Questions People Ask
Providing award winning senior care since 2010!
What is Home Care? How does it differ from Home Healthcare?
Aspire Caregiving provides what is termed “non-medical” home care which typically refers to personal care activities such as bathing, grooming, dressing, as well as assistance with meal preparation, light housekeeping and running errands. It could also include help with medication, assistance with ambulation and transportation to medical appointments or the store. Today, home care is divided, primarily for insurance purposes by the addition of “health” to the term.
“Home Health Care” now refers to the provision of skilled nursing care and therapy such as occupational, physical or speech. Unlike non-medical home care, such care, generally, is provided under the supervision of a Physician, Nurse, or Therapist. It involves home healthcare services such as nursing care, therapies categorized as physical, occupational or respiratory, as well as hospice care.
What makes Aspire Caregiving different than all other agencies?
We are very excited that our commitment to “raise the bar” on senior care is starting to be recognized by national organizations. For example, we are one of only 4 agencies in the State of Oregon to earn the “Caring Stars Award” two years in a row.
More past and current clients have given us positive reviews on Caring.com and Google than any other home care agency in Southern Oregon. Lastly, we have a unique “mentor” training program that provides continuous training and supervision providing you screened and well-trained Caregivers who are a good match to your unique needs and personality.
What is a Written Plan of Care and what does it include?
Your Aspire Caregiving intake specialist will develop an individualized Plan of Care for each client. The objective of this document is to record the type of care services needed and the point at which care will be initiated.
Once all parties to the decision are in agreement, that information will be used to select a Caregiver. It will also be used as a guide to establish the service, the schedule, communicating and scheduling going forward.
Do you provide services in my area?
Eugene/Springfield, Medford Ashland Central, Point Eagle Point Shady Cove Jacksonville Talent Phoenix, Grants Pass and surrounding areas.
How do you screen and select caregivers?
As with any company, we hire a wide variety of quality people. Each person we hire has their own unique background.
To make sure we have the best people available to serve your needs, we use an extensive background-checking system, assure that they pass rigorous health standards and are thoroughly trained to follow Aspire Caregiving’s policies and procedures, while, at the same time, treating every client with dignity and respect.
Are your caregivers insured and bonded?
All of our Caregivers are bonded, insured and covered by workers’ compensation insurance. This means you don’t have to worry because you and your loved one are protected from potential loss and liability.
With an independent contractor, registry or other home care agency, you might be exposed to potential loss and liability, such as the medical costs of a caregiver injured in your home. Our commitment to make home care as easy and convenient as possible includes providing you and your loved one with that peace of mind!
Will I have a choice of who comes to my home?
We carefully screen and select the person who is assigned to assist you. We do our best to match the right care giver to every client. That being said, we encourage your involvement and always want you to be satisfied. We will do our best to accommodate any requests you may have for a change in caregivers should that be necessary.
Can Aspire Caregiving help with medications?
Yes. The State of Oregon grants home care agencies one of 4 classifications or levels of care. Aspire Caregiving has the highest classification and can help you with medication administration.
How can the family know if a visit was completed?
Aspire Caregiving operates a program of electronic visit verification (EVV) that assures that every scheduled visit is completed. This system requires that a caregiver log into and out of our GPS system from your loved one’s home to verify the visit.
Couldn’t I just hire someone to help me instead of using an agency?
The short answer is, “yes, you can”. You may pay less per hour, but there are other considerations. You will need to locate and qualify this individual. Insurance and bonding would be your responsibility if you want those assurances. Additionally, you would be responsible for paying the caregiver’s payroll taxes including withholding federal and state taxes, plus Social Security and Medicare taxes. And, properly filing them with the various entities. Consider, too, the availability of someone to fill in should your regular caregiver not be able to work on a scheduled day. And, if the person you hire does not work out, you need to start the process all over again. Are you comfortable supervising and occasionally having to criticize the work of others? Firing them? Particularly if they are known to you personally? Hiring home care assistance through an award winning agency like Aspire Caregiving relieves you of many practical and emotional challenges.
How often will I get billed?
We bill every two weeks.
Do you provide services in assisted living facilities?
Yes, Aspire Caregiving does provides personal care and companionship services to clients who live in assisted living communities or even nursing facilities should you desire personalized care or additional attention.
How is the privacy of my personal information maintained?
Aspire Caregiving adheres to all federal and state regulations relating to maintaining the privacy of your personal and healthcare information. Our services agreement with you outlines the exact restrictions on the use or distribution of your information. Your information is never released to a third party without your specific consent.
How do I get started?
To start an engagement with Aspire Caregiving, just give us a call. 541-772-7070. We will arrange a visit with you and other members of your family in your home to review your specific home care situation. We will review your needs and the services we provide. We will answer all of your questions. Next, we will create a Care Plan that outlines everything we decided together. We will match you with the best possible caregiver for your situation and personality. We can usually begin your initial care within a day to a week depending on your situation.
How long has Aspire Caregiving been in business?
What are the things I should consider as I am deciding on whom to choose in selecting Home Care?
- Is the plan of service personalized? At Home Senior Solutions considers your actual care needs and writes out a list of items that need to be provided. We can describe an example of a typical day for the care recipient, from the moment he or she wakes up until bedtime. Along the way everyone involved understands when and how the care recipient prefers to have meals, take naps and other activities.
