FAQs

Making a decision about caregiving for a loved one is never easy. To be comfortable with your options, you need answers. We hope the following information is a good start. If your questions aren't completely answered, call us. We'll be glad to speak with you about your specific family situation.

About this Location

About Right at Home

"My Father only needs help a few hours a week. Is there a weekly minimum of service you provide?"

Right at Home Sacramento/Yolo realizes the importance of the flexibility of scheduling care for a loved one, whether it be the need of a parent living with you - and perhaps you needing time to attend an event, outing, or just a respite of sorts.

Right at Home offers a schedule that best reflects the care needs of each individual client. There are NO weekly or monthly minimums in regard to companion or personal care services, and our visits can vary from 3 hours to 24 hours (depending on each client and their family needs).

A good example of our flexible schedule includes families that may need assistance with their loved ones for short or extended vacations away - including family trips away - for respite care.

Please contact our Right at Home office for more information today.

"My parents are resistant to receiving care. Can you give me advice on presenting the idea to them?"

It is not uncommon for a majority of our senior and disabled clients to have an immediate negative reaction or response to the sensitve idea of having a caregiver provide care and assistance in their home. Many resist the notion or are in general denial about their condition or needs, and it is at this time that they ardently disagree with their loved ones on the issue of in home care.

Right at Home offers support in many areas and can assist families with addressing the caregiving issue with their loved ones. Our experienced care team can meet with a family to discuss strategies and areas of opportunity in provide care and assistance, and offer a free consultative visit with their loved ones directly.

Please contact our Right at Home office directly to speak with a Right at Home team member for more information pertaining to Right at Home's care services throughout the Sacramento and Yolo regions.

"My parent is currently in an assisted living facility, but may need more one-on-one care. Can your agency offer this service?"

Right at Home offers a wide variety of care choices for the elderly and disabled throughout the Sacramento and Yolo region. Many of our current clients do reside in an assisted living facility, or may be at a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility.

With Right at Home's flexible schedule and customized care plan(s) available, our trained, insured, and bonded quality caregiving team can offer hourly or overnight one-on-one care and assistance.

Facilities throughout the Sacramento and Yolo regions are quite familiar and recognize Right at Home for their levels of professionalism, responsiveness, and attention to detail.

Often times speaking with the Resident Services Director or Social Services Director about contacting Right at Home's care team about providing one-on-one care for your loved one, and a Right at Home team member will work with them in coordinating care and assistance.

Please contact Right at Home directly today for more information as to our one-on-one care at facilities throughout the Sacramento and Yolo regions.

 

"Does Medicare cover the cost of in home care services?"

At this time, Medicare does NOT cover in home companion care or most other types of hourly personal care services, including assistance with bathing, continence care, or ambulation assistance.

Most people believe that Medicare pays for long-term care. It does not. It may pay for a portion of skilled and rehabilitative care needs, but only if a series of strict requirements are met. Most traditional health insurance policies for working-age adults, dealing primarily with acute health care expenses, cover only skilled care, not custodial long-term care costs. While long-term disability insurance addresses lost wages during an illness or injury, it does not provide resources to cover the additional costs of long-term care. In addition, disability coverage ends at retirement.

The services covered by Medicare are more "home health" based (and can seem rather complicated or confusing to many), however, in sum, Medicare covers in home skilled nursing services (injections, wound care management, etc), plus some occasional home health aide services.

If you or a loved one may need assistance with one of the activities (listed below), which are not typically covered by Medicare, contact Right at Home. Hourly home care services Right at Home's clients to maintain safety and comfort of home. Our staff is available to answer your questions and help deliver the personal care or companion/homemaker services you or your loved one may need.

Companion/Homemaker Services

Preparing Meals -Medication reminders- laundry and light housekeeping - driving/transportation for errands/doctor visits - companionship & socialization

Personal Care Services

Personal hygiene (ie, toileting, incontinence care, ambulation assistance, showering)- dressing - transfers to bed/chair - walking - feeding

"When selecting an in home care company, you should consider asking the following questions..."

