Care Pros in Hammond should be trained on the communication systems in place in the office prior to going out on visits with clients. They should know who to contact for various reasons including to provide important client information and updates. They should not have to guess who to contact.
A Care Pro should inform the office of changes that impact the assignment. It is the responsibility of the office to provide Care Pros with guidelines and systems that inform and clarify expected communications.
It is important to understand what the Care Plan is and what the expectations are for each visit. Care Pros should be reporting information that may impact the client and the Care Plan as well as information that may change or impact the next scheduled visit. Care Pros should also be reporting if they are unable to complete a task on the Care Plan.
Care Pros should be reporting changes that may impact their availability, especially if they may impact the next visit. Care Pros should report concerns that may impact more than one visit. Reporting concerns may clarify information that may be helpful to the office for cases involving client advocacy.
It is important to give the office information that they may use. For example, if a client has a care need that is not being met, the Care Pro should report that to the office rather than "The visit was unpleasant." Reporting vague statements does not help the office identify concerns or areas for advocacy.
Day-to-day contact with clients should not include the applicant’s personal opinions or evaluations of the client or family.
If a case requires no staff intervention, and you are not obligated to generate a formal report on your activities, you need not create a fictitious case report simply because you’ve been conditioned to believe you must write a detailed report on every case activity.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to learn about the normal communication and report requirements of the Home Instead Hammond office.
When should the ordinary communicative procedures of the office be suspended?
The office procedures of the Hammond Office should be suspended whenever:
- staff members are unable to reach a client’s home,
- staff members are unable to complete an assigned visit or home call,
- a client, or family member requests staff members to do something that is beyond the scope of the assigned visit,
- staff members have questions as to the appropriate course of action based upon case circumstances,
- staff members feel there is an immediate danger to the client,
- something occurs that would alter the case staffing,
- staff members have questions or concerns about the client that they are unable to resolve.
When staff members feel they are dealing with an emergency they should contact the office using normal office communication procedures and follow normal office communication procedures. Staff members should not assume that an emergency occurs solely because they are unable to reach a client.
Applicants should identify what kind of communication the office prefers for different scenarios. For example, how do they want concerns reported? Phone calls might be acceptable for something requiring immediate attention. What channel do they want used for reports that are not time-critical? For example, they may want messages for scheduling appointments.
For each scenario, find out what communication channels the office wants to use.
What is the Preferred Method of Communication for Client Scheduling?
Communicate scheduling changes as early as you can.
Let the office know of a schedule change as far in advance as possible.
If a schedule changes from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., for example, you need to say more than “9 a.m. to 2 p.m. is open.”
Provide the following information to be clear.
- What part of the schedule changes and when?
- Is the change for a specific time, or will it continue?
- If it is for a specific time, what part of the day and for how long?
- If it continues, will it continue for a long time?
- What other parts of the schedule are open?
Provide the same information to answer client concerns. Be specific and provide details. "Difficult client" is not a helpful message.
Sometimes clients want to speak with you directly to explain their concern. If you are not sure what the client wants and explains it to you, ask the client to clarify.
There are a lot of different client schedules and needs because Care Pros may work in different locations with different client assignments throughout the Hammond service area.
Let the office know if you prefer to discuss a concern over the phone.
What kind of support do you think is appropriate between client visits?
This doesn’t mean you’ll get an immediate response to every single question, especially if the office isn’t currently open. It means you’ll learn how to decipher which questions can wait, and which require more immediate attention.
When starting, I’d tell a new Care Pro that...
- Question regarding assignments should be directed to (name/email)
- Changes to the schedule should be communicated to (name/email)
- Concerns regarding clients should be reported to (name/email)
- Situations which require a call should be discussed with (name/email)
- If (name/email) is unavailable, (name/email) should be contacted.
- Contact (name/email) and be prepared to discuss (situation/concern)
- Care Pros should make office support a first step prior to taking client concerns to the next level.
A Care Plan outlines the boundaries within which you’re allowed to make your own decisions. If your situation isn’t captured in the Care Plan, don’t take it upon yourself to change the plan or make your own decisions. You should always ask what your next step should be.
For more information regarding careers in home care at the Hammond office, please contact us directly.
How do I update my availability?
Let the office know as far in advance as possible and include the start date, the times or days that are impacted, if it is temporary, and the date or time that your availability returns.
When should I contact the office?
Contact the office with relevant information only. Relevant information would be something that impacts the care plan, or your assigned responsibilities. For example, if a client has a difficult day, letting the office know may not be necessary.
When I have a question, and I can’t reach my client/care receiver, what should I do?
Use the office communication process, and wait for further instruction. If the office is unavailable, contact the office with the process that the office has in place to communicate with the client/care receiver.
How do I get a caregiver job in Hammond?
You can contact Home Instead to inquire about caregiver positions available in Hammond. When interviewing for a position, you should ask for information about the processes that the office has in place for schedule modification and communication. This would include procedures for addressing client/care receiver concerns, and how to communicate routine client/care receiver information.
When working for Home Instead, you should have information about office communication processes for your area, in order to assist you with Schedule modifications and client/care receiver questions. You should ask for this information prior to starting work.
About the Author
Kelee King has been part of the Home Instead team since 2018 and brings a strong understanding of senior care and caregiver support. As Chief Operating Officer, she provides leadership and guidance to her team while helping families and caregivers receive attentive, dependable support.
