It can be a good idea to evaluate your assistance company from time to time and compare it with others. In this way, you create the assistance you need and can feel confident that you have made the right choice. But how should you proceed and what should you think about? Here are our best tips!
As a user, you are the one who has the best control over your needs. You therefore have the right to make demands on the assistance you receive and make sure that it really makes it easier for you in everyday life. By regularly evaluating and testing how your assistance company meets your particular needs, you ensure that you are satisfied with your assistance, both in the short and long term.
Test your assistance company regularly
It can be easy to forget to do a regular evaluation of your assistance company. But just like in any normal workplace, repeated evaluations and improvements are needed for the collaboration to develop. In companies, you often have a development meeting where both employees and employers can express opinions and wishes for the future. The same applies to you and your personal assistance. Together with your assistance company, you should evaluate the situation and make sure that you find a way forward.
Find out more about the assistance company
The first thing you can do is check the company’s finances. Either by doing a search online, by contacting IVO (Inspektionen för Vård och Omsorg), or by having a meeting with the owner and management. What do the numbers look like? Does the economy feel stable? Do they have any comments regarding taxes and other charges? What do the reviews and previous customers say? Does the company have knowledge of the duty of confidentiality regarding you and other users? How do the staff who work at the company experience it, and what makes them passionate about their job? Don’t hesitate to ask the tough questions.
Compare price
Price is of course also an important factor when you want to compare your assistance company with others. Does the price seem reasonable that they take in administration? How does it compare to what you are offered? What is included in the price? Are there additional hidden costs? Price is not everything, but very important as it has a direct impact on your assistants’ salaries and overheads. It is unnecessary to pay too much if you get nothing for it.
Always start from your needs
As a user, it is your needs that should be the focus of the regular evaluation. You must be confident with your assistance every day and feel that it really facilitates so that you can take part in society. Evaluate how different steps are carried out, how requests from your side are received and what improvements and changes you would like.
How are the staff’s working conditions?
Something that is always important when it comes to evaluating companies and services is to ensure that the staff have good working conditions. Are the staff happy? Do they feel safe? Do they have good pay, pensions, insurance and benefits? Asking the assistance company questions about this only shows that you care about the staff you spend time with.
If you are satisfied with your assistance company
Are you not ready to change companies, but still feel that there are several parts of your assistance that you want to change? Don’t be afraid to bring it up with the company and work together on a plan for how and when that change should take place. It is important to set time frames and follow up the change process. Finding areas for improvement is not a negative in itself, but rather an advantage. It is good that you can find potential for change, so that you are satisfied with your current solution.
If you want to change something
Are you not ready to change companies, but still feel that there are several parts of your assistance that you want to change? Don’t be afraid to bring it up with the company and work together on a plan for how and when that change should take place. It is important to set time frames and follow up the change process. Finding areas for improvement is not a negative in itself, but rather an advantage. It is good that you can find potential for change, so that you are satisfied with your current solution.
If you are dissatisfied with your assistance company
If you come to the conclusion that there are too many things that do not work with your current assistance company, do not hesitate to change. Perhaps you are not heard when you propose changes, or do not think they have met your expectations. Then search further. Switching is faster than you think and it’s totally okay if you feel like you don’t fit together. Then a new journey in a new collaboration starts.
Watch out for the notice period
Something that might be good to think about if you choose to change assistance companies is the notice period. Check the notice period before terminating your company and arrange so that you have new assistance afterwards. Then you are not without assistance and avoid there being a gap during the change.
Don’t forget the options
Going through an assistance company is not the only option when it comes to assistance. With self-directed assistance, you have complete insight into the finances and control over your everyday life. You have full control as your own employer and can plan and set up the assistance as it suits you. It may sound complicated, but there is help available with the difficult bits. Here you can read more about driving assistance under own auspices.
Consider this when testing whether your assistance company is right:
Going through an assistance company is not the only option when it comes to assistance. With self-directed assistance, you have complete insight into the finances and control over your everyday life. You have full control as your own employer and can plan and set up the assistance as it suits you. It may sound complicated, but there is help available with the difficult bits. Here you can read more about driving assistance under own auspices.
- How does the situation feel to you right now?
- How does your current assistance company compare to others on the market?
- How responsive are they to your requests?
- Is the price in line with the market?
- What is required to switch?
- How long is the notice period?
- Which type of company suits you best? Private, cooperative, municipal or self-directed?
Do you want to know more about how self-directed assistance works?
Use the contact form below and we will contact you!
