It may be time to explore home care when an older adult is having more difficulty with bathing, dressing, meals, transportation, mobility, memory, or staying safely alone. A hospital or rehabilitation stay can also reveal that more support is needed at home.

Home Instead Bloomington serves families throughout Monroe County with approximately 53 Care Pros. The local team has particular experience with dementia support, and many members of the leadership team have grown through different roles within Home Instead. You don’t have to wait for a crisis to start planning. The What’s Next Toolkit can help your family begin that conversation.

Our Bloomington team is especially experienced in dementia support, and many members of our leadership team have worked at different levels within Home Instead. That firsthand experience helps us understand both what families need and what Care Pros need to provide consistent support.

We also invest in hands-on preparation. During orientation, Care Pros practice personal care scenarios using a hospital bed and equipment in our office. Dementia preparation combines online education with scenarios and sensory exercises. Our team includes a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant, and we conduct quality assurance calls at least monthly along with in-person visits every 30 days.

We can typically begin care within two to three days. Timing depends on the care needs, schedule, and finding an appropriate Care Pro.

That responsiveness is particularly useful for families facing a hospital or rehabilitation discharge. Our Bloomington team created a “Return to Home” program that can be tailored to the individual after discharge. We also serve rural parts of Monroe County, where transportation to medical appointments, shopping, and other necessities can be difficult. Planning a few days ahead when possible gives us time to understand those needs and prepare an appropriate care plan.

Home care costs vary according to the amount and type of support needed. A few companionship visits each week will have a different cost than daily personal care or continuous 24-hour support.

Home Instead Bloomington creates a customized care plan based on the person’s needs rather than using the same schedule for every family. Care can also change over time. One local client, for example, received Home Instead care for eight years, beginning with 12 hours per week and eventually progressing to 24/7 support as her needs increased. Families looking at their options can also use Home Instead’s Cost of Care resource.

Home Instead has strong ties to Bloomington and Monroe County. Our team participates in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, hosts Bingo and other social activities at local senior living communities, and is a member of the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce.

We also organize Be a Santa to a Senior each year for older adults in the community who have low incomes or may otherwise be isolated during the holidays. In 2024, the office received a Best of B-Town Community Choice Award from The Herald-Times. Those activities complement our day-to-day work supporting older adults throughout Bloomington and rural Monroe County.