Frequently Asked Questions

1. What type of care is available for seniors who need some long-term care and assistance because they are getting older? Or seniors who have an impairment?
2. What differences can I expect between a retirement home, assisted living facility and a home care agency?
3. What services do home care agencies offer? How do they fit my long-term care needs?
4. Are there other advantages to having a home caregiver?
5. Why do I need a home care agency? Can I hire a caregiver on my own?
6. Since the services are non-medical, can I work with a companion even if I have some health problems?
7. I want to take care of my parent but I have to work during the week or I live too far away. How can Companion Care help me with their long-term care needs?
8. How can I pay for long-term care?

What type of care is available for seniors who need some long-term care and assistance because they are getting older? Or seniors who have an impairment?

There is a wide range of choices available. The best choice for you depends on your specific needs and desires.

For seniors or disabled individuals with chronic medical needs that affect daily living, the choices include nursing homes, adult family homes, some assisted living facilities, and care at home through a Home Health Agency. These organizations provide medical care using nurses and/or certified nursing assistants.

For seniors or disabled individuals who do not need medical assistance on a daily basis, the choices include retirement homes, assisted living facilities and home care agencies. Companion Care is a home care agency.

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What differences can I expect between a retirement home, assisted living facility and a home care agency?

Retirement communities offer a number of choices for services. Some provide meals, laundry and housecleaning, as well as a range of social and recreational activities. Moving into a retirement center eliminates the ongoing work of taking care of a home and provides opportunities for social interaction. Some facilities offer Alzheimer or Dementia Care and can also serve as an alternative to nursing homes care for those with cognitive impairments.

Home Care services can be more affordable than assisted living facilities if the elderly person does not need care on a 24-hour basis or when the family needs a caregiver only for the hours when a family member cannot be there.

For those who prefer to stay in the comfort of their own homes, home care agencies, such as Companion Care, offer one-on-one assistance and companionship that allow seniors to remain independent and "in charge" while continuing to live in their own homes.

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What services do home care agencies offer? How do they fit my long-term care needs?

Companion Care offers the hourly care and services a senior needs to stay in their home, including:

• shopping,
• running errands,
• meal preparation,
• doing laundry,
• light housekeeping,
• medication reminders,
• bill paying,
• help with organizing things,
• transporting and accompanying to doctor or business appointments,
• life enrichment activities (such as daily trips to a senior center, malls, local nurseries),
• indoor activities (such as playing cards, writing letters, creating scrapbooks and photo albums),
• gardening,
• pet care,
• respite care, and
• updating family members on changes in client conditions, and
• affordable rates.

A caregiver may also assist with bathing, grooming and dressing. Most important, the caregiver is there for the senior to share their thoughts and activities.

A client can use our services to meet their long-term care needs, as long as they do not develop chronic health problems that require hospitalization.

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Are there other advantages to having a home caregiver?

Yes. Because you remain in your home, you are the person who makes the decisions. Your companion is there to be with you and to help you through the day, but not to direct your life according to a plan or schedule made by someone else. The caregiver is your companion, taking care of you, not somebody else.

You select the person to be your caregiver from the home care agency staff. Once you make that selection the same caregiver will come to your home regularly. You will get to know each other. We have learned that often both the caregiver and the client look forward to their time together. This is one of our goals.

Unlike assisted living facilities, our caregivers provide one-to-one individual attention, only for you. Nobody else is calling for the companion's time or attention.

Companion Care offers hourly care with a minimum of 4 hours per visit whether the services are needed once a week or every day of the week.

Having a caregiver at home can also be more affordable if the client does not need us 24 hours a day or if we are providing respite or simply filling a shift when the family can't be there. Companion Care offers hourly care with a minimum of 4 hours per visit whether the services are needed once a week or every day of the week.

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Why do I need a home care agency? Can I hire a caregiver on my own?

The home care agency is there to protect you. In the state of Washington, each home care agency must establish policies and procedures to meet the requirements of strict Home Care Rules. These policies and procedures must be specific and must provide instructions for screening job applicants, providing service to clients, keeping records and ensuring the safety of the clients. To do business in Washington, a home care agency must put their policies and procedures in place to receive a license. The state issues the license and audits the agency every two years before renewing the license.

Every caregiver hired by the home care agency must pass a criminal background check. Agencies may then make additional reference checks. Companion Care requests three professional and two personal references for each applicant.

The home care agency protects you in other important ways. The agency must be insured and should be bonded to protect you in case of loss or accident caused by the caregiver. The agency provides workers' compensation insurance, pays into Social Security, Medicare and unemployment compensation funds for the caregiver, which protects you, as well as your caregiver. Although the caregiver is there for you, you do not have the responsibility of being the caregiver's employer. The home care agency is the employer and is responsible to make sure that you are satisfied with the services that the caregiver provides for you.

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Since the services are non-medical, can I work with a companion even if I have some health problems?

Yes. Our companions help seniors and the disabled with a variety of health concerns. For example:

1. When recovering from illness or when newly released from the hospital or a rehabilitation center, a companion can provide assistance while the client regains strength.
2. When a senior is cognitively impaired, our companion can help the senior focus on the present and stay safe whether they are still living at home or in an assisted living facility.
3. A senior or disabled person may be depressed or isolated from other people because of reduced mobility. A companion can be the person who brings outside contact back into the senior's life.
4. A senior who is at risk of falling, whether it is at home or in an assisted living facility, can use our companions help to prevent serious injury.

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I want to take care of my parent but I have to work during the week or I live too far away. How can Companion Care help me with their long-term care needs?

Companion Care can provide respite care for family members during the day or on weekends. Whether it is morning, afternoon, evening or overnight, Companion Care can be there for you. We only require a minimum of 4 hours per visit. We provide hourly care with a minimum of 4 hours per visit. Companion Care caregivers are also available on weekends and holidays. We keep our overhead cost down so that we can offer these services at an affordable rate in line with family budgets. So you define the schedule, and we will take care of the rest. Our reasonable hourly rates are listed on the Services page.

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How can I pay for long-term care?

Home care services are not covered by medicare. Typically these services are privately paid unless the senior has long-term care insurance. You will need to check with your long-term insurance provider to see what services are covered. Companion Care accepts long-term care insurance.

If you need more information, please call us or use the Contact Form to send us an email. We'll be happy to answer any other questions that you may have about home care companionship.