Want More Clients? Here is What the Experts Recommend.

Posted on June 5, 2013 by CareInHomes

It’s great that you are providing a high level of care for your clients, but are you providing the same level of care for your own business?

At CareInHomes, we work with over 2,000 home care providers across the country. This experience gives our experts unique insights into many of the most common questions that caregivers have about their own businesses.

The answers to these popular questions all share common themes: they are quick, simple to implement, and have helped many caregivers by producing real world results. Because these tips have proven to be so useful, we would like to share them with the CareInHomes community.

What is the best way to contact a referral?

While everyone is different, there are a few best practices that can make your outreach to a potential client more effective. Start with a phone call and be sure to make the call as soon as you receive the referral’s contact information. If you do not reach the potential client, leave a short voicemail introducing yourself, what you do, and your contact information.

How many times should I try to contact a referral?

You should try to reach out to a referral at least five times. As you know, a life-disruption such as an accident or health issue is often what starts the home care search. This can make people more difficult to reach. Remember, patience and persistence are often key to getting a new client.

Should I only call?

No. If you have other ways to reach a potential client, you should use them. Most referrals provide an email address along with their phone number. It is highly recommended that you email at least once as well as call. For some clients, email is actually a much more convenient way to communicate. This is especially true if they are looking for care for a loved one and are busy during the workday.

When should I contact a referral?

Most of the time, you should reach out to a referral immediately upon receiving their contact information. To help you call as soon as possible, CareInHomes offers an optional text notification and a live-transfer service between 10am and 4pm CT at no additional charge.

While making a short courtesy call right away is an important first step, it also key to note that many referrals specify a preferred contact time. Other than the initial courtesy call, it is best to center your outreach efforts around this time.

How frequently should I call?

While it is important to call quickly and to reach out to referrals at lest 5 times, it is also important to find a balance between responsiveness and being pushy. As a rule of thumb, you should not reach out to a potential client more than once every 4 hours.

How long does it take a referral to make a decision?

This is very much a case-by-case question, but in most situations we see in home care potentials decide within a few weeks.

As a care provider it is important not to lose patience. This is a major life decision for most people and the may take their time. One care provider had a client decide to sign up 18 months after the first phone call! While this is much longer than the typical timeframe of 2 to 4 weeks, it is a very important reminder that, patience can be rewarding.

How to help a client decide about care?

If a potential client is unsure about whether in home care is right for them. Always be sure to point out that home care is not all-or-nothing. It is often easier for a client to accept some care and to experience the benefits first hand rather than starting with a more involved level of care that they are unsure they absolutely need.

Remember, something motivated them to start searching for care in the first place. In many cases, asking what triggered the search can help you to more clearly explain which of your services may be most relevant to their immediate needs.

How patient should I be if a referral seems unsure about care?

If a client needs time to decide, do not just leave the conversation there. Schedule a time to check in, answer their questions and keep in touch. If you are on their mind and a helpful resource, they will be much more likely to want to work with you when they do commit to care.

How many referrals will become clients?

This will depend on many factors, including whether you have created an effective client message. As a national average, CareInHomes referrals chose to sign up with the caregiver approximately 20% of the time.

Time after time, providers taking these tips to heart have quickly improved their home care business and helped to turn more referrals into new clients. You work hard to provide quality care and we are here to help you grow your business.

6 Easy Tips to Keep Good Clients

Posted on April 22, 2013 by CareInHomes

Every business has difficulty keeping some clients happy. It is a part of business that most business owners understand and accept. But just how much should you accept potentially losing clients as a part of your business? This can be a tough question to answer, but here are two facts that might show you just how important current clients can be.

First, keeping a new client typically takes 8 to 10 times the amount of time, money and effort that it takes to stop a client from leaving.

Second, a happy customer will typically tell 5 people about a service they like, while an unhappy customer will often tell 20 or more people about a problem they have with a service or product.

Think on it. A single unhappy client generates as much attention as 4 positive reviews! Of course you can’t keep everyone happy all of the time, but are you doing everything possible to keep your clients satisfied? We interviewed seasoned client relationship managers and put together tips that will help you not only keep more of your customers, but will also make them happier on an ongoing basis.

