Questions to Ask Home Care Providers

1. Is the home care company licensed in the state of California? What is their HCO License #?

• Home Instead of Santa Clarita, CA is a fully licensed non-medical home care company in the state of California. CA HCO# 194700208

2. What does licensure mean to me, as a person seeking home care services for myself or a loved one?

• As a licensed company, you can be assured that all of Home Instead's CAREGivers are employed by us. They are bonded, insured, covered by workers’ compensation, and trained, both to the standards set by the State of California, and to the even more exacting standards set by Home Instead, the world’s largest non-medical home care company.

• All our CAREGivers are registered Home Care Aides with the state of California. They are fingerprinted, drug and TB tested, and undergo vigorous reference checks and interviews prior to hiring. In addition, all are vaccinated against the COVID virus, are tested by us on a monthly basis, and are supplied with all essential PPE equipment for the safety and protection of both caregivers and clients.

3. What kind of training do your caregivers receive?

• All Home Instead CAREGivers are experienced and trained through a multi-phase, in-house and online training program, including bed-bound and hospice care. They must also complete 6 hours of continuing education yearly, and are mandated by this office to become Dementia Care Specialists through the Alzheimer’s Association.

4. What are my rights as a client of your Home Care Agency?

Home Instead understands that consistency is very important to you and your loved ones. This is how trust and relationships are built. It is our job to work with you to develop your primary CAREGiver team. However:

1. If a CAREGiver is ill, has an emergency or needs family time, you have the right to coverage by a substitute until such time as your regular CAREGiver is able to return.
   

2. If you are unhappy with a CAREGiver for any reason, you have the right to a replacement.

3. If you need to flex your regular schedule, you have the right to make changes with at least 24-hours notice to the office.

4. If you are concerned about the level of care, or need to change the services provided, our experienced Care Management team is always there to review and make changes with your initial Plan of Care. We can assist you in evaluating and implementing the appropriate care for your loved ones.

5. If you need to contact us after hours, our phones are answered 24/7 by someone who can help resolve a problem or answer your questions.

5. Do Medicare or Medi-Cal pay for home care with your agency? What about health insurance or Long Term Care Insurance?

• Neither Medicare nor Medi-Cal pay for non-medical home care, however some Medicare Advantage Plans are starting to cover minimal services, like transportation, for their insureds…ask your plan what is covered. Long Term Care policies do pay for non-medical home care and Home Instead can help you determine what’s covered, and file all documentation monthly for you.