Home Care Services
What do home care services include?
Our home care services include assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). This includes dressing, grooming, medication reminders, bathing, companionship, transportation, exercises, laundry, light housekeeping, meal preparation, and more. Check out our full list of services.
My mom doesn’t need health care but I don’t feel comfortable leaving her alone at night. Are caregivers available to be there with her?
Yes! Our caregivers provide companionship services and are focused on establishing a connection with seniors like your mom. Our companionship services are specifically tailored to meet their needs.
Does your agency provide transportation services?
Yes. We provide transportation services to and from doctor’s offices, errands, and social outings. There is a small fee, depending on the distance the caregiver drives, that is applied to your statement.
Can I cancel my home care services at any time?
Yes, a 24-hour notice is required to cancel a specific shift or caregiving services altogether. We are flexible and understand that plans change quickly.
What are the minimum number of hours required for home care services?
We do not have any shift or weekly minimums. We tailor the length and frequency of shifts to what is needed by the client. We will work with you to come in at the times that are most convenient for you. Our respite care services are customized specifically to relieve family caregivers from their responsibilities.
Caregiver Questions
What are your caregivers’ qualifications?
After passing an extensive background check, our caregivers are each trained and attend ongoing training sessions related to dementia care, hospice care, and more to improve our home care services.
Will I always have the same caregiver?
Provided that you are comfortable with your caregiver, you will usually have the same one. This is to ensure you, our caregivers, and staff, the best communication and care. Although for unexpected situations, we recommend multiple caregivers that are familiar with your case. For example, clients who require 40+ hours will have multiple caregiver, one working Monday-Thursday and the other Thursday-Monday. Over time, these shifts will become routine, and we believe that is key!
What if my caregiver is not a good fit?
Your comfort is our first priority; we will find the best fit if you are not currently satisfied. We will also check in frequently to ensure you are comfortable with your new caregiver. If not, we will keep working until we have the best fit.
Home Care Agency Questions
If there is an emergency, is someone available to answer the phone?
Yes. Our staff is available 24/7 to answer emergency calls. We feel that it is very important to have caring staff available at all hours of the day.
Is your agency licensed?
Assisting Hands Home Care is licensed (Virginia Department of Health License HCO-2110), bonded and insured. Each of our caregivers are also employees of Assisting Hands Home Care, assuming all responsibilities for liability, workman’s compensation, staffing concerns, and salaries. All of our Caregivers are trained and certified as either CNAs or PCAs.
Home Care Cost Questions
Do you require a deposit for home care services?
We determine if a deposit is necessary on a case by case basis. If a deposit is required and the service is canceled, the deposit will be applied to any remaining balances for services rendered.
Do you have home care benefits for Veterans?
We work with the Aid & Attendance VA pension benefit program. Veterans receive exclusive pension funds to pay for the cost of home care. Check out VA home care blog or contact us to learn more about this benefit. We will be happy to connect you with a local resource.
Common Family Challenges
When is the right time to look for home care services?
Assisting Hands Home Care uses the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) as a guide to determine when home care is necessary. If your loved one is no longer able to do two or more of the tasks from this list: showering/bathing, grooming, continence care, dressing, or eating, it might be time for home care.
Depending on their care needs, they may need a caregiver during the day or overnight.
Here are some additional signs a caregiver may be necessary:
- Concern for Driving: If you feel worried about your loved one behind the wheel, such as having a slower reaction time, our caregivers can gladly provide transportation services.
- Home is Dirty: If you notice that the home is no longer clean or hasn’t been maintained, our caregivers can provide light housekeeping. We will handle everything including dusting, sweeping and mopping, vacuuming, taking out the trash, laundry, and more.
- Lack of Nutrition: If you notice your loved one no longer cooks, our caregivers can prepare and cook meals for them. They will also follow all dietary restrictions.
- Falls: If your loved one has suffered a number of falls, or was admitted to the hospital after a fall, we can help. Each of our caregivers are trained in fall prevention and will take measures to prevent them from happening again, such as clearing walkways of tripping hazards.
- Additional Safety Concerns: Other hazards may be present in the house without your loved one knowing. This includes forgetting to turn off the stove or leaving the door unlocked. One of our caregivers can stop by in the evening to ensure your loved one’s home is free of hazards. They can ensure that the burners are off, they have taken their medication, and the doors are locked.
My parents can be stubborn and don’t want a caregiver. What can I do?
It’s common for family members to feel hesitant towards a caregiver, especially after they have taken care of themselves all their lives. They may also feel uncomfortable with the idea of inviting a stranger into their home.
To ease their stress, it helps to involve them in the decision-making process as much as possible. For example, you can ask them which times are best to have their caregiver come over or if they prefer male or female.
Over time, they will become more familiar with the idea of a caregiver and may eventually look forward to their caregiver coming over.
I don’t live close to my parents. How can we all stay updated on the home care services?
Assisting Hands Home Care’s software uses a “Family Room” feature, where families can login to see schedules, invoices, care notes, and more. Our staff will keep you updated on all events during the services.
We consider our clients as part of our family. If you are worried about your loved one who lives far away, simply give us a call, and we will check up on them. Our home care agency is in Henrico, VA and we serve clients in Richmond, VA and the surrounding areas. In case of emergency, we will work quickly to get to your loved ones.
My parents are from a generation of which they are distrusting of people entering their home. How can I convince them that caregivers can be trusted?
This is a very common challenge, however, each of our caregivers pass state and national background checks before they are sent to a home. All of our Caregivers are trained and certified CNAs or PCAs so that they are held to a high professional standard. Our home care agency assumes all legal responsibilities of our caregivers as they are our employees.
General Questions
When is it time to call Hospice?
When a patient suffers from a terminal illness in which there is a prognosis of less than 6 months, hospice can be chosen. If you are unsure if your loved one needs hospice care, a doctor’s visit can help and recommend a hospice organization. One on hospice has chosen to stop medical treatment for their disease.
What are some common conditions in older adults who receive home care?
Common conditions in older adults who receive home care include: osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, and more that can make it unsafe to live independently.
But our elderly care services can help your loved one stay at home by providing fall prevention, light housekeeping, companionship, bathing, preparing meals, and more.
How long can one be in hospice care?
While prognosis is usually less than six months, patients may continue hospice care for longer.
What is the difference between hospice care and palliative care?
The difference between hospice care and palliative care is that a patient on hospice care has a terminal diagnosis whereas the palliative care patient may start symptom management within the first stages of the disease. But hospice care and palliative care both share the same goal of symptom and pain management.
How does home care fit into hospice and palliative care?
Our hospice care assistance fits into hospice and palliative care by coordinating with the hospice care team to ensure that you are comfortable and well cared for. Our caregivers can help with transferring, repositioning, bathing, light meal preparation, changing bedsheets, and provide companionship in between visits from hospice care workers.
Can you help with some home modifications to keep my loved one’s home safe?
Yes! Assisting Hands Home Care can provide connections to local resources who can assist with installing home modifications to keep their home safe.