: Treating a caring relationship as a team effort can help keep you meeting your clients needs.

Tip #1 : Resolve Problems EARLY

You cannot address a potential issue too soon. If you think or even suspect there might be a problem you should address it right away. Many clients will not confront you with a problem until they have told other people about it and worked themselves up about the issue. Resolving situations right away avoids a poor review and stops your client from harboring negative feelings about your service. Talking about issues before they grow is an important first step in keeping your current care clients happy.

Tip #2 : Resolving Does NOT Mean Agreeing to Everything

The customer may always be right, but you are not always wrong either. A big part of professionalism is being able to disagree without being confrontational. If a client is making a request that you feel is unreasonable, you will need to address it. But don’t call them out on it or imply that you are ‘right’ and they are ‘wrong’. Instead, try using these 3 successful methods to deal with requests that you feel are unreasonable.

Method 1.) Refer to your contract. Standing by a written agreement or policy when you disagree can help make the disagreement much less personal. In order to do this, it is important to have a written agreement in place. Remember, contracts were created to clarify a deal, not as something that can never change. If you see something is a recurring or important issue to your clients, you may want to consider revising the contract and price to accommodate the request.

Example Issue: A client would like you to work on Thanksgiving, but you have family plans. They are getting upset that you will not be available.
Example Resolution Using Method 1: Politely refer to your contract about days off or consider reviewing the contract to cover care on needed holidays.

Method 2.) Find the root issue. Often, complaints that appear to be unfounded or that become disproportionately important are caused by issues other than the one being discussed. These can be other things in the person’s life and may be beyond your control, or they could be issues with something else that is unresolved between you and your client. If an issue seems to be escalating and you cannot understand why, be friendly, show that you care, and try to tactfully find out if something else is upsetting your client.

Example Issue: A client would like you to work on Thanksgiving, but you have family plans. They are getting upset that you will not be available.
Example Resolution Using Method 2: Ask what they are doing for the holidays. If they are going to be alone, this might be the reason they would like you to be available. Offer to come by or try to make arrangements with their family and friends to help them find company for the holiday.

Method 3.) Meet in the middle. If the contract does not cover the problem and the client is focused on a specific issue, you may want to make a deal. Most people respond much better to a trade or a deal than an ultimatum or a statement which does not address their concerns. Remember, it is also important to make sure your contract does not conflict with any change you make to meet a client’s needs and that you get changes added to the contract.

Example Issue: A client would like you to work on Thanksgiving, but you have family plans. They are getting upset that you will not be available.
Example Resolution Using Method 3: If the contract says nothing about days off, offer to help on Thanksgiving for a half a day rather than a full day, or offer to cover Thanksgiving this year, but add a holiday schedule to your contract to avoid future confusion.

Tip #3 : Be Positive

Seniors and their families may be coping with many life changes. Being a positive influence can make them much more friendly and positive with your service. Smile when you are on the phone. Say nice things to the client. Talk about something good going on in your life. Companionship is a big part of senior care. Even if they do not appreciate it right away, being a positive part of their lives can be very helpful in the long run with any client and can make the job more personally rewarding for caregivers.

Tip #4 : Be Open and Upfront With Clients

Be clear about what services you can offer and your experience level from the very beginning with any client. Make it clear which services they are paying for and talk about your availability before you actually start working with them. If your client expects something different from what you expect to provide, it can quickly create problems. Once you are working with a client, be upfront about changes to your services well before the changes start. Typically, the more notice, you provide, the better.

Tip #5 : Have a Contract & Set Expectations

In cartoons and too often in real life, contracts are massive and long. Your specific service might need a long contract to cover your services and liability, but in many cases a short contract is just fine. If you don’t have a contract with a client, you need to get one. Even if it is short, cover what is expected, cost, time off and other basics. Writing things down and agreeing on them is an excellent way to make sure you and the client have the same expectations. As an added bonus, it means you have a contract to refer to if you and the client disagree. (See Tip#2) Unless you are very familiar with drafting contracts, consider buying a template in home care contract or consulting with a lawyer for a few hours to make sure your contract is effective and fair to both you and your clients.

