Not every trip out of the house is an errand. A visit with a friend, a meal out, a service at a place of worship, or a short walk in a park is an outing, and each outing needs a driver, a plan, and a person who answers for it. The family can take the trip itself, or an agency aide can ride along. This guide sets the two side by side so the choice is written down before anyone gets in the car.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Name the trip before you choose a driver

Write the purpose, the place, the people who will be there, the expected length, the time of day, and the way home. A vague trip is hard to staff. A written trip is easy to compare, because you can see whether the family, a relative, or an aide is the right person for each part.

Compare the two drivers

  • The family drives. The family owns the plan, the vehicle, and the handoff. Any aide role is whatever the agreement says it is.
  • The aide rides along in the family's vehicle. The paper should say whose vehicle is used and who is responsible for the ride.
  • The aide drives. The paper should say whose vehicle is used, whether the aide is allowed to drive it, and what the agency requires of the driver.

Mark each of these as EDITORIAL until the agreement answers it. Then mark the agreement's answer as FILE, and keep both on the sheet.

Read the outing rules in the agreement

Look for the terms that cover leaving the home, trips added on the day, destinations not on the original list, and whether a second worker is required for certain outings. If the agreement says nothing on a point, that is a question for the agency in writing before the first trip.

Keep the trip plan with someone who stays home

Whoever is not in the car needs the plan. Leave a copy with a family member who is at the house, record the expected return time, and agree on a call if the trip runs long. Write down what happens if the client refuses to get into the car. A refusal is an entry for the log, not a reason to leave the house without a plan.

Questions to ask the agency

  • May an aide drive the client, and in which vehicle?
  • What checks does the agency run on drivers before they are assigned to rides?
  • Is there a limit on distance or on leaving the county?
  • What happens if an outing runs past its planned end?
  • Does the agency require a written trip plan, and who keeps it?
  • What does the aide do if the client changes their mind on the day?

What the rating cannot tell you

A high rating or a familiar name says nothing about whether an aide will drive, whether the agency will allow a ride to a particular place, or whether a trip plan will be kept. Those answers come from the agreement and from the agency's written reply. Keep both on the trip sheet and check them before the first outing.