The decision to hire a home care agency is a big one. Sometimes, this decision can be stressful or fraught with tension and disagreement, and other times it is seamless and easy. It all depends on the particular client in question, family dynamics, financial considerations, and the context surrounding the situation. Once a family decides that in home care is the right path, WHO to hire becomes the next step. What are the factors that families generally care most about when hiring in home care help?

When hiring in home care, Philadelphia families care about…

Quality of home care provided. One of the most important (if not the most important) factors a family considers is what kind of care is provided. After all, the client is often a beloved family member who is no longer able to take care of themselves, and family/friends are not able to provide adequate care for any number of reasons. This means you want the best possible person to be caring for your elderly mother, father, aunt, uncle, or other relative. Qualities a family often looks for in a caregiver include compassion, patience, and the right personality to mesh with the client. (Read our blog about the Client-Caregiver Matching Process.) The skills the caregiver possesses must match the particular needs of the client as well. For instance, some clients require the more advanced skills of an RN or LPN, but most require help at the CNA / HHA level.

Pro tip: RN = Registered Nurse; LPN = Licensed Practical Nurse; CNA = Certified Nursing Assistant; HHA = Home Health Assistant

How much does in home care cost? When it comes down to it, most people heavily weight the cost of a good or service when deciding what to purchase…which makes a lot of sense! There are a few philosophies around how much to pay for a service. For example, “you get what you pay for” or “pay as little as possible,” or even “it’s our Mother, we’ll pay what we have to!” Thankfully, there are many types of senior care, and most in home care agencies in Philadelphia have a variety of services to offer. There is an entire spectrum of care, with basic housekeeping and companionship on one end, and around-the-clock medical care on the other.

Want to compare the costs of various types of Senior Care? Read our comprehensive blog, How Do In Home Care Costs Compare to other types of Senior Care?

Are the caregivers and agency competent? As mentioned above, some clients require more skilled care than others. One of the benefits of choosing an in home care agency (rather than a registry; read the difference here) is that the caregivers receive continual training and education in addition to their licensing requirements. For instance, the caregivers at Pennsylvania Agency of Nurses receive monthly training on topics such as fall prevention, senior nutrition, and more. A great agency will work with your family to decipher which particular skills are needed and ensure that the caregivers selected meet those requirements.

Why is PAN a unique Philadelphia in home care agency? What additional characteristics do we offer?

• Pennsylvania Agency of Nurses has been working in the greater Philadelphia area since 1987. This means we have established a great network with families, former clients, and other care providers like local area doctors. (See Dr Michael Shank’s video testimonial about working with PAN.) We are highly regarded in the area, and have clients throughout Montgomery, Philadelphia, and Delaware counties, as well as the Main Line. You can browse the list of cities we serve here.

• Our agency is one of the few in home care companies that is nurse-owned and nurse-operated. What does this mean for our clients? It means that everyone in the decision-making process has training in the healthcare field, and shares a desire to serve others. We are very proud of the staff and management team we’ve created, and we think you’ll be pleased with the attention to detail and level of care we provide.

• We have happy employees…which means you have happy caregivers! We work very hard to create an environment that fosters compassion and competence. Our employees are important members of the team, and this business would not exist without them. As such, we carefully vet potential team members during the hiring process, and ensure they’re trained, qualified, and ready to provide families with impeccable in home care. You can “meet” some of our outstanding employees on our “Caregiver Profile” page.

Does a loved one in your family need in home care or other types of senior care? We hope you’ll consider Pennsylvania Agency of Nurses, serving Philadelphia for 30 years.

In addition to in home care, PAN provides geriatric care management and Alzheimer’s care. Our caregivers have experience with a multitude of diagnoses, such as diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, dementia, heart disease, special needs, and more. We have private duty CNAs, HHAs, LPNs, and RNs available for short or long term care. Most importantly, we have a multitude of happy clients, and would be honored for the opportunity to serve your family as well. On our Client Testimonial page, you can read about the work we’ve done for others, such as the quotes below:

“It was very difficult to make the decision to have someone look after dad in our home but we couldn’t be more pleased with PAN and Rose.” (Diane F.)

“Pennsylvania Agency of Nurses were a godsend for our family. They helped my Mother in getting to doctor’s appointments, keeping her home clean, and keeping her well fed. The love and care they provided to my Mom was amazing and I’ll never forget working with this great company.” (Denise R.)

Thank you for reading, and we look forward to hearing from you! Contact us by clicking the “Contact Us” button below.

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