- What additional services are needed and can they be provided? Sometimes care recipients need help getting to doctors’ appointments or social activities. At Home Senior Solutions helps to determine the mode of transportation the client will use, whether the Caregiver drives the client’s car or provides the transportation.
- Does the client experience memory loss? Does the care recipient have a diagnosis of dementia? At Home Senior Solutions has a team specially trained and qualified professional caregivers to handle this type of specialized care.
- Does the patient speak a language other than English? Within logical limits, At Home Senior Solutions will do everything possible to provide Caregivers who speak a certain language.
- What are the requirements for contact time? Initially, an At Home Senior Solutions intake specialists will work with the care recipient and his or her family to determine the services needed to be performed during a typical day and determine the number of hours required as a starting point. We will then consult with those involved to make the necessary adjustments as needed.
- Does the patient have any dietary restrictions? Our intake specialists will review special diets of the care recipient. Of particular importance will be learning of any food allergies or specific cooking requests and consider how groceries will be purchased or delivered if the care recipient is unable to shop for groceries on his or her own.
- Is medication management part of the assignment? Studies show more than 75% of seniors do not take their medications correctly. At Home Senior Solutions pays particular attention to the management of medications and that they be done right. Our nurses and med aids will determine the full list of all medications taken by the care recipient as well as any possible side effects and rules relating to how medication is taken.
- What about overall management of the home care assignment? Care management is more than “showing up”. Each Caregiver is responsible for providing “hands-on” care. Beyond that, an At Home Senior Solutions Care Manager can supervise all of the care needs, from organizing medications in a pillbox and obtaining refills, to arranging doctors’ appointments and other necessary services like home health or hospice.
If my needs change, how and when is the Plan updated?
Plans of Care are reviewed with the client and family as much as needed but at least quarterly. During the review every effort is made to ensure the care recipient is receiving the appropriate level of care by people with whom the client is comfortable and happy.
How is my caregiver chosen?
Your comfort with those people we send into your home is important to us. For that reason, we take significant time to locate the “right” person(s) for you. We recruit, test, screen and train our team members to ensure that they meet, not only our standards, but, yours, too. We thoroughly study the range of needs that you may have.
Then we match your needs to the expertise, skills and personal qualities of our caregivers for as good a match as possible. Given normal work schedules, you may occasionally have a caregiver different that the one originally assigned. Rest assured, however, that you will receive the same professional level of care from every At Home Senior Solutions team member.
Finally, your opinion is the ultimate determinant of whether we have chosen the right caregiver. Only when you are satisfied will be know we have selected just the right caregiver for you.
How are caregivers supervised?
How do you know if the job is being done correctly? Clients and their families need the assurance that there is more than one person on the case so they feel comfortable with the process. The process starts with a plan against which performance can be compared.
(See the section “Written Plan of Care”) From that point Aspire Caregiving monitors your progress by regular visits by our staff supervisors and regular telephone conversations to make sure all clients are satisfied with the level of service they are receiving.
Is service available seven days a week? 24 hours a day?
Aspire Caregiving is available for as little as a few hours a visit up to 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Will I always receive care from the same caregiver?
The best possible scenario is to establish a long-term caregiving relationship with every client. As such, we plan for the same person(s) who knows you the best to be serving your needs on a regular basis. The way life works, however, there will be situations where the same caregiver(s) are not available for every day your service is scheduled. In those cases, rest assured, someone else, equally qualified, may provide your care.
Do you require a long-term agreement?
Aspire Caregiving does not require long term agreements. We are available as long as our services are needed.
Do I need a physician’s authorization for your services?
You do not need any pre-authorization or prescription for non-medical home care. You choose the solution you want, and when you what those services to be scheduled. If you need help with billing a private insurance policy such as long-term care insurance, we are happy to help with the process to coordinate your benefits including providing the documentation you need for reimbursement.
What are the costs of your home care services?
Of course, each client’s individual needs are different and require different services so the cost per hour varies somewhat. You will find that our prices are comparable to most of the other home care agencies in the areas we serve. To determine your exact pricing, we would visit your living environment to assess the services needed and establish pricing. Most agencies will charge more as the complexity of your care inevitably increases. We have one simple flat rate no matter what your level of care may be, which means the billing is straight forward and predicable.
Are home care services covered by insurance or Medicare?
Home care services are not covered by Medicare. Often home care is paid for by long term insurance policies. We will assist you in making those claims, if necessary. We are also contracted through the V.A. and Medicaid. We have helped many people come up with a workable plan for care no matter what their economic circumstances. Talk with one of our intake specialists to help you.
Do I pay the caregiver directly?
No, Aspire Caregiving professional caregivers are never paid directly by the client, nor do they ever accept tips or gifts. Your satisfaction is our reward.
What are ADLs and IADLs?
These terms often come up with determining your eligibility to receive long term care insurance benefits. Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) include the basic tasks essential for day-to-day functioning, such as walking, dressing, grooming, bathing, transferring from one position to another and toileting. Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) are activities which include such activities as house cleaning, laundry, paying bills and meal preparation. Some seniors want assistance outside of their home with activities such as shopping and medical appointments.