1) How are the caregivers screened and trained?

Right at Home of Sacramento/Yolo select only qualified candidates for their caregiving team.  Screening of the candidates begin at the application and interview process, including checking referrals/references of the candidates, and doing a thorough background screening, including criminal backgrounds. Candidates usually have no less than two years of qualified caregiving experience, and have work histories that may vary, including, in home care, skilled nursing, and residential care. Candidates may also be certified as a CNA (certified nursing assistant), MA (medical assistant or aid), and HHA (home health aid).

Once hired, ongoing training is encouraged, including Right at Home University (RAH), supportive hospice care training, memory care training, and other course attendance is encouraged in BLS (basic life support), inlcuding CPR and first aid.

2) How will the Caregiver(s) be instructed as to the duties and any special tasks included in my care?

During the initial consultative visit and assessment, a complete outline and understanding of an individual's care and assistance needs are understood. From the assessment, a customized care plan is designed according to the care needs and then is matched with an RAH caregiver's background, skill set, and acumen.

3) Will a responsible person from the agency visit at regular intervals to make sure that the care is meeting my needs?

Yes. RAH Sacramento/Yolo's Care Supervisor makes regular visits and contacts the clients regularly. During each visit, the client may communicate any changes in the schedule or care needs to the supervisor - and the care plan is updated to reflect any necessary needs. Additionally, "drop in" visits are also encouraged.

RAH Sacramento/Yolo also employs Home Care Pulse, which regularly contact clients to gage and assess client satisfaction and feedback.

4) Does the company protect its workers with written personnel policies and a fair wage scale for each position?

Yes. RAH has written personnel policies and fair wage scales posted in their office, and covers both during the caregivers orientation. No caregiver accepts a case without knowing explicitly what they will be earning for each case accepted.

5) Are Caregivers covered by professional liability, workers' compensation insurance, and dishonesty bond?

Yes. RAH covers all.

5) What is the charge for the services I am requesting?

Charges may vary depending on the levels of care provided - such as companion or personal care, and may also vary depending on hours of service provided. Call our office for more detailed pricing, including hourly, 12 hour, or 24 hour/live in care.

6) Are there minimum charges I will be billed even if services are NOT provided (for example, some companies have minimum hourly charges per visit or per week)?

No client will be charged for any services NOT being provided. There are no weekly minimum charges or monthly charges. RAH only charges for services that have been provided, and a client's schedule may be as flexible as they would want - from morning to night.

7) What is included in the charge I will be paying?

A weekly invoice is mailed to the party who is responsible for payment. A client would only be responsible for hours of service and/or mileage incursion cost. In sum, mileage may be accrued if a caregiver is to utilize their vehicle to transport a client during the course of service (a client is not charged for mileage of the caregiver to/from their homes).

8) Are payroll taxes, social security, Medicare, and state disability contributions paid by the company for my caregiver, or am I responsible for paying them.

RAH pays all of the aforementioned costs.

*RAH cautions families and clients from hiring private or independent care agencies - as many promote the underground economy and do NOT pay the necessary taxes that are required.

9) Are there any extra charges or fees (overtime, etc) that I will be responsible for?

There are no extra or "hidden" charges, such as overtime or travel to/from a caregivers home to provide care. All charges will be outlined entirely at the time of the initial consultative visit.

10) How often will I be billed?

Each Friday invoices are processed/mailed by the RAH office.

11) Will you bill my long-term care (LTC) insurance or other payer directly?

Each LTC policy varies and should be read in its entirety by the holder of the policy. Many LTC policies carry provisions that may or may not recognize an in home care agency as a provider of care.

With the permission of the client and the cooperation of the LTC agency, RAH will gladly provide the LTC agency with detailed care notes (weekly) that will outline (at least) two ADL's (acitivities of daily living) that may be required by the agency.

Subsequently, after receiving the care notes/record of RAH, the LTC will reimburse the client directly.

RAH will not bill third parties at this time.

