Where can you find the best resources for senior care? As the years go by, we discover that our parents need a little more help than they used to. Perhaps an illness has afflicted a beloved family member who wants to stay at home rather than be moved to a care facility. Maybe we are the ones realizing that we're getting older and unable to care for ourselves properly. Whichever the case, finding quality and reputable home care for seniors can be a challenge.
Best Option
Right at Home exists to improve the quality of life for seniors and adults with disabilities, with over 700 locations in the United States and around the world. The company was founded in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1995 to provide care for clients who want to live healthy, happy lives in their own homes.
Enter your ZIP to find a location serving your area
Because Right at Home has locations around the world, the only way to find out if there is a franchise in your area is to enter your ZIP code on their website. Once you input your ZIP code, a listing will display either the closest locations (complete with the distance between your home and the franchised location, even at 80 miles away) or note that you need to enter a "valid" location, indicating that there is no office in your vicinity.
Complete online questionnaire or call the office
After you determine that there is a Right at Home location near the loved one who needs care, click on the name of the chosen office. You will be prompted to either connect with this location or take a brief quiz to determine the needed type of care. Then you can either call or fill out a form to be contacted, including the client's name, when care is needed (immediately to within two months or unknown), your name, email address, phone number and preferred contact method.
Five step process
Right at Home's five-step process to build a care plan begins with developing a client profile to understand what is needed, including a free in-home consultation to better assess the situation. Next, they create a plan and share it with you, allowing modifications as desired. Then, Right at Home will identify the best caregiver to meet these requirements, taking into account specialized needs and personalities. Finally, the company says they deliver extraordinary care and provide ongoing support, adjusting as the situation warrants. We appreciate having their plan laid out in such a clear manner.
Individualized care plans and consistent, screened caregivers
Care plans are individualized to your loved one's needs, from dressing and hygiene to providing transportation to medical appointments. Right at Home wants you to be comfortable with their caregivers, so as the one bringing a caregiver into a home, they allow you a voice in who that person will be. While they will try to match you with the best person for your situation using their screening system, they encourage clients' involvement in the process. Changes in caregivers will be accommodated "as allowed by law," and the frequency or type of provided service may be changed as needed. The company also strives to give care with the same provider, though depending on your needs, multiple caregivers may be scheduled. We appreciate that Right at Home makes this a priority and says so on their website. Additionally, Right at Home caregivers undergo a criminal history background check and are fully insured. Through Right at Home University, the company's employees are able to train and receive ongoing education to improve their in-home care and assistance services.
Services can vary by location
Some Right at Home locations are able to administer medications while others can simply assist in reminding clients to take their meds. Categories of services offered by the company include companion care (doing chores, social interaction), personal care (hygiene), nursing services (for short-term medical needs at home), and specialty care (chronic conditions such as Alzheimer's, diabetes, hospice, and Parkinson's). Veterans care, respite care, homemaker and home health aide care may also be offered, depending on the location. While the individual webpages for the various locations had some personalized content, it was difficult to quickly discern which of these special services were offered, so you may need to directly contact them in order to find out.
Verification of visits provided
To give you peace of mind regarding your loved one's care, Right at Home tracks caregivers in multiple ways. Timesheets are completed and internet-based solutions verify their time and attendance to provide a written record of home care services. Itemized invoices are sent following visits to provide the record you need and allow for adjustments prior to the next invoice.
Philanthropic projects
Choosing to share quality of life care with children in the Dominican Republic, Right at Home supports Josiah's House, a non-profit running family-style homes to help vulnerable children with basic life necessities including education and life skills. Additionally, Right at Home partnered with Free Wheelchair Mission to provide mobility by raising over $400,000 for 5,000 wheelchairs to be distributed in Vietnam, Ecuador, and Costa Rica.
Customer feedback is mostly positive
Right at Home locations are individually accredited and rated by the BBB, so you'll need to check the location in your area. The five we viewed had "A+" ratings, with only one complaint (unrelated to care). Across online review platforms, reviews are mixed, ranging from 1.7 stars to 4.0 out of 5 for under 600 reviews, though the majority of reviews we saw gave the company 5 stars. While negative reviewers complain about caregiver reliability, service, and unprofessional behavior, the overwhelmingly pleased clients called their experience incredible, flexible, outstanding, wonderful, caring, honest, and highly recommended. As with most franchised companies, it seems that it's important to look at reviews and ratings for your local office before proceeding.
Our top choice
There are many things we like about Right at Home, including the fact that they verify visits and put client needs at the forefront of their service. We recommend them as the first place to look for either medical or non-medical care for your senior loved one.
Continued from above...
As the years go by, we discover that our parents need a little more help than they used to. Perhaps an illness has afflicted a beloved family member who wants to stay at home rather than be moved to a care facility. Maybe we are the ones realizing that we're getting older and unable to care for ourselves properly. Whichever the case, finding quality and reputable home care for seniors can be a challenge.
The purpose of senior home care is to keep people in the environment where they are most comfortable and familiar. This "aging in place" is preferred by 9 out of 10 older adults, compared to moving into a senior facility or assisted living. Services exist to help aging individuals to live with dignity as they are treated with respect by caregivers who practice compassionate personal care. They can help by bathing clients, assisting with meal preparation, and reminding them to take medication - all non-medical tasks.
Additionally, these types of companies make it possible for older people to remain independent and mobile with help even just a few hours a week. An estimated 41% of American adults over the age of 75 may be living alone. By providing transportation to appointments, getting groceries, or even playing a game of cards together, home caregivers can offer companionship and assistance to seniors who are isolated from family who may be hundreds of miles away.
Those who are already taking care of a loved one know how hard it can be. To help prevent burnout for caregivers who are often working another job and taking care of their own young families, respite care is an option offered by many companies. The service can be utilized on a one-time or recurring basis to provide a break for the nearly 1 in 5 Americans providing unpaid care for a relative.
And, sometimes professional medical care is required. In-home health care is available from some providers to avoid unnecessary trips to the doctor's office or hospital. If your loved one requires specialized care, be sure to look for nurses and other skilled medical service caregivers.
There are many factors to consider when looking at care for your aging loved one. Here are the top criteria on our list:
At Top Consumer Reviews, we want to help you make an informed decision regarding the best care options for your senior loved one (or yourself). To that end, we have reviewed and ranked some of today's most popular services - so you can identify the best home care available in your area and get assistance as soon as possible.
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