CAREGIVER • SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2019 • 7
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FINDING
THE RIGHT FIT
Picking out the perfect home health aide
means asking lots of questions
Finding a home health aide that’s the
right fit for a loved one and the family can
take some time, but one place to start is the
UPMC Aging Institute Help and Referral
Line.
Callers don’t have to be affiliated with
UPMC or even be residents of the state in
order to call and get information on the
resources available, including a list of home
care agencies that have high ratings, geriatric
nurse educator Melissa Jones said.
From there, Jones said, caregivers should
begin making phone calls.
“Ask how their staff is being trained and
what their process is for vetting staff,” she
said.
“There are things that should go without
saying, like making sure there’s a background
check and some training and education
for what’s being asked of the home
health aide.
“But in addition to those skills, I think
the other important point is talking about
the expectations in terms of the time commitment,
what tasks can and can’t be done
and their limitations.”
It’s also important to find an aide with
good “soft skills,” Jones said, so someone
who’s going to be a good communicator
with both the care recipient and the family,
as well as someone who’s skilled in the
physical care of older adults.
Likewise, the family has a responsibility
to help the home health aide learn a little
bit about who the care recipient was before
his or her illness or diagnosis, such as what
the person did for a living or their hobbies
and interests.
“Having that information can really make
care a little easier for that home health
aide and even families as well,” Jones said.
“They may see it as a more positive, more
enjoyable experience if someone now
needs help with bathing or dressing and
you have a caregiver that can connect with
the person based upon what songs they
liked to sing or what music they prefer.
“You definitely want someone who can
perform all the tasks required and has a
certain skill level, but you also want someone
who can understand that person as a
person.”
It might take a few tries to find the right
fit, Jones said, and caregivers shouldn’t be
afraid to speak up if they think things aren’t
working out.
When speaking with an agency initially,
caregivers should ask questions about the
procedure for requesting a change if they
don’t feel a home health aide is working
out the way they’d like.
“I think a lot of times family members
worry about hurting someone’s feelings,
but it really is about what’s best for that individual
who’s receiving the care,” she said.
“This is someone you’re going to rely on
to provide a level of care that you may not
be able to or (provide) care in your absence,
so you have to feel comfortable with
this person, and the care recipient has to
feel a good connection with this person.”
To reach the UPMC help and referral line,
call toll free at 866-430-8742, or visit them
online at aging.upmc.com.
BY KAREN PRICE
FOR TRIB TOTAL MEDIA
“I think a lot of times family members
worry about hurting someone’s feelings,
but it really is about what’s best for that
individual who’s receiving the care.”
— MELISSA JONES
GERIATRIC NURSE EDUCATOR