12) What if I am displeased with the care provided?

Communication is of key importance to determine a client's satisfaction. From RAH's matchmaking methodology (initially), to the continued communication between the care supervisor and the client, RAH supports the client and caregiver respectively, to make certain that satisfaction is met and realized. Should a client be "displeased" - they will have the option of replacing their caregiver immediately (without any cost associated to the change).

13) What will RAH do to resolve any questions or concerns?

RAH is available 24 hours, 7 days a week to address any questions or concerns. Emails are also answered regularly, and a client can visit the RAH office directly (M-F 8-5).

14) How do I reach RAH after regular business hours if I have an emergency?

RAH can be reached 24 hours a day/7 days a week. RAH employs an after hours service that can reach an RAH person on call at all hours of the day or night. RAH's care supervisor also provides each client with a cellular phone/emergency number so that they may be reached directly.

15) Will I be able to talk to a supervisor at any time?

Yes. Dan Parker, the president of RAH Sacramento/Yolo encourages any communication or question from a client. He can be reached or contacted at any time.

"Are social security, federal and state taxes, as well as unemployment and worker's compensation insurance paid by Right at Home?"

"Are social security, federal and state taxes, as well as unemployment and worker's compensation insurance paid so the family is not legally responsible?"

In sum, all social security, federal and state taxes, as well as unemployment and worker's compensation insurance is paid directly by the Right at Home office.

Right at Home's difference among many companies and private hired caregivers is that caregivers are actually employees of Right at Home and not privately hired or independent contracted caregivers.

Understandably, there are many differences among companies offering in-home senior care that can affect personal security, financial liability, legal responsibility, reliability of service and quality of care. These concerns should be made clear to you before you hire any care provider.

Right at Home's office meets a well established hiring, training, insurance and quality of care requirement for all caregivers, all of whom are employees of the Right at Home office.

"My family member has cognitive issues that may be Alzheimer's disease. What advice do you have in caring for someone with dementia?"

Right at Home of Sacramento/Yolo offers memory care assistance for clients from hourly (for short term respite care for the person providing care) or up to 24 hour care/live in assistance.

Right at Home's memory care services place a one-on-one care emphasis on compassionate, personal care of the Alzheimer's/dementia diagnosed client, and provides experienced non-medical caregivers to support the clients and their familiy - all within a warm and optimistic care environment.

Caring for someone with dementia is stressful. Studies have show that caregivers of people with dementia have suppressed immune systems and increased rates of infectious illness, and a higher prevalence of major depressive disorder than non caregivers (Light, Niederehe, & Lebowitz, 1994). Depressed mood, anger and resentment toward the person with dementia and toward their responsibilities, as well as subjective feelings of burden are also very common. Self-care and having Right at Home provide that caregiver with respite care - even for just a few short hours a week - is imperative to maintain the caregiving role.

There are many resources to help family and professional caregivers as well. Education about Alzheimer's disease as well as therapeutic regimens can help caregivers be more realistic in expectations of the person for whom they are caring.Local chapters of the Alzheimer's Association and Alzheimer's Society (of Sacramento) and many geriatric clinics offer educational seminars and caregiver support groups to relieve the burden of caregiving and forster better coping skills.

Please contact the Right at Home office for more detailed information pertaining to their memory care services, as well as additional resources for providing care and support.

"My parent seems very confused. Do you think they have Alzheimer's?"

Because there are many misconceptions about dementia - particularly Alzheimer's disease, you should know the myths and realities of cognitive aging. For example, just because a senior becomes forgetful does not mean that he or she has Alzheimer's disease. In fact, the cause of the problem might be side effects of medications (not taking them, forgetting to take them, or medication mismanagement), the most common form of reversible dementia.

Confusion may also be the result of infection - such as a UTI - which can cause confusion and demonstrate signs of dementia, or perhaps a stroke.

If it is Alzheimer's disease - it is important for the family of their loved one to research services and programs relating to dementia, and also to get their parent an assessment of their physical and cognitive health from their primary care physician immediately.

