Hiring a Home Care Agency in Halifax: Important Questions to Ask
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Hiring a Home Care Agency in Halifax: Important Questions to Ask

If you need assistance from a home care agency in Halifax, you’ll want to make sure you hire the right provider for your needs. With so many different factors to consider like qualifications, quality of care, pricing, and so on, it can be hard to make the right choice. Here are some of the most important questions you should ask when hiring a home care agency in Halifax.

Continuing care assistant (CCA) with senior man on wheelchair outdoors, both laughing.

Questions about Home Care Agency’s Credibility and Qualifications

You can tell if a home care agency is reputable and credible enough based on their qualifications, accreditations, testimonials and the amount of time they have been serving the community. The questions below will help you determine the credibility of a particular home care agency.

  • Is the home care agency accredited?
  • What kinds of awards has the home care agency received?
  • Is the home care agency a member of any associations?
  • How many year has the home care agency been serving the community?
  • Does the home care agency have printed material describing the services and costs?
  • Will you receive a written care plan with all rates and fees before service begins?
  • Can the agency provide documentation explaining the client’s rights, your code of ethics, Workers’ Compensation and PIPEDA compliance?

Groups of 4 healthcare providers working for a home care agency in Halifax.

Questions about Home Care Services Provided

There are many questions about the specific services provided, service hours, qualifications of the care givers, costs & billings, and so on. These can be general questions about the home care agency, or specific questions about the actual service providers (caregivers) themselves. You might be able to find answers to these questions online, or you can contact the home care agency directly to have all your questions addressed.

Some questions you should consider:

  • What kinds of services does the home care agency provide?
  • Does the agency require a minimum number of hours per shift? If so, what is the minimum?
  • What’s the exact process of getting care? When does service begin?
  • Will the agency provide a free in-home assessment prior to starting service?
  • Does the agency offer the opportunity to meet your caregiver prior to receiving care?
  • Will it be the same caregiver visiting each time?
  • What happens if a staff member doesn’t show up for a scheduled visit?
  • How does the agency educate and train their staff?
  • Does the agency require criminal background checks for their workers?
  • Are the caregivers licensed and insured?

Other General Questions to Ask a Home Care Agency

Other than asking questions specific to the home care agency’s qualifications and services provided, you can also ask the home care agency about their customer support, their billing process or complaint handling process. These questions will help you know more about how the home care agency’s customer support system and provide you with the information necessary if you encounter any problems while receiving care.

Here are some examples of the questions you can ask:

  • How does the agency handle costs and billing?
  • Does the agency provide 24/7 service and customer support?
  • Who can you call with questions or complaints?
  • Can the home care agency accommodate special language requirements?
  • What are the costs of the services provided by the home care agency?

Hiring a Home Care Agency in Halifax: Important Questions to Ask

Above are some of the most important questions you should ask a home care agency in Halifax if you’re considering receiving care from one. For a more detailed breakdown and additional information about each of these questions, download our “Hiring a Home Care Agency in Halifax: Important Questions to Ask” brochure.

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