Tip #6 : Know When (and How) To Stop

With some clients you may not be able to meet their needs or expectations. If you find yourself in this situation, take some time to reflect on what happened. Be sure you are not just being stubborn or upset and then make the decision to let the client go. If you do ever find yourself in this position it is VERY IMPORTANT to follow the process below to the best of your ability.

Politely notify the client.
Do not appear to blame the client or list reasons. Simply cite the issue that cannot be resolved and say that you regret that you are unable to meet their needs or their expectations on the problem and that you have enjoyed working with them.
Offer to provide continued care for a specific period of time. It might be difficult, but, if at all possible, do not leave them suddenly without care.
Provide recommendations or referrals to help them find needed care after you leave.
Continue to provide a high level of care and service to your client until you go.
Often people will not remember why you left but they will remember how you left. Be polite, professional, and helpful. It can make the difference between a past client offering a good review, politely saying ‘It didn’t work out.’ or a very negative review.

Learning to be an experienced client manager can take time, but these are some very good pieces of advice to consider as you grow your elderly care business at any level.

New Client Signups in 8 Steps

Posted on February 12, 2013 by CareInHomes

1. Follow Up Right Away

There is no such thing as calling ‘too quickly’. As soon as you have a referral, reach out to a contact right away with a courtesy call. Even if the contact indicated a different best time to call, touching base right away is a tried and true way to effectively reach new clients and shows enthusiasm along with responsiveness. If they don’t answer your call, leave a short voicemail introducing yourself, giving them your contact information and asking them to return your call at their earliest convenience.

2. Details Will Sell

Tell clients what you do and say it with enthusiasm. Would you rather find care at “Elderly Care Facilities, Inc.” or with “Qualified, experienced caregivers who offer customized schedules and support a variety of senior needs, including – but not limited to – companionship, light housekeeping, food preparation and incidental transportation, as well as help planning your individual care goals?” Tell them what makes you different and be specific. Think about the example here. Both companies could be identical, but the second service clearly outlines what they provide while the first just assumes you know. Even if other home caregivers provide similar services, if you describe what sets you apart from other local agencies, clients will associate you with that benefit when making their final decision.

3. Plan Ahead

Most people will give you a minute or less before they decide whether to continue a sales-related conversation. Any script or introduction you develop for calls should be short and focused. Start with an overview of your services and key benefits that you think will interest a potential client the most. Practice your introduction. When you first introduce yourself, sounding unsure, repeating yourself or multiple pauses filled with an ‘ummm’ can make you sound unprofessional or push the patience of your prospective client. Respect their time and know what you are going to say before you dial their number.

4. Be A Real Person

No one wants to be just another call. Even though you may be using a script, avoid sounding like you are following one. The two most important tips for sounding genuine on a call are:
1. Know your introduction by heart. People can tell if you are reading a script.
2. Genuinely be interested in providing care and answering their questions.
People today are ready for anything that sounds like a ‘sales call’. Focus on letting the potential client know what you offer and on helping them meet a need that they have.

5. Consistency Pays Off

If you don’t know what your team is saying, how can you improve it? Different potential clients will respond differently to the same call. It is very important that you and other representatives of your agency follow the same process. This will help you to decide what is and is not working for your team and, once you have your process down, it will ensure every call benefits from the process you have tested and invested time in creating.

6. Be Patient

You are not the center of your client’s day. Don’t be an overly aggressive sales caller. Wait at least 4 hours before attempting another follow up call unless you have spoken with them and agreed to a time to talk that is sooner. If you call someone before 4 hours have passed or more than two times in a day, you risk appearing ‘pushy’. This can have a very negative effect and can quickly lead to a missed opportunity.

