Home Care Plan Assessment

When the time comes to decide if you or someone you love needs extra help at home, the decision can feel overwhelming. There are often many decisions to be made and the process can feel daunting for all parties involved. Marin Home Care wants to help make this decision a simple one.

What type of care is needed?

The first step in determining if home care is something that would be beneficial to you or someone you know is to assess what their daily needs look like. There are a few types of home care that can be provided, and it is important to know which might be the best fit. Marin Home Care has created a series of questions, as well as a downloadable checklist, to help you evaluate the level of care that might be required.

Companion or Home Care Aide Support

• Can they get dressed and ready for the day without assistance?
• Are they able to drive safely and comfortably? Do you have concerns about their driving abilities?
• Can they grocery shop or buy necessary items, and are they able to safely transport the goods from the car to their home?
• Are they able to assess whether or not food is safe to eat? (ie: has it gone bad?)
• Do they choose healthy, nutritious foods?
• Following meals, are they able to clean up after themselves? Can they get food scraps into the trash and dishes washed?
• Are they able to keep up with their laundry and complete the task easily?
• When the phone rings, are they able to retrieve it and engage in conversation easily with the caller?
• Are they able to handle their finances and ensure bills are paid on time?
• Can they safely connect with friends or loved ones? ( ex: activities, going out to eat, religious services)
• Do they complete acticies on their own with little to no assistance? ( ex: gardening, puzzles, arts & crafts etc.)
• Can they comfortably and safely care for their pets?
• Are they able to keep their primary living spaces clean and tidy? (living room, bedroom, bathroom)
• Are they comfortable attending their medical appointments and managing their health on their own?
• Do they require assistance during walking, showering or standing up so that they do not fall?
• Are they able to shower independently?

Memory Care

• Do they frequently forget where they put things?
• Are you often concerned about them being on their own?
• Do they experience confusion or forgetfulness when leaving their home for errands or appointments?
• Have you ever noticed they have forgotten to close the refrigerator, turn off running water or burners on the stove?
• Are they struggling to remember names of people close to them or events from days or weeks prior?

Medical Support

• Does your loved one require medical equipment that they are unable to manage on their own?
• Are they in need of weekly lab work or port flushes that they cannot manage without help or transportation support?
• Are they able to manage their medications without confusion or forgetting which medications should be taken and when?

Reach out to family & friends for support

During this process, it is important to also reach out to friends and family for support and to help make the best choices for those you are considering home care for. Are there people who are willing and able to provide support and assistance on a regular basis? Have you checked in with doctors and specialists to see what they suggest regarding additional care? Do you know what types of insurance and coverage you or your loved one has and what your financial limitations would be?

Set up a complementary home care assessment

Once you have considered all of the above factors and are looking to get more information on exactly how home care could be beneficial to you and your family, Marin Home Care can help you get started. We offer a complementary home care assessment that can be completed in the comfort of your home or through a virtual platform that can provide you with the exact details you need to make this decision.

Our skilled team of professional caregivers and medical support staff are ready to assist you, are you ready to see how we can help? Please call us now at (415) 712-1917 to speak with our Director of Care Management, Caroline Glassell , and learn more about how Marin Home Care can make a difference in your life.