What is home care and how does it differ from home healthcare?

In its truest meaning, home care refers to any type of care (medical or non-medical) that is provided for the client in their home. In recent years, however, there has been a slight shift in terminology.  While home care can be used to describe both medical and non-medical care, typically "home care" refers to non-medical care such as companionship/homemaking services and personal care services, while "home healthcare" refers to the provision of skilled nursing care and other care such as speech, physical or occupational therapy. 

 

What kind of home care services do you provide?

1Senior Home Care provides home care companionship services such as meal preparation, laundry, light housekeeping, grocery shopping/errands, incidental transportation, medication reminders, grooming, live-in service and respite care.  We also provide personal care services such as bathing, grooming, and hygiene, mobility assistance, transferring and positioning, toileting and incontinence and feeding/special diet assistance.

 

Do you provide services to those in nursing homes or assisted living communities?

Yes.  we can provide companionship or personal care to residents at assisted living communities and nursing homes who may desire additional attention or personalized care.  

 

Are your caregivers insured and bonded?

Yes. Every caregiver is a 1Senior Home Care Inc. employee. To help ensure the safety and well being of our clients, we perform a criminal history background clearance and then cover each caregiver with general liability and workers' compensation insurance.

 

Will I have a choice of who comes to my home?

Yes. We encourage your involvement in the decision-making process. Your satisfaction is our number one priority. We always try to accommodate any requests you may have for a change in caregivers (as allowed by law).

 

Is there a written plan of care for each client? Is it modified and if so, how often?

A 1Senior Home Care Case Manager develops an individualized and completely confidential Plan of Care for each client.  The purpose is to document the type of care services needed and when the client would like to initiate care.  Once the client, and family members, and case manager agree on the Plan of Care, the office staff will use that information to recommend the caregivers who will be delivering the service, establish the schedule and agree to the monitoring and communication. Plans of Care are reviewed with the client and family at least every six months, but may be more frequent based on state regulations.  The review is an important process to ensure the client is receiving the appropriate level of care and is pleased with the care.

 

Who will be do the in home assessment and how much does it cost?

Sue Cook, owner and case manager, will come to your home to do the free in home assessment. She will also work the first shift so that she can personally understand the needs of each client and be able to train caregivers that will come in the home after her.

 

Will my family member always receive care from the same caregiver?

Our goal is to establish a long-term caregiving relationship with your loved one. Should your family want to request another caregiver for any reason, we'll search for a match until your family is happy. We understand that a strong rapport and trust with a caregiver is vital to a successful home care experience.

If your loved one receives care for many hours in a day or at different times of the day throughout the week, it may be necessary to schedule more than one caregiver in a given week. If your family requires multiple caregivers, our goal is the same: we want you to be satisfied and happy. We'll do what it takes to make sure we achieve that goal. More caregivers offers security as they can cover when another caregiver might be unavailable.

 

Can 1Senior Home Care help with medications?

Our caregivers cannot administer medications as we are non-medical home care. However, they can always assist in reminding individuals to take their medications. In fact, medication reminders are one of our most requested services. We can also report any side effects and assist with pre-measured medication packages.

 

What if my caregiver is sick or on vacation?

1Senior Home Care employs a team of caregivers so that your care service will not be interrupted if someone gets sick or goes on vacation.   If your caregiver is unavailable, the Client Care Coordinator will arrange another caregiver and will contact you in advance of the change.   The Client Care Coordinator will also introduce the interim caregiver to you (if not already introduced) and review your Plan of Care with the interim caregiver prior to service.   Our goal is to ensure that services are provided as expected.  Your safety and security are a top priority. 

 

Can I change or discontinue the services my loved one receives?

You can change the number or type of service we provide your loved one whenever it's necessary. We understand the care situation can quickly change, so we're as flexible as possible with your loved one's care. Our case managers will meet with you monthly to discuss the care plan and change as needed.

 

Do I need a physician's authorization for your services?

No. You don't need pre-authorization, pre-qualification, certification or even a prescription for Right at Home's services. You choose the services you want, when to start those services and how often those services are used.

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What are the costs of your home care services?

Every family we serve receives a Custom Care Plan specific to their needs and budget. Several factors help determine the exact cost including number of hours of care per week and level of home care services received. Our home care services are typically billed on an hourly basis. This makes it easy to make a Custom Care Plan for you. To discuss the exact rates for the services you may need, contact our office. We’ll set up a free in-home consultation to begin discussing a Custom Care Plan and the rates for each service on your plan.

 

Do I pay the caregiver directly?

No. You (or an authorized representative) are only invoiced after the completion of services. Usually, this happens monthly. You never have to pay caregivers directly. And you'll never be asked to pay an additional fee to any employee.

 

How is the privacy of my personal information maintained?

We adhere to all applicable federal and state guidelines related to privacy of personal and healthcare information. This starts once we have a formal services agreement, before a caregiver even comes to your family member's home. The written service agreement stipulates the exact restrictions on the use of your information, which clarifies that even unauthorized individuals will not be given access to information without a client's – or legally authorized representative's – formal consent.

Your information is never sold to a third party under any circumstances. In fact, only the office personnel and caregivers who are directly involved in your services will have access to information related to the care of your loved one.

 

1Senior Home Care seems like a good choice. What's the next step?

Give us a call. We'll arrange a time to visit you, your family and/or any authorized representative to fully discuss your particular home care situation and how 1Senior Home Care might help.

Together, we'll go over the care your family needs and the care we provide. We'll answer all of your questions regarding in-home care services and costs. Then, we'll begin putting together your Custom Care Plan and matching your loved one with the right caregiver. Usually, care can begin within a matter of a few days.