Private Home Care

We ask a lot of questions to help us find the right care package for your needs, and to assess whether there are any aids the patient needs for his/her safety and comfort.

As soon as you’ve chosen your care package, we’ll send you a detailed quote and contract. Please sign these and return them with your proof of payment. Payment for our services is upfront. If these expenses are covered by your medical aid, please negotiate a settlement directly with the medical aid. (Please note that Charisma doesn’t have a practice number.)

Each case is different. If the patient is being discharged from hospital, s/he could meet the care worker once s/he’s back home or even at the hospital, before travelling home together.

On the care worker’s first day the patient will also be visited by a professional nurse, who will ensure the suitability of the physical environment and advise if you need any special equipment. After assessing the patient’s needs, a care plan will be created for the care worker to follow.

The care plan is a tool we use to record the patient’s daily living activities, what they need assistance with, and how the care worker should provide care. The care worker will use this to keep record of his/her care and make notes on the activities of the day.

Charisma care workers never work alone. The nurse who created the patient’s care plan stays in weekly contact with you and the care worker. If needed, s/he can make site visits to:

• Assess and monitor the care provided by the care worker

• Assess the patient and adjust the care plan accordingly

• Ensure that the care worker is meeting the patient’s needs

To keep Charisma care workers healthy, happy, and able to care for you or your loved ones, we adhere to their legal rights regarding weekly and monthly working hours. Our rosters are fully transparent – so you’ll not only be aware of your care worker’s leave schedule, but we’ll also provide you with a replacement when s/he’s away. We do our best to give you the same people every time, but if you’re working with a care worker for the first time, s/he will be accompanied by the professional nurse, to facilitate the introduction and care plan hand-over.

You can expect your care worker to:

• Arrive on time

• Spend as many hours with the patient as stipulated in your care plan

• Help with daily living assistance (not domestic work)

• Prepare and serve light meals and liquid refreshments

• Keep the physical environment clean and tidy

Unless your care worker is living in your home, it isn’t necessary to provide meals for him/her; s/he will bring his/her own daily meal/s. We do ask that he/she have access to liquid refreshments at tea and mealtimes though.

If you’ve got the equipment available, Charisma care workers can:

• Check the patient’s temperature

• Check and record blood pressure

• Check and record blood glucose