As in any major decision it is important to get all the facts. Deciding the type of care your family member or loved one should have can be one of the most important decisions that will affect the rest of their lives. Whether you are contemplating a <a title=Nursing home at Great Places! rel="nofollow" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href= >nursing home</a>, <a title=Assisted living at Great Places! rel="nofollow" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href= >assisted living</a>,  senior apartments, adult day care or in-home healthcare you must be prepared to ask the right questions.

While it is important to ask the right questions when your loved one is moving into a new home (i.e. assisted living, nursing home, etc.), it is even more important to ask the right questions when a healthcare provider will be coming into your home. You want to make sure that you are inviting a reputable, caring individual into your living space. Here are some questions that can help you get the right conversation started.

How many years have you been working as an in-home healthcare provider?
How many years has your agency been around?

Is the agency you work approved for Medicare? Are they accredited?

Is your agency licensed by the state? Not all states require this.

Do you provide your patients with the rights and responsibilities of the agency, patient and caregiver? You want to know exactly what they should be providing you and in turn what you should be providing for them.

Is there someone on call 24 hours a day?

Do you ensure confidentiality with your patients?

Does this agency require background checks and drug screens on all their staff? What about a communicable disease screen? Make sure you are not inviting unwanted illnesses into your home.

When and how does billing happen?

What happens if I need to make a compliant, if a staff member fails to show up or what if I have a question? Where should I call?

Check references. Ask for a list provided by the agency. When you are talking to the references you should ask some simple questions that get to heart of how this agency is going to take care of you or your loved one. Ask if the reference refers people to this agency on a regular basis. Why or why not? If they are a physician then ask what types of things stand out about the agency – the good and the bad. Finally, ask about any contracts that might be in place and if they are required to meet special standards of care. You should know the type of relationship the care provider has with their references to help you really get the most out of the conversation.

It can be a difficult time of life when you need to invite a home healthcare provider into your home to care for a family member. If you have chosen to go this route rather than opting for a nursing home or assisted living facility then ask the right questions. There are many agencies that do specialize in at home care, however, make sure they are trustworthy. The last thing you want to do is entrust care of your loved one to an unreputable agency that will violate not only your family member but your living space as well. Understand and trust the agency you are choosing. You can do this by asking well-informed questions to get to the bottom of the care they provide.