The offer seems simple: to help older people live longer in their homes in the best possible conditions. It is a rewarding mission and generates enthusiasm for all those who embark on the adventure.
The road is, however, fraught with difficulties and it is necessary to organize well to conduct a long-term activity that benefits patients and allow caregivers to work in good conditions.
A laborious administrative process; a legislative context that varies from one canton to another, complex and varied approaches, the obtaining of authorization to practice supposes a solid file and a marked know-how in negotiation with the various actors, public, financers and normative.
Is it therefore reasonable to start alone without advice? Everything will depend on the experience of leaders in this area.
Find the right staff and keep it: the healthcare market is characterized by a limited number of actors and surround yourself with the right staff is a real subject. The fact that the number of ads from specialized agencies to find the rare pearl is increasing (assuming significant recruitment costs) illustrates a certain difficulty in finding the appropriate personnel to match the identity and to the mission of the organization. The network remains a reliable source and less expensive, however it induces the risk of discontent by contagion if the staff is not satisfied.
To satisfy the care staff is to respect their skills, give them time to practice in quality conditions favoring human exchange while making them aware of economic issues. It is a delicate balance that requires a strong involvement of management and a very well organized communication to spread the good messages and stay tuned.
To satisfy the patient is to respect his personality, to treat him in infancy and to create a real relationship allowing him to be involved in his care as a full-fledged actor. Involving your family network to strengthen the link but also manage sometimes conflictual relationships up to violent, it is also a challenge and a complex job requiring adequate training.
Numerous and varied are the keys to success in this constantly growing market, a good organization, the experience of the leaders, the association of the right people, a clear and lasting vision, a support by professionals for the specific tasks, a system of modern information supporting rigorous management processes allowing staff to exercise their profession in the best possible conditions while respecting economic and administrative constraints, good relations with administrative and financial partners …
The actors are public, private, large, small, more or less specialized, they often collaborate to divide the tasks and their organization is sometimes different. Reconciling these factors, coordinating activities and promoting communication between the actors as well as with the other members of the patient’s primary network is one of the major challenges for the smooth running of this home care activity.