Booking a stranger to come sit in your parent's living room is a big step, even when you know the family needs help. Most of the hesitation comes from not knowing what happens after you pick a time. So here's the visit, start to finish, and a few things you can do on your side to get more out of it.
Booking the visit
You book on our booking page. That booking is the free in-home consultation itself. It happens at your parent's address in and around Austin, and there's no extra call to set it up or confirm it. The time you choose is the time we come.
Pick a slot when your parent is usually at their best and isn't rushed. In a lot of houses that's late morning, after breakfast and before the afternoon slump. If a sibling or spouse wants a say, pick a time they can be in the room too.
What to have ready
This part is up to you, and none of it is required. These are suggestions from the family side, things that tend to make a short visit more useful.
- A few notes on a normal day, from waking up to bedtime
- The two or three parts of the day that are hardest right now
- What your parent wants to keep doing on their own, in their words
- Anything that's changed lately: a fall, a hospital stay, a new worry at night
- Your questions, written down so they don't slip away mid-conversation
Sit down with your parent before the visit and go over the list together. They'll walk in knowing what's going to be talked about, and it will feel less like something happening to them.
Who comes, and for how long
An administrator or supervisor from Sovereign Serenity Care comes to the house. The visit takes about 45 minutes.
That's long enough for a real conversation at the kitchen table and short enough that it doesn't eat the day. If your parent tires easily, say so when everyone sits down.
What we can do for your parent
The first part of the conversation is what your parent needs and what we can do about it. We go over the help that would make home work for them, and you can ask about anything on your list.
Be specific here. "My parent needs some help" is hard to plan around. "Skips lunch when home alone and won't get in the shower unless someone's in the house" gives everyone something to work with.
The first days, first week and first two weeks
We walk you through what to expect once care starts: the first days, the first week, and the first two weeks. Starting help at home is an adjustment for everyone, and knowing how those early stretches usually go makes them easier to ride out.
This is a good time for the family to decide who will be the point person during those first two weeks. One person checking in beats five siblings calling separately.
Goal: Care starts within 48 hours.
How our caregivers think
We also talk about how our caregivers approach the work. They're proactive. Within the care we provide, they look for what needs doing instead of waiting to be asked.
For a lot of families, that's the part that matters most. Your parent may never ask for help with the dishes or mention that the bathroom rug keeps sliding. A caregiver who notices is a different experience from one who waits for a list.
Questions worth asking
You don't need to cover all of these. Pick the ones that matter for your parent.
- How do you vet your caregivers?
- How do you decide which caregiver is a good match for my parent?
- What should we expect in the first week, and who do we call with a question?
- What would you suggest we have in place before care starts?
- What can my parent keep doing on their own?
We vet our caregivers, and we match them to your parent's routine, personality and home. Ask us how that works for your family.
When you're ready
If you're still deciding whether it's time, our list of signs an aging parent needs help at home is a good place to start. When you're ready, pick a time on the booking page, or call (512) 888-9105.