Home healthcare is changing the medical world.  More and more seniors are choosing home healthcare to satisfy their health needs.  So how do we choose the right home health agency?  Well, you need to narrow down what assistance you will need.  You may need help getting out of bed, with injections, or maybe you just need help with shopping and meal preparation. All of these are possible but come at differing costs and time.  Here are the steps you need to take in order to ensure you choose the right home healthcare agency:

Step 1. Determine a budget and search for local home healthcare agencies.

Step 2. Identify specific services you may need and look for home healthcare agencies that can assist you.

Step 3.  Do extensive research on the narrowed down choices.  There are several question that you can ask yourself when doing this process.

• How long has this provider been serving the community?
• Does this provider tell us how they function? Many providers furnish patients with a detailed "Patient Bill of Rights" that outlines the rights and responsibilities of the providers, patients, and caregivers alike. An annual report and other educational materials also can provide helpful information about the provider.
• Is the client’s progress monitored and recorded?
• Does the agency assign supervisors to monitor the services provided in the home?
• How does this provider select and train its employees? Does it protect its workers with written personnel policies, benefits packages, and malpractice insurance? (nahc.org)
• Are nurses or therapists required to evaluate the patient's home care needs? If so, what does this entail? Do they consult the patient's physicians and family members?

Step 4. Contacting the preferred Home Healthcare agency and beginning treatments

• You can easily locate the agency’s number online.
• Once you tell the agency your health issues and needs, they will assist you in further treatment.
• After beginning treatment, inform your home healthcare agency if anything is bothering you or if you would prefer a certain method of treatment.
• Remember, the agency is there to satisfy your health needs and is always there if there is an emergency or another issue.