Finding the right home healthcare agency for a loved one can bring peace of mind and reduce caregiving burden, but not all providers offer the same quality of service. When considering agencies, knowing the critical home healthcare red flags to watch out for, like poor communication, hidden costs and a lack of a customized care plan, is essential. Spotting these warning signs early can save your family from a stressful or unsafe experience.
An experienced and patient home healthcare professional can show (and tell) you what high-quality, reliable care truly looks like.
Liana Shahijani, a nurse practitioner and owner of Reverence Home Health in San Diego, California, has seen firsthand how work like hers pays off. One client, for instance, couldn’t use a glucometer to measure her blood sugar due to her disability. While her client’s caregivers didn’t think it would be possible for her to measure her own glucose levels, Shahijani says a home healthcare provider made that possible.
“Over the course of three months of extensive teaching, she was finally competent in using her own glucometer,” says Shahijani. “Her confidence improved and so did her blood sugar levels.”
The right home healthcare can help restore a patient’s independence and relieve caregiver burden.
[SEE: The Financial and Social Costs of Caregiving: 2026 U.S. News Survey]
Why Choose Home Healthcare?
Home healthcare is an option for homebound individuals “when they are recovering from a major health event, managing a chronic condition or need skilled services to remain at home rather than in a facility,” says Lisa Thompson, a home health physical therapist in Austin, Texas.
For people recovering from a surgery or procedure, home healthcare can help lower risk of infection and allow people to recover in a familiar place. For older adults who want to age in place, the different home healthcare options can allow them to stay at home while receiving the medical care they need.
Services you can get at home:
— Therapy (physical, occupational and speech)
— Skilled nursing (wound care, medication management, injections, IV therapy and disease education)
— Medical social work (counseling, discharge planning from a medical facility, advocacy and finding resources)
[READ: Understanding Home Health Care Service Options]
What Is the Difference Between Home Healthcare and Home Care?
Someone who is homebound for a medical reason may require both home healthcare and home care.
Home care is for tasks that don’t necessarily require medical training, while home healthcare tasks do:
— A home care professional may cook meals, clean homes, provide companionship and bathe the patient when needed.
— A home healthcare professional monitors medications and overall health, performs physical, occupational or speech therapy or provides mental healthcare.
[READ Home Health Care vs. Home Care: What’s the Difference?]
What Are the Biggest Red Flags in Home Healthcare?
When choosing a home healthcare agency, patients should look for clear communication and good coordination with primary care providers and other doctors.
These red flags can indicate it’s time to look for a new home health agency or provider:
— High-pressure sales tactics to commit to a contract
— Poor communication
— Slow response time
— Late or missed visits without explanation
— Doesn’t work well with your current medical team
— Lack of goals and progress updates
— Pressure to continue service without an explanation
— Safety concerns unaddressed
1. High-pressure sales tactics to commit to a contract
A home healthcare agency shouldn’t use limited time offers or pushy sales tactics. The hospital or health provider should also not push quick decisions to pick a specific home healthcare agency first. The patient has the right to refuse care and to choose a different agency, Shahijani says. Compare at least a few home health agencies before choosing among them, and always ask about insurance coverage and how to pay for your home healthcare.
If you’re dissatisfied with your home health agency, you can transfer agencies, Shahijani says. Tell your current home health agency that you’d like to switch, and they will assist you with the transfer or finding a new agency.
2. Poor communication or unresponsive management
Your home healthcare agency should be able to explain to you in detail what services they’ll provide and the length of time needed for services to complete. They should also be able to clearly communicate why each individual person is needed, such as skilled nurses for wound care and physical therapists for pain management and mobility exercises.
3. Slow response time
Consider response time to phone calls from the home health agency before choosing a service. Calls should be returned within an hour, Shahijani says.
Since you’re relying on the agency for your health or the health of a loved one, it’s important that you’re able to get in touch with them when needed.
4. Unexplained late or missed visits
If a home healthcare worker is late or misses a visit, they should be able to tell you why and correct the issue. Frequent appointment cancellations can lead to caregivers feeling like they can’t trust the agency and health issues for the patient.
5. Failure to coordinate with your current medical team
The home healthcare company needs to have good communication with your medical team. Most of the providers Shahijani works with get back to her right away, whether by phone, email or fax.
If the home healthcare agency doesn’t let you know their plan for how they’ll communicate and coordinate with your doctor, it’s a red flag for the agency.
6. Lack of goals and progress updates
There should be a clear plan as to how the skilled home healthcare workers will work towards the patient’s goals.
The plan should include setting goals, a timeline for progress and what each person on the home healthcare team does. There shouldn’t be multiple clinicians working towards the same task.
7. Unjustified pressure to continue services
When you’re receiving home healthcare after a surgery or injury, there is generally an end date of when services will be needed. If the home healthcare agency is asking for an extension, make sure they tell you why. You’ll also want to know what timeframe is covered by your insurance provider before saying yes.
8. Ignored or unresolved patient safety concerns
Home health professionals should address safety concerns and recommend, for example, ways to set up household for aging in place. Skilled nurses should be able to review medications for potential interactions.
If a patient is ever concerned about their safety and those concerns aren’t taken seriously by the home health provider, that’s a sign that it’s time to look for a new agency.
Home Healthcare Green Flags
Green flags to look for in a home healthcare agency include:
— Communicates clearly
— Explains your diagnosis and treatment plan
— Sets goals with you and other caregivers you might have
— Addresses home safety and fall prevention
— Coordinates with your physician and other providers
— Arrives prepared and on time
Bottom Line: Choosing a Home Health Agency or Provider
Choosing a home healthcare agency shouldn’t be a rushed decision.
Consider communication when talking to the provider, request their plan of care in writing and compare at least two to three agency options when possible.
The agency should be continuously working to improve the patient’s health.
“Once they’re back on their feet, the patient doesn’t feel like a burden (and) the nurse feels so good because they’re like, ‘Wow, we’ve actually done something for the patient to feel better,'” Shahijani says.
FAQs
More from U.S. News
14 Essential Health Screenings Every Woman Needs
7 Myths About Caregiving and Home Care Costs
The Pros and Cons of Assisted Living
8 Red Flags to Watch for When Choosing a Home Healthcare Agency originally appeared on usnews.com
