How do people pay for home care?
While private duty in home care is not covered by your health insurance or Medicare benefits, there are many ways people pay for the cost. It will vary based on your unique situation. Most clients directly pay for their services, which is commonly referred to as “private pay”. Sometimes, services may be covered or partially reimbursed by a long-term care insurance policy, your state’s workers compensation program, Veteran’s benefit programs, or another 3rd party payor like a trust or guardianship.
What are the qualifications for your home care workers?
All our caregivers maintain a credential with the State of Washington as either registered or certified nursing assistants. They have been screened, interviewed by our nurses, background checked, fingerprinted, and trained by our agency staff. We also provide monthly and ongoing education and training to our caregivers.
What can caregivers help with while in the home?
Our caregivers can help with any of the activities of daily living, including, but not limited to:
- Bathing and Grooming
- Dressing and Undressing
- Meal Preparation and Feeding
- Functional Transfers
- Safe Restroom Use and Incontinence Care
- Ambulation
- Memory Care and Stimulation
Household tasks such as:
- Laundry and linen changes
- Light housekeeping
- Grocery shopping, errands
- Transportation to appointments and outings
- Medication reminders
- Pet Care
Can you only provide home care in a private residence?
No. Home care services can be provided wherever home is—a private residence, senior apartment, assisted living community, or while staying with a friend or family caregiver. We’ve even provided one-on-one care while someone is at a rehab or nursing facility or in the hospital.
Do I have to sign a contract or commit to a specific length of time?
There are various forms that we ask you to sign, including a consent to allow us to help you, as well as a guarantee that you will pay the bill. We ask that you give us three days’ notice if you decide you no longer need care, or make other care arrangements. Of course we will waive this requirement in the event of hospitalization or other unexpected changes.
Will you bill my long term care insurance?
Yes, we are happy to send a complimentary invoice with supporting documentation to your long term care insurance.
What if I don’t like the caregiver assigned to me?
We are pretty successful matching our clients and employes, based on care requirements, demographics and personality. But occasionally we get it wrong. If you find we’ve assigned you a caregiver that isn’t a good fit for you, just give us a call and we’ll do our best to find someone else.
Can I change my schedule if I find I need more (or less care), or if I want to interrupt care for a short period of time?
Sure! We know that many people find their care needs change over time. Just give us a call and we’ll do our best to change your schedule to suit your needs.
Will I always have the same caregiver?
Our goal is to staff each of our clients as consistently as possible. We know our clients prefer this, and so do our caregivers! Sometimes at the beginning of care you will meet several people as we make adjustments. Most of our long term clients also have long term caregivers.
