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In-home care agencies allow seniors to stay in their homes longer and enjoy more freedom and independence, so it’s important to ask questions when hiring a senior care agency.

There are so many agencies now and the quality of care varies greatly. Just because a caregiver is employed by an agency doesn’t necessarily mean they have the training and experience to care for an elderly person.

Allowing and trusting a stranger into a private home can be risky and challenging so it’s really important for families to research agencies carefully when considering in-home care.

Ask questions such as these when interviewing senior care agencies:

1. How long has this agency been in business? 
   • Use a company that is well known. It doesn’t need to be large or a franchise. Make sure to ask for references.
2. How does the company recruit caregivers? 
   • Some hire anyone who walks through the door.
   • Do they run federal or state background checks as well as reference checks?
3. What skills and certifications are required and how does the company assess each caregiver’s skills?
   • Do they know the caregiver’s strengths, weaknesses and interests? This is important when matching caregivers with clients.
4. Are employees insured and bonded through the agency? 
   • Are they covered by Workers Compensation insurance and does the company pay their payroll taxes.
5. Does the agency send the same person rather than a new caregiver each visit?
   • It is a good idea to have 2 or 3 caregivers on a team in case one becomes ill or leaves.
6. If a caregiver isn’t a good fit, will the agency provide someone else quickly?
7. Does the agency provide a quality of care evaluation regularly and who does this?

At Aspen Senior Care, we have hired a third party, Home Care Pulse, to conduct monthly interviews with our clients, to find out how we are doing and where we can improve. We are serious about providing the best care possible.

Aspen Senior Care…

1. is well established in our community with over 11 years of service in Utah County.
2. carefully screens and runs background checks on potential caregivers. We conduct lengthy interviews and check all references of potential caregivers.
3. requires caregivers to be either CNAs or Certified Companion Aides (CCAs). Our caregivers are also trained in dementia and hospice care.
4. is bonded and insured, provides Workers Compensation insurance and pays all payroll taxes.
5. strives to be consistent with a team of caregivers so that clients will have familiarity with their caregivers.
6. listens to client concerns and always tries to find the best caregiver fit.
7. does on-site evaluations of caregivers and alternate with a home visit and a phone call to our clients every other month. These visits and calls are done by our field supervisors.

Call us at 801-224-5910 and see if we can answer these questions to your satisfaction. We are passionate about providing quality care to seniors. We consider our clients and caregivers to be part of our Aspen family and we’d love to have you be a part of it!

Aspen’s Scheduling Team