Question 1

What is the difference between non-medical home care and home health care?

Accepted Answer

Non-medical home care covers help with daily living: bathing, dressing, meals, medication reminders, errands and companionship. Home health care is clinical, prescribed by a physician, and delivered by nurses or therapists. Assisting Hands provides non-medical home care, and we regularly work alongside a family's home health agency, therapists and pharmacy so nothing falls through the cracks.

Question 2

How do I know when my parent needs home care?

Accepted Answer

Most families call after they notice a pattern rather than a single event. Common triggers include a recent fall, a hospital or rehab discharge, missed medications, unopened mail, weight loss, a decline in personal hygiene, or a spouse or adult child who has become the primary caregiver and is exhausted. If you are asking the question at all, a consultation is worth the time.

Question 3

What happens during the first consultation?

Accepted Answer

The first consultation is a free, no-obligation visit in your home, and it usually takes about an hour. A member of our care team sits down with you and your loved one to understand the daily routine, the health history, what is working and what has become difficult. We look at the home itself for fall risks and mobility concerns, talk through personal care and companion care needs, and answer every question you have about scheduling, caregivers and cost.

You leave with a written, personalized care plan and a clear recommendation. There is no charge for the visit and no requirement to start service. If we believe your family would be better served by home health, a facility or another resource, we will tell you that directly and point you toward it.

Question 4

Do we have to sign a long-term contract?

Accepted Answer

No. There is no long-term contract and no lock-in period. You sign a service agreement that outlines the care plan, the schedule and the rate, and you can adjust hours, pause service or stop entirely with reasonable advance notice.

Families often start with a few hours a week and increase from there, or scale back after a recovery period ends. Both are normal. Our service plan is formally reviewed every 90 days, or immediately when health needs shift, so the arrangement stays matched to what your family actually needs rather than what was true when you signed.

Question 5

What happens if my caregiver calls off?

Accepted Answer

We build a dedicated care team around your family rather than assigning a single caregiver, so more than one qualified caregiver already knows your loved one's routine before a call-off ever happens. When someone is out, backup coverage comes from a caregiver who is already familiar with the home, the preferences and the care plan.

Question 6

What if we do not think a caregiver is the right fit?

Accepted Answer

Your comfort comes first. If a caregiver does not match your expectations or personal preferences, we will respect your wishes and change the assignment. You do not need to justify the request, and there is no awkward conversation for you to have. Tell your Client Success Manager and we handle it.

Question 7

Can we have the exact same caregiver every single day?

Accepted Answer

True consistency is built over time, and the most reliable way to get it is to establish fixed, regular weekly hours. A predictable schedule allows one primary caregiver to become a dependable part of your loved one's week. Schedules that shift week to week make consistency much harder for any agency to deliver honestly.

Question 8

How are your caregivers screened?

Accepted Answer

Every caregiver is fully vetted through the Illinois Healthcare Worker Registry and meets IDPH standards. Beyond the registry check, our team handles supervision directly, including unannounced home visits, so the care plan is being followed when no one is expecting a review.

Question 9

Do I have to manage the caregiver?

Accepted Answer

No. You do not supervise, schedule, discipline or manage staff. Our team handles supervision and oversight, and your Client Success Manager manages the schedule and monitors daily charting so you stay informed without becoming the employer.

Question 10

Am I responsible for the caregiver's wages, taxes or insurance?

Accepted Answer

No. We manage all wages, taxes and insurance, which means you carry none of the legal or financial liability that comes with hiring a caregiver privately. Families who hire independently often do not realize they have taken on household employer obligations until there is a problem.

Question 11

What if our health needs change after care begins?

Accepted Answer

Care is never static, so neither is the plan. Our Client Success Team conducts ongoing supervisory check-ins and formally reviews your service plan every 90 days, or immediately when health needs shift. Hours, services and daily activities are adjusted as your family's situation changes.

Question 12

Who is my point of contact?

Accepted Answer

You are assigned a Client Success Manager who knows your family by name. That person manages scheduling, monitors daily charting and is your single point of contact, so you are not re-explaining your situation to a different person every time you call.

Question 13

Can I reach someone after hours or on weekends?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our local team answers live around the clock for emergency scheduling, staffing needs or a sudden change in health. You reach a person, not a voicemail box that gets checked the next business day.

Question 14

How do I know the care plan is actually being followed?

Accepted Answer

Two ways. Caregivers document daily charting that your Client Success Manager reviews, and our team conducts unannounced supervisory visits in the home. Oversight is our responsibility, not yours.

Question 15

Does long-term care insurance cover home care?

Accepted Answer

In most cases yes, and we act as your concierge through the process. We verify benefits, organize documentation and prepare the care histories your policy requires so reimbursement is not delayed by paperwork. Families do not have to interpret their policy alone.

Question 16

What is included in the hourly rate?

Accepted Answer

Your rate includes flexible support that scales with daily needs, covering both personal care and companion care rather than billing them separately. It also includes the oversight, supervision, scheduling and 24/7 availability that surround the caregiver hours.

Question 17

Can you coordinate with the hospital discharge planner?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We work directly with hospital and rehab discharge planners, home health agencies, therapists and pharmacies. We also provide families with a Safe Discharge Planning Guide that captures the care team, medications, warning signs, follow-up appointments and mobility needs in one place so nothing is lost between the facility and the front door.

Question 18

How do you help us navigate eldercare decisions we have never faced before?

Accepted Answer

You do not have to figure it out alone. We connect families to a trusted network of community referral partners, including hospital discharge planners, VA social workers, elder law attorneys and local senior resource specialists. When the right answer is not home care, we will tell you that too.

Home Care Resources for Families

Leaving the Hospital

Worried About a Parent at Home

Memory Care Support

Common Questions

Not Sure Where to Start?

Reviews from Our Clients

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