7. The Third Time Can Be the Charm

People are busy. If you cannot reach a prospect on the first attempt, try calling them again at the time they designated or even in the evenings and weekends. Some people are easier to reach over email rather than phone. Send an introductory email on the first day you aren’t able to reach them. As a rule of thumb try to make at least 3 attempts over 3 days before deciding you cannot reach a referral.

8. Solve Their Problems, Not Yours

Helpfulness often sells. If someone is ‘kicking tires’ and interested in information, but is not sure what they want to do, help them make a decision. Ask them what is preventing them from making a decision and help them solve this problem. Even something as simple as letting them know what you normally do to help people overcome the issue can be very helpful.
Instead of saying something like ‘Okay, give us a call when you make a decision’, try saying ‘That’s a common concern. Here’s how we normally address this with our other patients.’ and provide examples of how your solution worked. Or ask ‘What can we do to help you get the information you need to make an informed decision?’ Helpfulness is not just nice. It gives potential clients a very positive impression and gives them insight as to how you might be to work with.
The key is to focus on helping them overcome the hurdles stopping them from making a decision, not on making a sale.

After a new client finds your services, first impressions are very important.

Be ready to experiment to find what works best for your own business. With these tips you may find after even just a few calls with potential clients that more of them decide to become long-term customers of yours.

At CareInHomes, we are committed to your success as a home care provider. If you are on our newsletter mailing list, be sure to watch for invitations our free online seminars and workshops. If not, please sign up at the top right of this blog page for helpful tips, professional news and workshop invitations.

What Works for Others Can Work For You : Grow Your Home Care Business Today!

Posted on January 17, 2013 by CareInHomes

Home care for seniors is a business of one on one interactions. No matter how careful you are, when you focus on building your business or adding new clients, you are taking some of your time or focus away from the support that is needed. Even if you are on time for your scheduled care, you may be distracted or otherwise considering the eneds of your business.

The needs of your business are real. It is your livelihood and should absolutely be given a top level of focus. Whether you are making sure invoices are sent or contracts are signed, properly managing the business beyond providing care is an important activity. A big part of all of this is marketing. Yes, the ‘M’ word to many in home care providers. Most of us got into this business to provide care for seniors and families who need help, not to perfect a sale process. But we all need new clients to grow, so what do you do? The trick is to look at what has worked for others.

There are actually a few ways other home senior care providers have successfully grown businesses without building their business completely around marketing. You may be a small company of one looking for a new client, or a mid sized company interested in pushing your business to the next level, it does not matter, these tips are relevant to everyone.

Finding seniors to provide care can be easier than you think.

Method #1 : Personal Referral – You can’t beat this as a way to find new clients. A personal referral from a friend or family member not only carries the most weight with a potential client, but it also comes from people who know the needs of the possible client. The only downside to personal referrals are that they require a bit of luck. Friends or family members will happen to need your service, making this a slow, but highly recommended process.

We recommend letting your clients know that you appreciate referrals. Often, a lack of referrals is caused by not asking.

Method #2 : Community Involvement – Joining local community groups that work with seniors and families needing support is not only a great way to give back to the community, it is a great way to let people see what you can do for them. Participating and letting group leaders know of your business and skill sets can lead to many new long term clients over time. Be aware, this may take some time on your part to yield results.

We recommend family support groups. Your experience, advice and feedback will be appreciated by the members.

Method #3 : Offer A Sample – Letting people know that you will offer a certain amount of care for free to see if people match your style of care and personality can be a great way to get people to try your service and to talk about their experiences with you. If you offer this, you will need to be sure you have the time and resources to actually offer the care when requested.

We recommend limiting the care time to a single trial per senior of about 2 or 3 hours. This is enough time to get a feel for the care offered, but not so much time that you are constantly providing free care. You can also require at least the first 30 minutes of the time is with the family if they are requesting care to get to know them and to ensure they are committed to discussing care for their aging loved one.

Method #4 : Use a Care Referral Service – A referral service can be a great way for care providers to find new clients without having to market on their own. It is important to know that these services can vary a lot in quality, so be sure to use a reputable company that ensures the potential clients know that you will be calling, verifies that they are a real person and has a solid refund policy to ensure you are happy with the results.

