new support worker each week, not to mention the anxiety some elderly or disabled people may feel at the prospect not only meeting, but relying on someone they don’t know.

Having a familiar face around and being able to book in the same support worker regularly makes the experience much more comfortable and can facilitate the growth of genuine friendships.

Will the person providing support share the same interests, and have the skills I need?

It is a huge advantage to find a support worker who has similar interests to you, as well as the skills and experience you need to help you reach your goals. Are you a movie buff, a rugby league fan, or a keen gardener? Sharing your passion with a like-minded person is a truly special experience – it makes it easier to interact with people when they understand something that is important to you, keeps the conversation flowing, and helps to build genuine companionship and even lifelong friendships.

Does the provider charge affordable flat rates?

Finding a competitive flat rate means you can fit more hours of support (and more hours of fun!) within your NDIS budget or home care package. It also means you don't need to go through the stress of negotiating rates with every support worker you want to work with.

You can compare a home care provider's hourly rates with the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits to see if you are getting good value for money.

Access quality support with Like Family

If you are looking for a provider that delivers on all of the above points, Like Family is for you! Our team are passionate about ending loneliness in the community, and making genuine connections in the community to improve the happiness, health and wellbeing of those feeling vulnerable or lonely due to ageing, illness or disability. We are an NDIS registered provider, and have thoroughly-vetted Social Carers throughout QLD, NSW, and Victoria.

We match our Members with Social Carers in their local area based on shared interests and desired skill-set, so you can browse and choose the right support for you or your loved one. We place the choice and control in your hands, so you can choose to keep working with the same people each week if you like. Like Family has over 100 5-star ratings on Google reviews and offers competitive flat rates. Sign up as a member now to receive support for yourself, a client, a friend or a loved one.