Finding the best carer for your needs shouldn’t be a daunting or stressful task. Everyone should have access to premium care that uplifts them and keeps them comfortable, confident and independent at home. With so many types of care available, you might need guidance on choosing the right carer for you or a loved one.
Whether you need regular visiting care or a more extensive live-in solution, this guide aims to help you find the most trusted, compassionate carer for your needs.
The Importance of Finding the Right Carer
Some approach the topic of care as ‘any carer will do’, but the importance of the best carer for your individual needs and lifestyle can’t be overstated. The right carer can transform quality of life, offering one-on-one support that goes above and beyond basic assistance.
The right carer offers:
- Boosted independence: You receive complete care from the comfort of home by a fully trained, compassionate carer who will preserve your routine and maintain familiar comforts.
- Companionship and emotional support: The right carer is someone with whom you can build a trusting and meaningful connection, helping combat loneliness and improving quality of life.
- Peace of mind and comfort: Knowing you’re supported by an experienced carer gives you and your loved one reassurance.
- Ever-changing care plan: No matter how frequently your care needs change, the right carer will give you enough attention and support to identify necessary changes and adapt your care plan accordingly.
- Personalised, tailored support: Home care is highly individualised, and the right carer will handle your requirements with complete dignity and respect.
Understand Your Care Requirements
The first step in finding your ideal private carer is to assess your expectations and what you actually want from this service. Some people require light help around the house, such as with housework, pet care, and running errands. Others may need more extensive, round-the-clock care from a live-in carer who can provide continuous monitoring and full-time support.
Once you’ve established your care requirements and what you expect to get from your carer, you can use this knowledge to find an expert carer who provides you with a care plan that properly supports your needs. Understanding your care requirements will save you a lot of time in searching for the right carer.
Consider a Care Assessment
A care assessment is an important part of your journey to finding the right carer. It outlines your care requirements, ensuring you’ve covered everything in your personal reflection.
Your care assessment might cover:
- Your ability to carry out daily living tasks, such as dressing, bathing and cooking
- Physical and mental health conditions and their impact on daily life
- Emotional and social well-being, including the strength of your support system
- Your capacity to work, train, enjoy hobbies and other activities
- Your personal goals and what matters most to you
The main goal of a care assessment is to identify support needs and find out where you require care to help achieve your goals and maintain well-being. The results also help you plan for the future and improve your independence.
Budget For Your Care
Budget is an important consideration when finding the best carer for you. Look at your savings, income, and property to calculate your budget for care each week. Consider whether you’re eligible for public funding or benefits to help with the costs.
Once you’ve got your budget, you’ll need to determine where your money is best spent and which care agency will provide you with the best value for money and make life easier for you. It’s worth noting that your budget may increase as time goes on, especially if you require specialist care for conditions such as dementia or Parkinson’s.
At Patricia White’s, we’re happy to work through our live-in care and visiting care costs. Once you’ve decided what type of care you need and where the assistance is required, we can assist you with allocating your budget to the most impactful areas that will enhance quality of life.
Ensure a Carer’s Qualifications, Skills and Experience Align With Your Needs
The right carer needs the correct qualifications and skills to confidently meet your needs. You don’t have to compromise on the care you receive–instead, take the time to find a carer whose experience and attributes perfectly align with your needs.
Key skills to look for include:
- Core caring skills: These include assistance with bathing and dressing, safe manual handling, nutrition, first aid and symptom monitoring.
- Specialist training: If you have a specific condition that requires care, such as stroke rehabilitation or palliative care, seek carers with experience in this field.
- Experience: Choose a carer with experience close to your personal situation. The best carer for you will often have specific experience with your needs.
Personality Match Carers to You
Whether you’re looking for a visiting or live-in carer, it’s imperative that you find someone with whom you and your close loved ones get on well. After all, your carer will be someone you spend plenty of time a week with in an intimate nature, so building a trusting and companionable relationship is one of the most important fundamentals.
To assess your potential compatibility with carers:
- Review profiles: Thoroughly review carer profiles and read testimonials from families who’ve worked with them.
- Match complementary traits: Consider their personality traits and whether they’ll blend well with yours.
- Shared interests: Carers often participate in hobbies and activities with their clients, so find a carer who shares your interests and skills.
- Trust your instincts: Some people simply get a good feeling about potential carers, so use your intuition to choose the carer that feels ‘right’.
Ask the Right Questions During Interviews
Carer profiles and introductory videos are useful resources to help you shortlist potential candidates, but the best way to find the right carer is to meet them face-to-face and ask the right questions. This gives you a deeper understanding of who they are, their care approach and how they’ll build a connection with you.
Some example questions to ask potential carers include:
- What is your experience with live-in or visiting care?
- How do you communicate with families?
- What kind of personalities do you connect with best?
- What services can you provide? (E.g. cooking or driving)
- How do you promote independence and dignity?
- What’s your favourite thing about providing care?
- How do you handle difficult situations or emergencies?
Use a Trusted Agency
Care agencies use various methods to vet their caregivers, and understanding these processes can help you choose the right one for you. You’ll be putting a lot of trust in your carer’s ability, character and judgment, which is just one of the reasons why it’s so important to choose the right person.
Reputable agencies and introductory services should require a robust screening process for their carers, and openly share their details. At a minimum, this should include a full background check and an Enhanced DBS check to identify criminal records.
At Patricia White’s, we go above and beyond this baseline minimum to ensure all of our carers are trustworthy and capable of upholding the standard of excellence we set.
All of our carers require:
- An initial screening process and interview
- Enhanced DBS check
- Two professional references
- A minimum of six months of experience
- Evidence of professional development
We take the time to vet all of our carers thoroughly to ensure all of our clients are properly cared for with the correct amount of compassion and support. All of our carers comply with the standards set by an independent regulatory body, such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Talk to our dedicated team of experts today
The standards set by Patricia White 30 years ago still apply today. Call our experienced team today on 01293 224712 to discuss your home care needs and receive a free, no-obligation quotation.
Or feel free to send us a message using our online enquiry form. A member of our expert care team will respond as soon as possible, typically within 24 hours.