We recommend careinhomes.com for more information on this. No other referral service offers the same assurances and quality of referrals.

It is important to find the right balance between growth and focus on your current clients as you build your business. Each of these tips are proven to work well with a business focused on caring for clients.

Bad Experiences With Other Referral Services?

Posted on January 11, 2013 by CareInHomes

Have you worked with another referral service or lead provider in the past and not gotten what you expected? If you have worked with an online referral service and ever :

Had referrals sent that you could not contact.
Received referrals that were looking for a completely different service.
Paid for a service that provided no potential clients to contact.
Had trouble reaching the service or changing your account requirements.

Then CareInHomes.com can absolutely help!

EVERY referral we send will be a real person looking for real service, guaranteed. We speak to every potential client over the phone about their needs before referring them to any care provider. In fact, we are so confident of our review process, we back it with a 100% money back guarantee. If you cannot reach a potential client we send you, there is no charge. (We do ask that you attempt to reach them 3 times to ensure that they are not just busy.)
We only charge for potential clients we send to you. If you do not receive a contact, you pay nothing at all.
Every provider is given their own secure online account to change ro review settings 24/7or call us at 800.327.7302 during business hours to see just how helpful our team can be!

CareInHomes matches seniors and caregivers with an effective, comfortable, and simple process.

At CareInHomes, we take the extra step to make the referral experience positive for both the provider and the care seekers. Unlike other referral services, by taking the extra step to reach potential clients over the phone, we have confirmed that they are a real, contactable person needing in home care services. We also offer our providers exclusive referrals. Exclusive referrals are only sent to you, we do not offer the same potential client to multiple care providers in an area. This keeps seniors and families searching through the CareInHomes network from feeling overwhelmed with multiple care givers reaching out to them at one time.

We know that our providers would rather focus on offering care instead of perfecting a sales pitch. Individuals who know you are going to reach out to them and who have not been contacted by multiple providers within a network are much easier to approach and more likely to choose to work with you. This can make the calls much more productive with fewer referrals needed before you have a new home care client.

Signing up for your own account is simple. You can go directly to CareInHomes.com, or you can call our team at 800-327-7302 to ask any questions you may have. We look forward to showing you just what CareInHomes can do for your business.

Are You Missing Out On Great Clients?

Posted on December 18, 2012 by CareInHomes

Let me ask you something. Are you limiting your client search to a very narrow skill set?

If you are a senior care provider and looking to meet new clients there are some definite steps you should take to make sure that you are not wasting your time or your potential client’s time, but also not turning down or avoiding clients that might actually be a great match for you.

Working with seniors to help them find the right care can be rewarding to both you and your clients.

You might say this is easier said than done, but in reality you just need to shift your mindset a bit and here are a few things to ask yourself when you consider whether a client will be a good fit for your services.

Ask about a client’s listed requirements to ensure they match their actual needs. Sometimes, a potential client will propose requirements that are not in line with their actual needs. Use your experience to help ensure their needs and goals are properly expressed to match their actual goals and needs. It can give you a positive reputation while helping seniors and their families find the right type of support.
Get to know your potential clients. Knowing more about their situation and needs can help you to discuss foreseeable changes that may also include services that you offer or a need for other services. Most people are not experienced with senior care. You can help them to plan and predict their own needs, while offering more services and helping more seniors to find the suport that they need.
Of course, never attempt to provide care for a senior if you do not believe you will be able to meet their needs or if they require specific training that you do not have, but as you consider clients and their needs, you may find that this does not actually happen very often. If it does, networking with other local caregivers who do provide these required services can let you properly direct these seniors, and can also create a reciprocal relationship where they may refer seniors to you who may not match their client profile.

Thinking about what you do as care for seniors rather than simply a series of services that you provide is a great way to build your client base and a chance to help more seniors find the care that they need.

Holidays and Elderly Care

Posted on November 21, 2012 by CareInHomes

For a care provider, the holidays can take some skill to navigate. On one hand, you have seniors and their families planning holiday activities and on the other you have your own holiday plans. How can you meet in the middle to ensure that you have both time with your own loved ones while ensuring that proper care is provided for the senior?

