Home care for mentally disabled

Home Care for Mentally Disabled – What to Expect and How to Choose the Best?

Mental or Intellectual disability poses an adverse effect on a person’s ability to live a normal and independent life. Such persons might require assistance in their routine work such as bathing, dressing, cooking, cleaning, eating, shopping, taking medicines, etc. Till childhood, parents provide the best care for mentally disabled children. However, as the parents’ age and the child become an adult, it becomes difficult to provide the same level of care. In such times, the service of a professionally trained caregiver is the best option to opt for. The job of a caregiver is not an easy task and thus, you must hire a professional service provider that has experience in providing home care for mentally disabled. Let’s have a look at what to expect from a professional service provider.

Services included in Professional Home Care

 Every service provider has a different package of services. Some of the services which are must and which you should look for in the package are:

1. Bathing
2. Dressing
3. Cooking
4. Feeding
5. Paying Bills
6. Shopping
7. Giving Medicines
8. Driving
9. Communicating with the doctor and family members
10. Providing company
11. Providing emotional support
12. Running other errands

So, do consider the above points while hiring a care provider. Also, with a person with a medical condition, the caregiver must communicate with the doctor, notice the symptoms (side-effects of medicines), giving medicines on-time, maintaining health journals, etc.

How to Choose the Best?

There are a lot of professional health care providers available. And, all are providing a similar kind of services. So, how can you select the best one? Here are some things to consider that will help you with hiring the best.

Licensed Agency – Make sure the agency you are hiring is licensed under the respective governing agency in your state.

Trained Caregiver – Please ensure that the caregiver must have professional training, is insured, have a supervisor, etc. Ask for references and talk with the previous clients about the quality of service and behavior of the caregiver.

Fee/ Cost – Talk with the agency about the cost/ fee of the service without any hesitation. Know about the hidden charges, uncovered expenses, etc.

Apart from all the above points, discuss the services you will be getting. Make sure a 24-hour helpline service is available. Insist on receiving a written schedule of the caregiver. Providing home care for a mentally disabled person requires a lot of patience and understanding. Do get a personal meeting with the caregiver to know him/ her better.

We hope that the above points will help you in hiring a good home care service for your loved ones.

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