Once diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, it is important for families to educate themselves about the disease, services, products or medications relating to Alzheimer's, support groups, memory care providers, and other information in regard to long term strategizing.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, althought everyone experiences memory lapses from time to time, an increase in the following symptoms may indicate that your older loved one should see his/or her healthcare provider:

1) Memory loss, especially forgetting recently learned information

2) Difficulty performing familiar tasks

3) Problems with language

4) Disorientation to time and place

5) Poor or decreased judgement

6) Problems with abstract thinking

7) Misplacing things

8) Changes in mood or behavior

9) Loss of initiative

10) Changes in personality

For memory care services of a loved one or to learn more about hourly or 24 hour care, please contact our Right at Home office directly at 888-222-1544

Did You Know?

*Half of older women age 75+ live alone.

*About 31 percent (10.5 million) of non-institutionalized older persons live alone (7.9 million women, 2.6 million men)

*Persons reaching age 65 have an average life expectancy of an additional 18.1 years (19.4 years for females and 16 years for males)

* The 85+ population is projected to increase from 4.6 million in 2002 to 9.6 million in 2030

"Our family is planning to go on vacation and my Mother will be staying home. Can you have a caregiver for just a week?"

The beauty and flexibility of Right at Home is the availability and the affordability of having a caregiver for your loved one during any course of time in which a family member may be out of town on vacation or business needs.

Our caregivers are available on a respite basis - or that being a "short term" need (without any extra incurred costs), whether that be for hourly visits, transportation needs, meal preparation, or medication reminders; moreover, our 24 hour/live in care is also available, for light housekeeping, memory care, continence care, or bathing assistance.

Yet another option is our "Traveling Care Companions", in which one of our selected qualified caregivers could personally escort your loved one on vacations for one-on-one assistance and provided care. Our caregivers can also accompany traveling seniors on their own vacation plans - to help with ambulation assistance, bathing assistance, or for companion care needs.

Please feel free to contact our Right at Home office for more details.

"My parent just needs transportation to and from shopping or to her doctor's appointments. Can your service provide this?"

Right at Home offers a full range of companion services, including transportation services to and from various appointments, such as shopping, doctor's visits, or hair appointments.

The Right at Home caregiver can pick up each client at their home, assist them to the appointment, and stay with them during the entire length of stay at the appointment or shopping. Many other services simply provide "curbside service", which basically means to "drop off" the person at the curb of the appointment and they do not provide ambulation or standby assistance to their client.

Right at Home provides the standby assistance the client may need. They also can help pick up any medications on the way home at the pharmacy and help that client into their home, or drop off and put away the groceries (and change out expired groceries) in the refrigerator.

Please contact Right at Home's office directly for more information as to their transportation and companion services.

 

 

"What do you offer in regard to 'supportive hospice care'?"

Right at Home's supportive hospice careplaces an in home care emphasis on compassionate, one-on-one, personal care of the client, and provides hospice experienced non-medical caregivers to support the patient, the family and the hospice care home health agency to provide hospice care - all within a warm and optimistic care environment.

Right at Home's caregiving team works in concert with the home health hospice team, in a symbiotic relationship, often assisting families with the personal care needs of their loved one, including: bathing, transfers and positioning, hygiene assistance, and continence care. Moreover, the caregiver can also assist with meal preparation, laundry and linens, housekeeping duties, and incidental transportation as necessary.

As a bonded and insured non medical in home care agency, Right at Home can assist hospice agency medical personnel during their weekly visits with support services. Right at Home's customized care plans can be tailored to support the hospice medical plan of care, insuring that the client has the one-on-one care they need during this critical period.

One-on-one supportive hospice care can be scheduled in an hourly, 12 hour, or 24 hour/live in care schedule. The 12 hour shifts can be scheduled as an awake shift overnight, to ensure the comfort and safety of the client.

Please contact the Right at Home office for more detailed information on our supportive hospice care and personal care.

 

"What is a living will?"