In many ways, this is the million dollar question when it comes to scheduling for in home care. Let’s start with a bit of honesty, there may be a need to work during some of the holidays. At a larger in home care business, there may be some ability to schedule shifts to allow caregivers to have some time off, but with a smaller team or as an individual care provider this might not be possible.

So, what to do?

Well, the first step is to remember that you need to have your own time as well. Getting burnt out on providing care is not good for you or the senior. There are a few different ways to approach holidays that can create a needed balance between work and life for any caregiver.

Elderly grandparents and grandchildren together at Christmas.

Seniors often want time alone with family over the holidays. Planning with your clients can help you and your clients make the most of this important time.

The family may want time together. Typically, the winter holidays come with time off for people and are spent with family. Depending on the level of care that is needed, this can mean that your services are actually needed less than usual. If the family is able and available to provide care they may actually prefer to have time alone with their senior loved ones on the more family-oriented holidays. Approach this topic sensitively, since you do not know what the family’s expectations are. This can be a simple solution if it works for all involved.

Re-schedule holidays. As a care provider, you may not be able to take every holiday off to spend with your family. If your services are needed on important holidays, scheduling with your own family’s a good alternative. By celebrating a holiday a day – or even a few days – in advance can give you the time that you need with your own family while being available on holidays for your senior clients.

Find a scheduling partner within your company (or hire one). If the care that you provide is not full time, you may be able to find another individual within your company or a sole care provider that you trust to help provide care during holidays or needed vacation. Because of possible complications we recommend that you consider a scheduling partner who works for the same company that you work for. It is very important that you work with a care provider that you trust both from a business and, more importantly, from a care standpoint. If the caregiver does not work for you or does not have the same set of skills, you will need to consider that this might mean for care. Never leave any senior with a less qualified care provider when your skills are needed. No only is this a potential safety issue, but, depending on your contract, there may also be legal implications.

Reduce your holiday hours. If you can reduce your care obligations to a minimum, it can partially free you for the holiday with your own family. Finding this balance can be a sensitive topic. Providing companionship is often an important part of any in home care provider’s services. The holidays can be a difficult time for seniors who do not have family around them over the holidays. It is important that you are sensitive to this when planning for or requesting any time off, especially over the family-focused holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Hanukkah. Be sure to understand the holidays that are important to your client. For example, New Year’s Eve can also be a time of introspection for people.

Whether you are available to provide care or will take the holiday for your own time, consider finding any solitary senior friends to visit or activities for the days that you are unavailable.

Providing in home elderly care can be a rewarding career. Planning for your own long-term well being will go a long way towards making sure you enjoy your time as a caregiver and that your senior clients receive the best possible experience under your professional care.

Improve your Day, Grow Your Business, and Spend Less Time Marketing

Posted on November 14, 2012 by CareInHomes

Finding new clients is one thing, but how can you maximize the opportunities presented to you?

However you are meeting clients today, there are two ways to quickly improve focus on the most relevant clients for your business:

You can focus your marketing efforts.
You can improve your ability to confirm if a client is a match for your services.

Focusing Your In Home Care Marketing

Growing your in home care business can be very different from growing other business types. The most successful approach is to find seniors and family while they are actively considering senior care. This can be very rewarding, but is easier said than done.

Having the right clients can improve your daily experience, your business, and – most importantly – your client satisfaction.

Many of people will either not require care or will only have one point in our lives that we search for senior care. Think on this: over the course of a entire life, there is a window of a month or two where they will be interested in your services. Because we spend out days focused on elderly care, it can be hard to remember this. You have to target your marketing. Remember, most people are not looking for elderly care, or even thinking about it.

Different types of marketing can be focused to varying degrees, but personal referrals and active online searches rise far above the rest. In both cases, the people hearing about what you offer are actively inquiring about it. Focusing your efforts will save you time and money while also saving seniors time as they search for their own matches. If you are a home care provider focused on assisting the elderly, focusing your marketing means less time spent searching for clients and more time caring for clients.

