Where to begin when looking for home care

Looking for home care can be a daunting task and if you’re just beginning to consider the idea, you may be wondering ‘where on earth do I start?!’

Thankfully, you’re not alone and will be relieved to hear that there is support available for care seekers who are looking for home care for their loved ones.

We asked TrustedCare to explain what you should consider when looking for home care. TrustedCare’s help and advice service supports families throughout the process of finding care.

How do I choose a home care service provider?

Once you have a shortlist of possible home care providers, whether this be a list provided by a referral service like TrustedCare, or one that you have put together yourself, the next challenge is deciding which one to choose!

Here are some top tips on ways to decipher which home care provider would be best for you or your loved one:

1. Check out the home care providers latest Care Quality Commission result 

Most home care providers are registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the regulatory body for all care services in the UK. Inspectors from the CQC make unexpected visits to home care services to ensure that they are safe, caring, responsive, effective, and well-led.

Following an inspection, the Inspector will put together a report, rating how well the home care service performed in each of these 5 categories and provide an overall rating which will range from inadequate to outstanding.

A copy of the full report is available to the public via the CQC website and we highly recommend that you use this to help you make an informed decision when choosing between services.

Naomi Cooper, TrustedCare.co.uk

2. Personal recommendations

Asking around and using your personal connections can be a highly valuable exercise when you are choosing a home care provider. Even if your friends and family don’t have experience with local home care services, they may know someone who does!

Going off a personal recommendation can provide reassurance and peace of mind to both the person needing care and their relatives.

3. Online reviews

Today, there is a wealth of information available to us online! This is the perfect situation to utilise modern technology. There are many review sites out there such as Google Business reviews, Facebook, online directories such as TrustedCare.co.uk and Trustpilot.

We urge that you check what people are saying about a home care service and whether they have had a positive or negative experience. This could quickly help you eliminate any home care providers who have received poor reviews.

Naomi Cooper, TrustedCare.co.uk

4. Speak with the Manager

Speaking with the Manager of the home care company can be very helpful. When speaking with different Managers, there may be one that particularly stands out to you which could help you to make a final decision.

Things to listen out for is whether they come across as friendly and genuine, whether they take the time to understand exactly what your loved one’s needs are (both physical and emotional) and whether they discuss the next steps clearly e.g. a face-to-face assessment.

Finding a homecare service

Let’s talk you through the steps TrustedCare would take to help you find a home care service for your loved one… 

1. Understanding your care requirements

One of TrustedCare’s Care Advisers will have a conversation with you via telephone, live chat or email to gain a better understanding of your or your loved one’s care needs, the location of the home care required and what your timescales are. A recent study from Lottie looked at what people most want from a care home.

2. Local search commences

Based upon the information you have provided, your Care Adviser will complete a local search and collate a shortlist of suitable home care services that can support your needs and have availability. In most cases, this will be completed within 24 hours!

3. Information presented

Once your Care Adviser has sourced 3-5 suitable home care providers, they will email you details of the services including their fees, Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating and feedback from current/past service users.

4. Next steps

Now that you have your list of potential home care providers in your local area, your TrustedCare Adviser will give you the option to contact the services yourself or they can contact them on your behalf to arrange phone calls and meetings with the Care Managers.

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