If you’re planning to hire a private nurse for your elderly loved one, it’s essential to know who you’ll have in your home providing the level of care your relative needs. However, before you officially hire the nurse and have them come to your property regularly to provide different services, there are a few questions worth asking. When asking these questions, you can learn more about what the nurse will do and how their services will impact your loved one.
1. What Services Do You Provide to the Patients?
There’s a common misconception that private nurses only complete specific tasks, such as administering medication to their patients and checking vitals. While these are some of the services they can complete when providing care to an aging patient, they’re not the only services offered. In many instances, a private nurse will handle dozens of other tasks, such as household chores, grocery shopping, meal prep and planning, and companionship. The nurse is there to provide care and be a genuine companion to your loved one.
2. How Often Are You Available to Complete Various Nursing Tasks?
Most private nurses will follow a set schedule, where they visit the home daily for a set period. You can make arrangements based on how often you feel your aging loved one needs the extra assistance. For example, you may want someone to come out to the home every other day instead of every day, especially if you have family helping out with the care. Be sure to discuss a schedule with the private nurse company to ensure you can have someone out to your home as often as you need.
3. Will the Same Nurse Be Available?
Having the same nurse most of the time is important because it allows the patient to build a bond with the person taking care of them. They learn to trust and care for the nurse, enjoying their presence when around. A good company offering private nurses will ensure the patient receives care from the same person most of the time to ensure they don’t have to worry about having dozens of different nurses in and out of their property throughout the week.
4. How Can Your Services Benefit My Loved One?
There’s nothing wrong with asking a question like this because you want to ensure your loved one is in good hands. A private nurse can go into detail about the different services provided and how those services will positively impact your aging relative. Not only will your loved one have a new companion available to provide the care they want and need, but they’ll also have someone who takes them to appointments, prepares their meals, and helps them with their hygiene.
Private nursing can benefit aging adults who can no longer complete specific tasks for themselves. If you have an aging relative at home who can use the extra assistance, be sure to connect with a reputable private home care company with skilled and professional nurses ready to help.