The term living will is used in many states to describe a legal document that states an individual does not want life-sustaining treatment if he/she becomes terminally ill or permanently unconscious. It should not be confused with a will or a living trust, which serve different purposes.

In 2000, the advance health care directive became California's legally recognized format for a living will. It is more flexible than the traditional living will - allowing an individual to give various health care instructions in advance and to appoint someone who will make his/her health care decisions if necessary.

The advance health care directive also replaced the durable power of attorney for health care (DPAHC). However, if you already executed a DPAHC and it has not expired, it would still be valid. Or, if you previously executed a Natural Death Act Declaration (California's old format for a living will), that, too, would still be valid. You do not need to replace it with the more comprehensive advance health care directive unless you choose to do so.

What is a "conservator"?

A conservator is someone authorized by the court to manage your affairs. A conservator may be appointed if you become unable to make sound decisions, feed or dress yourself, handle your own finances or resist undue influence.

Conservators may be family members, friends, or in some cases, the county public guardian. But, unlike an agent with a durable power of attorney, a conservator will receive court supervision in the handling of your affairs.

You should be aware that a conservatorship can be expensive (if you receive SSI/SSP or certain other government benefits, you could qualify to have the court fee waived).

You can nominate your own conservator in an advance health care directive for a judge's future consideration. Even after a petition for conservatorship has been filed, you can nominate your own conservator if you have sufficient capacity to do so. If someone seeks to have a conservator appointed for you, you must be notified. And you oppose the conservatorship in a court hearing.

"Can I make a report for inadequate driving for a senior?"

Studies show that seniors (aged 65 and older) actually cause fewer accidents than the youngest of drivers (16-25 years). But if an accident occurs, the older driver is at much greater risk of serious injury or death.

When you reach age 70, you can no longer renew your license by mail, and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) can request a doctor's approval.

You may not receive a license isf your corrected vision is 20/200 or worse in your best eye. The DMV can refuse to issue or  renew your driver's license if you are an alcoholic or addicted to certain drugs, have had lapses of consciousness within the past three years or marked confusion or any physical or mental disorder that could affect the safety of your driving.

In addition, if a doctor diagnoses Alzheimer's disease or certain other conditions linked to lapses of consiousness, he or she is required to notify the local health office. And, in turn, the health office must contact the DMV.

About Right at Home

How long have you been in business?

Right at Home was founded in Omaha, Nebraska in 1995.

What kind of services do you provide?

Right at Home provides numerous services across the country to families just like yours. A full list of services is available here. To see how we might be able to help your family specifically, take our Care Assessment. To see how we help families just like yours, read our Care Profiles or read our customer testimonials.

Where do you provide services?

Our local office is part of an international network of in-home healthcare. Right at Home has hundreds of locally owned offices all across the United States and throughout the world.

Are your caregivers insured and bonded?

Yes. Every caregiver is a Right at Home employee. To help ensure the safety and well being of our clients, we perform a criminal history background clearance and then cover each caregiver with general liability and workers' compensation insurance.

Will I have a choice of who comes to my home?

Yes. We encourage your involvement in the decision-making process. And with our proprietary screening and selection system, you can rest assured that we do our best to take the guesswork out of matching the right caregiver to you and your family. However, you must be satisfied. We always try to accommodate any requests you may have for a change in caregivers (as allowed by law).

Will my family member always receive care from the same caregiver?

Our goal is to establish a long-term caregiving relationship with your loved one. Should your family want to request another caregiver for any reason, we'll search for a match until your family is happy. We understand that a strong rapport and trust with a caregiver is vital to a successful home care experience.

If your loved one receives care for many hours in a day or at different times of the day throughout the week, it may be necessary to schedule more than one caregiver in a given week. If your family requires multiple caregivers, our goal is the same: we want you to be satisfied and happy. We'll do what it takes to make sure we achieve that goal.

Can Right at Home help with medications?

Some Right at Home locations can administer medications. Check with your local Right at Home office on the services they can provide to your loved one. Regardless of whether a local office can administer medicine, they can always assist in reminding individuals to take their medications. In fact, medication reminders are one of our most requested services. We can also report any side effects and assist with pre-measured medication packages.

