Agency or Individual Nursing Services- Which Way to Go For Private Home Care

Private home care is an alternative sought after by many people for their loved ones who are either elderly, or suffering from various medical conditions. Private home care is generally considered cheaper and better than nursing homes because of several reasons. For a start, private home care eliminates boarding and room costs associated with other care facilities. For many people, being at home surrounded by family and familiar environments also helps in positively dealing with the conditions they suffer from. When looking for nursing services for a medical condition, in particular, the choice between agency provided nursing services, and individually-provided private home care is usually a tough one.  There are many considerations you will have to make, most of which revolve around your suffering family member's condition and needs. Beyond these considerations, here are other factors that should come into play before making the decision. 

Employment obligations

Using an agency to provide nursing services for your loved one comes with the benefit of not having employer obligations in the situation. The nursing agency handles everything employer related starting from the contracts to the payment. This eliminates the burdens of you having to source, vet, make arrangements, and other considerations with the nurse. Individual nursing services, on the other hand, lay employer obligations on you. You will have to find the right nurse for your loved one and handle everything to do with the arrangement as the employer. They are, however, considerably cheaper than agency services. When opting for individual nurses for private home care, you should look for a nurse who is knowledgeable on the particular ailment of your loved one.  Perhaps such an individual can be supplemented by retaining a limited agency nursing service that handles the medical home care aspect while the other caregiver handles other care aspects.

Duration of Services

If your loved one requires twenty-four hour monitoring, an individual nursing services provider may be a better fit. This is because the caregiver will be available at all times—sometimes a crucial requirement for mobility impaired patients—and would probably cost less than using an agency for full-time services. Agencies are the best partners to seek nursing services from when the care to your loved one is required over limited durations. This allows the agency to customize care timetables based on the loved one's particular needs, while not restricted to the availability of specific caregivers. The absence of the particular caregiver should not cause problems to you and your loved one as would the case be with the individual nurses sought for private nursing services because an available nurse can just take your loved one.