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How can I ensure that the home carer assigned to me is trustworthy?

A home carer provides professional and flexible care to support an individual or couple in living independently in the comfort of their own home. As home carers offer support in your home, including help with sensitive personal care and medication management, you must be able to fully trust your home carer.

In this guide, we will share our top tips to ensure you know what to look out for when choosing a trustworthy home carer to provide the care and support you need to live independently in the home you cherish.

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What are the benefits of a home carer?

Home care is quickly becoming a popular alternative to care homes as it offers many benefits, including:

  • Enabling you to live independently at home
  • Receiving care tailored around your specific needs
  • Only paying for the care you need
  • Family and friends can visit freely
  • You can stick to your familiar routines
  • You can keep your pets and even get help with their care
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How do you find a reliable and trustworthy home carer?

If you have decided home care is the right option for you or your loved one, you may be wondering how to find a trustworthy home carer. There are four main options for finding a home carer in the UK, these include:

  • A family member or someone you know and trust providing home care for you.
  • Placing an ad for a private home carer and employing them directly.
  • Using an introductory service agency to put you in touch with suitable home carers.
  • Using a fully managed home care provider, like Cherished Home Care.

Each option has pros and cons, so it’s important you think about these when considering your options for finding a trustworthy home carer:

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A family member or someone you know

The benefit of a family member or someone you know providing home care is that you already trust them. However, they may not have all the necessary skills or expertise required to provide the best care, and you also need to think about who will provide care if they take a holiday or are ill. Some people also prefer the help of a professional when it comes to dealing with sensitive topics like personal care and hygiene.

Finding a private home carer by posting an ad

You can look for your own home carer by posting an ad online or in a reputable magazine. The benefit of this method is that you are in full control of the carer you choose and can stipulate certain qualities, qualifications, or skills you need in the ad.

The downside of this option is that you are fully responsible for a private carer, so everything from checking their references, conducting a disclosure and barring reference background check (DBS), and managing them falls to you. It also means if things don’t work out for any reason, you will be left without care until you find a suitable replacement.

Using an introductory home care agency

An introductory home care agency acts as an intermediary by introducing you to carers who may be suitable for your needs. An introductory agency carries out background checks, such as an enhanced DBS check, interviews, and assessments on all potential home carers to ensure they are competent and can deliver safe care. They will also ask for proof of any specialist care skills or qualifications to make sure the home carer can provide the level of care they say they can.

However, after introducing you to a suitable home carer you are responsible for managing your chosen home carer, which can include managing their holiday pay, finding cover during any sickness, and paying things like their National Insurance contributions.

Using a fully managed home care agency

Fully managed care services, like those offered by Cherished Home Care, take complete responsibility for the management of home carers. This means you don’t have to worry about paying wages or finding holiday cover, as it is all taken care of for you. At Cherished, we also ensure our carers attend regular training sessions and undergo assessments to ensure you consistently get the highest standards of care available.

Fully managed care services are also regulated and assessed, which can provide reassurance to people looking for reliable home carers.

However, fully managed care services can be more expensive than some of the other options, but at Cherished Home Care, we can offer advice on potential funding options.

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Qualities to look for in a trustworthy home carer

Whichever route you choose to go down to find the right home carer for you, it’s important to look out for certain characteristics in your home carer:

Compassion and understanding

Caregiving requires compassion and understanding in abundance. You need your carer to be able to empathise, understand your fears, and provide care with dignity and respect.

Professionalism

Providing care is a big responsibility, so a home carer should show they take it seriously by maintaining high standards of professionalism in their presentation, punctuality, and caregiving.

Reliability

People receiving home care often rely on their carers to ensure they get their medication on time, eat regular healthy meals, and for personal care, like toileting and washing, so they must be reliable. They should turn up on time or call ahead to let you know if a delay is expected.

Adaptability

Life is unpredictable, so carers must be able to adapt, whether that’s to your changing needs or to respond and remain calm in the event of an emergency.

Honesty

Requiring any kind of help can make you feel more vulnerable, so it’s essential to trust your home carer. Honesty from your home carer is a must.

Good communication skills

Keeping you, your family, and other healthcare professionals informed about your care processes and needs is an important part of a home carer’s role, so they must be able to communicate confidently and effectively.

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Other factors to consider when looking for a trustworthy home carer

As well as possessing the essential qualities, a home carer should also have the necessary skills, qualifications, and references to prove that they can provide safe and trustworthy care, including:

  • A recent DBS check
  • Proof of qualifications – like an NVQ in Health and Social Care
  • Evidence of their experience – this could be through references of previous clients

You may also want to ask any potential home carers specific questions about their experiences, why they chose to become a home carer, and their experience with the health conditions you live with.

If you are planning to use a home care agency, you may also want to ask about whether you will get a set home carer or whether your carer will change day to day.

What qualifications and training do home carers have
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Learn how Cherished Home Care’s 24/7 home care services can help you

At Cherished Home Care, we are dedicated to providing the highest quality home care services. All our carers are fully trained and carefully selected for their experience and empathy to ensure they can provide professional, reliable, and trustworthy care, no matter what your needs.

What’s more, we carefully match our live-in carers to suit your needs, interests, and personality, as we understand how important it is that you not only trust your home carer but that you build a lasting relationship, too.

Find a trustworthy home carer local to you

If you are looking for a reliable and trustworthy home carer local to you or your loved one, get in touch with Cherished Home Care. We offer local, reliable, and trustworthy bespoke home care and are committed to enabling you or your loved one to live independently in the home you cherish.

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