Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
What benefits does live-in care offer over assisted living facilities or nursing homes?
Clients continue to enjoy the privacy, comfort and security of their own homes as well as a sense of independence. For many, it’s a return to their “happy place”.
Why should I choose Home Care Solutions?
The 24-year track record of providing exceptional live-in care. HCS is an independently owned and operated company. Since 1996, live-in care has been our specialty — a professional, personalized service to clients who prefer to live at home. HCS has the flexibility to respond quickly, to formulate immediate solutions for clients and their families.
Home Care Solutions is licensed by the State of Minnesota as a Comprehensive professional Home Care Agency — fully bonded and properly insured.
How do I know you are selecting the best caregiver for me?
Caregivers are chosen based on their successful work history of delivering quality care.
Home Care Solutions takes great care to match the right caregiver for each Client. Staffing Coordinators and the Director of Nursing work closely with Clients to make a thoughtful Home Health Aide selection, one that can professionally address your needs. HHA’s are matched according to specific client needs, with consideration of the Home Health Aide’s: areas of expertise, personality, schedule and physical capabilities.
What do HCS’s services include?
Flexible and tailored to meet your individual needs, live-in Home Health Aide services include:
- An initial assessment by a Registered Nurse, free of charge
- Medications ordered and set up every two weeks by a Registered Nurse
- 24/7 Home Health Aide care in the home
- On-call Registered Nurse access 24/7/365
- Quality Assurance — a QA supervisor to manage the HHA performance
Home Health Aides provide the following services:
- Personal care, including: bathing; toileting; oral hygiene; shaving; hair, skin, basic foot and nail care, as well as dressing assistance
- Walking assistance and transferring from bed or chair
- Meal preparation and dining
- Medication administration
- Light housekeeping
- Laundry
- Assistance with physical therapy and occupational therapy programs
- Transportation
- Accompany to appointments
In addition, staff provide:
- Nurse supervisory visits and clinical assessments
- Liaison service between the Client and the Client’s physician
- Client and family support services
- Assistance with discharge planning at the beginning and end of care
- Coordinate and collaborate with other medical providers: primary physician, physical therapy, occupational therapy, hospice care, palliative care, pharmacy and other specialists
- Registered Nurse and Home Care Solutions Managers are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year for Client care concerns or emergencies
How much does it cost to have live-in care?
Services are competitively priced with a baseline daily rate and monthly nurse management fee, which includes 24/7 Registered Nurse management and medication setups. Please call the office for current rates.
Does insurance or Medicare cover any of the cost?
Live-in care is considered “custodial care” and is not covered by Medicare or supplemental health insurers. Long-term Care Insurance policies often cover home care services, and HCS is accustomed to providing information necessary to process client LTC insurance claims.
What geographic area does Home Care Solutions serve?
Home Care Solutions serves the Minneapolis / St. Paul metro area plus a 100-mile radius.
Is a physician’s referral needed?
No, services do not require a physician’s referral. Communication with other care providers, especially the primary physician, is essential for efficient coordination of care.
What criteria do you use before hiring your caregivers?
Caregivers are matched with clients with the same careful consideration one would give to our staff’s families.
Home Care Solutions is committed to providing professional, qualified and reliable caregivers. Staff must have supervised caregiving experience in addition to passing a background check and screening process. Once accepted, HHA’s are required to complete a rigorous orientation program, where candidates are further screened, evaluated and developed. Ongoing in-service training is also required. In addition, our Nurses perform supervisory visits and carefully monitor each client’s Care Plan. Activities of the Home Health Aide are carefully recorded and documented to meet or exceed the Minnesota Department of Health’s compliance and regulatory requirements. HCS is licensed, bonded and insured.
How many different caregivers will be helping me in my home?
Clients are typically assigned two caregivers to provide live-in care. Each week, the primary Home Health Aides rotate to ensure continuity of care and the opportunity to bond in a professional and friendly manner — a bond built on the respect for personal dignity and trust.
How do you monitor Home Health Aide quality of care?
Home Care Solutions employs a Quality Assurance Supervisor whose primary responsibility is to make “unannounced” visits to Client homes in order to monitor and improve daily activities of the Home Health Aides.
HCS keeps in regular contact with caregivers. Check-in calls discuss: Client status / changes, menu planning, activities, concerns regarding the Client’s health and Care Plan, etc.
What happens if a Client needs a Care Manager to assist with complexities in their care?
Home Care Solutions’ Registered Nurses are trained to identify clients who would benefit from professional Care Management. HCS is happy to share a list of trusted Care Management providers.
How do I prepare for live-in Home Health Aide assistance?
A checklist can be sent regarding preparation for a live-in caregiver, detailing items such as: a separate sleeping area for the Home Health Aide, caregiver meal preparation for clients, client provision of groceries for caregivers, etc.
What are the US Department of Labor sleeping requirements for Home Health Aides?
Adequate sleep for HHA’s is essential in order to remain alert during work hours. Per the U.S. Department of Labor, caregivers are required to have access to a total of eight hours of sleep each night, five of which must be uninterrupted sleep.
How quickly can home care be arranged?
A nurse assessment can be scheduled the same day a request for services is received (free of charge). Services can begin as soon as 24-48 hours from a request for service, pending appropriate staff availability.
Do services include memory care?
Definitely, yes. The majority of clients under our care have some form of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Much of staff training and resources are dedicated to providing quality memory care at home.