Can I change or discontinue the services my loved one receives?

You can change the number or type of service we provide your loved one whenever it's necessary. We understand the care situation can quickly change, so we're as flexible as possible with your loved one's care. Plus, you're never bound to a long-term contract, so you can discontinue your relationship with Right at Home at your discretion.

How can I verify a shift was completed?

Right at Home uses several tools to track our caregivers. First, we use simple timesheets filled out by each caregiver. Then, we use a combination of Internet-based solutions to verify time and attendance. This allows you to have a written record of services within the home where care is provided. And we can provide written verification at any time.

Also, our itemized invoices are always sent after services are complete. This lets you ask any questions about time or date of care, and it allows us to make any schedule adjustments before your invoice is sent.

Do I need a physician's authorization for your services?

No. You don't need pre-authorization, pre-qualification, certification or even a prescription for Right at Home's services. You choose the services you want, when to start those services and how often those services are used.

If you request assistance with billing a private insurance policy (such as long-term care insurance) for our services, we're happy to help with the entire "benefits coordination" process. This includes providing any documentation you need for reimbursement by an insurance carrier.

What are the costs of your services?

Every family we serve receives a Custom Care Plan specific to their needs and budget. Several factors help determine the exact cost:

  • Number of hours of care per week
  • Level of home care services received (non-medical, skilled nursing, etc.)
  • Area of the country where services are provided

Our services are typically billed on an hourly basis. This makes it easy to make a Custom Care Plan for you. To discuss the exact rates for the services you may need, contact our office. We’ll set up an in-home consultation to begin discussing a Custom Care Plan and the rates for each service on your plan.

We always provide a written rate sheet prior to initiating services. Rates will never be increased without at least thirty days notice.

Are home care services covered by insurance or Medicare?

Medicare does provide an Eligibility Tool to see if your family qualifies, but they typically don't pay for the type of hourly personal care service that Right at Home provides. Right at Home may be able to provide documentation to third parties such as long-term care insurance companies that could help you obtain the best coverage possible.

Additionally, Right at Home has preferred relationships with many companies who either fully reimburse or partially reimburse for home healthcare. Typical accounts for reimbursement include reverse mortgage, health savings accounts (HSAs) and flexible spending accounts.

We also work with reimbursement programs like the Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefit, which is a benefit paid in addition to the monthly pension paid to Veterans and surviving spouses who require our services.

Do I pay the caregiver directly?

No. You (or an authorized representative) are only invoiced after the completion of services. Usually, this happens weekly. You never have to pay caregivers directly. And you'll never be asked to pay an additional fee to any employee.

How is the privacy of my personal information maintained?

We adhere to all applicable federal and state guidelines related to privacy of personal and healthcare information. This starts once we have a formal services agreement, before a caregiver even comes to your family member's home. The written service agreement stipulates the exact restrictions on the use of your information, which clarifies that even unauthorized individuals will not be given access to information without a client's – or legally authorized representative's – formal consent.

Your information is never sold to a third party under any circumstances. In fact, only the office personnel and caregivers who are directly involved in your services will have access to information related to the care of your loved one.

Right at Home seems like a good choice. What's the next step?

Give us a call. We'll arrange a time to visit you, your family and/or any authorized representative to fully discuss your particular situation and how Right at Home might help.

Together, we'll go over the care your family needs and the care we provide. We'll answer all of your questions regarding services and costs. Then, we'll begin putting together your Custom Care Plan and matching your loved one with the right caregiver. Usually, care can begin within a matter of a few days.

Right at Home's staff were very professional, understanding, and helpful with my family; they were willing to go the extra step and to be contacted at all hours. I was amazed how quickly Right at Home was able to get a caregiver in my Grandparents' home and help them immediately. They went through the process of finding a quality caregiver that specifically fit my Grandparents' personality and needs. It was a pretty efficient process all around.

Monica G.