More time and less cost? Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Below we talk about how you can make this happen while improving overall client satisfaction.

Confirming if a Client is a Match for Your Services

Senior care for a loved one or for yourself is a personal matter and while the technical aspects of care are important, often personality and expectations are also a major deciding factor.

Important : Personality and expectation matches are a two way street.

Deny this at your own peril. As a caregiver, you will be with your client for many hours every day. For you to enjoy your job and remain comfortable and positive it is important that you also are a match for the senior and their family. Having more referrals gives you the luxury of filtering your efforts. With more opportunities to provide care you or your business can decide to focus on families and seniors who share your expectations. This can lead to an improvement to your home care business and client satisfaction through seniors and families that better match you as well.

Taking these steps can help you to focus on providing care rather than marketing. The additional exposure to potential clients, combined with seniors and families with similar goals and expectations can help you to not only continue or expand your business, but to also receive more referrals through happier clients.

Either of these strategies will work by themselves, but together, these tactics can make much more difference than they can alone. For more detailed information on finding clients for your home care business, go to CareInHomes.com or call 1-800-327-7302 for more information.

Do You Know What Most Seniors Are Looking For?

Posted on November 6, 2012 by CareInHomes

As we age, our priorities often change. This can manifest itself through new hobbies, new personal interests, new goals, and even a different outlook on life.

Later in life, time with friends and family typically become more important to us. As a senior care provider, you can offer seniors a very valuable service beyond the benefits of the actual care that you provide. This service is more quality time with their loved ones.

Often, care seekers and providers see in home care in black and white terms. Terms in which the purpose of care is to meet a very specific care need (or set of needs). While this is the straightforward function of all elderly care, in home care can offer reduced stress on the family, the confort of staying in your home to the senior, and the most valuable asset of all : time.

Time is offered by reducing the stress of the day, by helping seniors maintain their health, and by allowing family members to focus on their relationship with the senior rather than focusing on care.

As an eldercare professional, remember this is a part of the service you offer. Many potential clients will only be considering the level of physical care they need. This will not include the important benefits of possibly having more time to spend together with their loved ones and friends. By giving seniors and families more high quality time together, you are not only improving your service, but also their quality of life.

Top 5 Tips To Building Relationships With Care Seekers

Posted on October 29, 2012 by CareInHomes

Building relationships with care seekers brings you many benefits, including more potential clients, better relationships with new clients, and helps you help seniors find the care that they need.

Tip 1 :

Provide information. Finding the right senior care can be confusing and stressful. WIth so many choices and personal emotions, it can be hard for seniors to know who to trust. Providing accurate and relevant information will not only help care seekers to find the care they need, but it will also make you stand out from the crowd.

Tip 2 :

Go where the care seekers are. If you don’t meet new seniors or families looking for support, you cannot build relationships. Let local groups know about your services, consider joining some online groups or forums or sign up for a referral service like CareInHomes.

Tip 3 :

Join professional groups and keep up with in home care related news. Knowing what is going on in the world of senior care will help you to provide the most up to date support for any senior and will let you confidently provide more relevant information to any care seeker.

Tip 4 :

Let everyone know about your services, if people don’t know what you do they cannot hire you to do it. If you meet someone who is interested, see if your services fit their need but don’t force a mis-match. A negative referral can cost you many potential clients. If a care seeker is not a good match for your in home care services, offer helpful information. Let’s face it, no matter how amazing your services are, not everyone will be interested in what you offer. Being helpful and freely sharing information, will help them to remember you as helpful if anyone else they know needs assistance.

Tip 5 :

Offer free servies. No this does not mean work for free, but look at how quickly even mentioning free services got your attention. Offering a senior and their family a free analysis of the safety of a home, a free evaluation of their care needs, or a bit of your time to meet in person or even to try out your services will build a lot of trust and show that you believe your in home care services will sell themselves.Think outside of the box on this one. There are many services that could interest care seekers.

These tips can help you to build relationships with in home care seekers.

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Real people needing real service.