The Simple Guide: How to Choose the Best Home Care Provider in 6 Easy Steps.

In this guide, we help you understand the different types of home care options available to you. We will discuss how to evaluate home care providers, what makes them stand out, and other important elements, such as their rating, reputation, attributes, and values you should consider.  We also provide you with a list of specific questions to ask potential home care providers to be able to make an informed decision – one you will have confidence in.

Step 1: Identify Your Care Needs

Home care covers a broad range of care services, from help with simple daily tasks, such as housework, meal preparation, personal hygiene, mobility, medication, friendly companionship, or giving a family member a much-needed break –  to more complex needs, such as using hoists, moving and handling, and care for chronic conditions.  

Start by considering your physical and emotional needs – having a comprehensive list, makes it easier to narrow your search and target the best home care providers offering the most suitable, personalised care for you or your loved one. 

Next, consider the level of support you require. 

• Does your situation call for 24-hour or part-time care? 
• Do you require care for a short period of time, or ongoing care?

Step 2: Identify and Understand Your Home Care Options

There are different kinds of care services available. Domiciliary care refers to care received within the home, either live-in or hourly visiting care and is entirely personalised to your routine and needs, by dedicated staff who value and promote independence, dignity, and respect.

Live-in care, where a carer lives in your home, provides full-time physical care and emotional support.  Live-in care also offers a sense of security and reassurance for the client and family, as help is always close at hand.

Hourly care is when a carer visits your home regularly, from one hour a week, to longer periods of time, and offers support with certain tasks. Hourly care is very flexible and personalised, tailored to the individual routine, needs, and wishes of the client. 

There are also more specialised forms of care that cater to different circumstances or specific health conditions. These can be 24-hour live-in, hourly, short-term, or long-term ongoing care services. 

• Respite care is provided when someone’s usual carer – often a family caregiver – is away or needs rest. 

• Convalescent care is provided after someone has been discharged from hospital, such as after an operation, and needs assistance while recovering. 

• End of Life care helps people to live as comfortably as possible towards the end of their life. It ensures that they have a sense of safety, companionship and dignity in their last days. 

• Other forms of specialised care include support for those with dementia, disability, or chronic life-long conditions such as cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, or multiple sclerosis.

By identifying the types of service you require, you will be better equipped to find the best home care provider who can meet your specific needs.

Step 3: Evaluate Potential Home Care Providers

Reputation and Trustworthiness is vital when evaluating a potential home care provider. 

Start by checking their registration with the regulatory bodies of the industry – in England, this is the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The CQC rates home care providers on a four-point scale: Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, or Inadequate. Only 5% of home care providers in the UK are rated Outstanding.

Regulatory bodies release reports and ratings of home care providers.  These reports, often available on the website of a care provider, will offer valuable insight into their standards of care. 

You can also seek out reviews from current or past clients of the provider. Additionally, it can be helpful to research how long a provider has been operating; a track record of stability often indicates a commitment to maintaining high standards. Crucially, a reputable provider will always be transparent about their services and will not hesitate to answer any questions regarding their qualifications and experience.

Step 4: Questions to Ask Homecare Providers

Asking the right questions is essential in making an informed decision regarding the care of your loved one. 

Questions about caregivers

• Are the caregivers vetted?

• What are the training and qualifications of the caregivers? Is caregiver training provided on a regular basis to keep carers’ skills up-to-date?

• If you or a loved one have a specific health condition, is that condition covered in their carergiver training?

• Are regular caregivers assigned? How are caregivers matched to clients to ensure compatibility?

• What are the policies regarding caregivers? If a complaint needs to be filed, what is the procedure? 

• If a carer does not arrive, will a temporary caregiver be assigned? 

• How far in advance do you need to request a schedule change or cancel a visit?

If you have specific requirements for a carer, such as one specifically trained in dementia care, you should communicate that to the provider.

Questions about the service, procedures and policies

• What is the procedure for emergencies? How are unexpected situations handled?

• Are the services flexible? If care needs change over time, can that be accommodated for? If you are not happy with your care, how much notice do you need to give?

• What are the policies regarding confidentiality and rights of clients? 

• How will the organisation communicate with you?

Questions about costs

• What is the cost of the care needed? 

• How frequently does the company bill?

• What payment methods are used?

Get a clear breakdown of costs to avoid any unexpected expenses. For a home care provider to estimate the cost of care, they will need information from you about the level of care required. Be prepared to answer in-depth questions about you or your loved one’s health conditions and needs – the more information that you provide, the better the care provider can help you. They should also be able to provide basic information about costs as a reference. 

These questions will help you gauge the quality of the care service and the provider’s thoroughness and professionalism.
If you are looking for more questions, we’ve added a link to download a full checklist to ask potential homecare providers at the end of this article.

Step 5: Review Your Findings.

Who stands out as the best home care provider? What makes them Outstanding?

As you review home care providers, look for those that stand out from the crowd: 

• An outstanding organisation will provide comprehensive care plans tailored to the needs of the individual

• Look for services that offer continuity of care, where the same caregiver regularly visits a client so that a strong, trusting relationship can be built. 

• Check if the provider has received awards from industry organisations or is highly rated by regulatory bodies.

These features not only reflect the quality of physical and emotional care but also contribute to a higher quality of life for you or your loved one.

Compassion is the cornerstone of quality home care and is a critical factor in the selection process of the best home care service. Compassion goes beyond just providing a service; it builds an empathetic relationship between carer and client. When you are assessing home care providers, evaluate their commitment to compassionate care. 

• Do their staff and home carers embody this value? 

• Do they provide training that centres emphasises and values empathy and understanding? 

Compassion in home care is not only about meeting physical needs; it is about nurturing the emotional wellbeing of the individual.

A home care provider that prioritises compassion will listen to the needs and preferences of their clients and adapt their services to ensure those needs are met.

Reliability and friendliness are of paramount importance. A reliable home care provider ensures that care is consistent, of the highest quality, and creates a stable and nurturing environment for the client. 

See how they interact with you and read reviews and testimonials to assess these qualities. Home care providers who nurture these traits in their organisations see it reflected in their staff and carers. Friendly, cheerful carers who take the time to listen and interact with their clients are worth their weight in gold, as they significantly impact the mood and mental health of the client. 

Step 6: Decide with Peace of Mind.

Once you have researched and spoken with potential home care providers, you will need to make a choice. Reflect on the interactions that you’ve had with each provider.

• Have they responded to you with warmth and understanding?

• Did they show the traits of compassion, friendliness, and reliability that are so critical to home care?

• Ensure that the provider that you have chosen has consistently met your criteria throughout the evaluation process and is fully registered and rated by regulatory bodies.

Choosing the best home care provider is not an easy decision. Feeling satisfied with your choice comes from the knowledge that you have done your due diligence and chosen a provider with a track record of excellence. Trust your instincts and the evidence you have gathered. These will lead to a decision that brings the best possible quality of care to you or your loved one.
And finally, a point to remember – through your research and evaluation, you have chosen the best home care provider for you, the best home care provider that fits you, your family, your values, needs, and circumstances.

If you are not at the point of choosing a home care provider or have further questions about care options, costs, or need a professional assessment of your loved one’s needs, give us a call and speak to our expert team. If we are not able to help you, we can signpost you to relevant resources or organisations.

Helpful Resources

click here to download a full checklist of questions to ask potential homecare providers

Click here to read Christies Care’s full “Outstanding” CQC report

Click here to research care providers’ ratings and registrations on the CQC website