The OCU publishes the 10 quality criteria to take into account when hiring a home care service

Studies indicate that Spain will become one of the oldest countries in the world in the coming years. Currently, about 20% of the population is 65 years old or older and it is expected that by 2050 the percentage will be greater than 30%.

With this percentage increasing and the preference of the elderly to remain in their homes, the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) has recently published a decalogue on the care of the elderly. Based on the responses of 125 companies from 9 Spanish cities, the organization has concluded 10 quality criteria that a company specialized in home care for the elderly must meet so that hiring a caregiver through it is a successful process.

Next, we detail how we act following these 10 criteria set by the OCU to hire a home care service

1. The caregivers are professionals, with specialized training and good references if they have previous experience.
   We carries out a holistic assessment of the user to know the exhaustive needs and develop a work plan to improve the well-being and quality of life of the elderly person.Based on this assessment, we carries out the selection process of the caregiver, led by psychologists and Human Resources professionals. In this way, we ensure that the candidate meets the training, experience and attitudinal requirements. Furthermore, in all cases at least two professional references are checked, which are of great value to gain a deeper understanding of the candidate’s professional skills.

2. There is more than one candidate and they can be known in advance.
   We carries out an exhaustive selection process with different candidates until finding the profile that best suits the required needs of the user. To confirm suitability, not only the skills of the professional are taken into account, but also personality traits that may favor a fit with the person being cared for. Once this profile is found, the final candidate is presented to the family and user and it is validated, before the start of the service, that there is indeed a good fit.

3. There is a trial period to see how the elderly person and the caregiver develop and if there is a personal affinity.
   As in any employment relationship, there are several months of trial after which the contractual situation becomes indefinite. In this period, it can be verified that, indeed, the person hired has the skills required for care and that there is a good understanding between the user and the caregiver. Due to the thoroughness and personalization with which we collects information from both parties, the outcome is positive in more than 95% of cases.

4. The caregiver is replaced in case of lack of understanding or due to absences on vacation or sick leave.
   Currently, our data indicates that in 95% of cases the first choice is the correct one.
   In the event that a family or user is not satisfied with the care that the caregiver is providing, the selection process will be reopened to find the appropriate caregiver. In the case of absence due to vacation or medical leave, and if the family so wishes, we will be in charge of finding the substitute person who best suits the required profile.
5. The company is interested in the development of the service and establishes a clear protocol to assess it through periodic calls to the family or home visits.
   Without a doubt, it is our main differentiation. We offer quality and, to this end, we have an Individual Work Plan (PTI), in which our professionals carry out an expert holistic assessment to know the status of the user from both a health and social perspective. Based on this assessment, the work plan for the user’s improvement is developed and expert, unique and differential monitoring is carried out to ensure that the “success” marked in the work plan is met.Our team of Social Referents, who are responsible for accompanying the family and user during the service, is made up of psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and social workers. Each Social Reference handles a maximum of 80 cases in parallel; a much smaller number than most companies in the sector.

6. Caregivers of foreign nationality have their papers in order.
   We only work within the legal framework. Here, we ensure that caregivers have all the documentation that allows them to be hired under the legal framework in order.
7. The company does not put obstacles in showing the employee’s contract and the payment of the monthly contribution to Social Security.
   We are totally transparent. We provide all the necessary information to our families and help them in all the relevant administrative processes.

8. The budget is detailed, so that the client can know how much the company charges for management, in addition to the caregiver’s salary and Social Security contribution.
   Once again, we are characterized by being a totally transparent company. After receiving a request for information and understanding the user’s needs, we send one or more detailed estimates to the family.
   Unlike the rest of the home care companies, we are the only company in the sector that does not charge from the beginning, but rather we work and demonstrate first. We believe that if our number 1 value is quality, we must demonstrate it with our initial and daily treatment and work.
9. The company has a telephone or other means of quick contact for unforeseen events.
   We are available 365 days a year, including holidays and weekends. At the beginning of the service, provides a communication guideline to the family with the direct contacts of their Social Referent and Administrative Referent for any unforeseen event. In most companies in the sector there is an emergency email that is managed on business days. Here, there is a real, human team available, 365 days a year.Continually accompanies the family and the patient. The Social Reference carries out continuous, proactive and preventive monitoring to ensure that the “success” marked jointly is met based on the person’s preferences in the PTI.
10. The company has an agreement to operate as SAD (Home Help Service).

    Currently, has the accreditations to operate as SAD in all the geographies where it operates, in the Autonomous Communities of Catalonia, Madrid and the Basque Country.

We born to change the world of home care. We strive every day to offer the highest quality home care service in the sector. With the aim of satisfying this quality, we not only comply with these 10 criteria established in this OCU decalogue, but we bet and develop many other actions to continue leading the quality ranking, such as: the technology applied on a daily basis to streamline procedures, the integration of service coordinators to be able to satisfy urgent responses, the hiring of complementary services for a comprehensive service from home, among many others.