We take the FEAR Out of Home Care

Halloween is in the air, and the time pumpkin carving and trick-or-treating will soon be upon us! This time of year is filled with candy, haunted houses, costumes, parties and thrills. It's an exciting time of the year for kids and adults and has inspired today's blog post on the "fear" of Home Care. ​

When discussing the prospect of home care with an individual who needs assistance in their daily living, many times “fears” begin to arise. In today’s blog we take a look at the top 3 “fears” we see in clients and how Beyond Home Care not only addresses these fears but eliminates them.

• Bringing a “stranger” into the home: For many clients, having a Caregiver come into their home can be scary. Many times, this will be the first time they have had help come into their home, and that can feel uncomfortable and even scary. Beyond Home Care works through these fears by ensuring the individuals we hire not only love working with the elderly and disabled, but they are thoroughly screened, background checked, and trained to be the best in the industry. Our standards are high and are expectations are consistent.

I don’t send anyone out to a home, that I would not send to my own Gammy, pure and simple.
​-Kelly Adams, owner and CEO.

When you hire an agency instead of an individual, we eliminate the “fear” of liability and extra incurred costs associated with employing someone in your home. Our Caregivers are W2 employees meaning we pay employment and social security taxes that our clients would otherwise be responsible. We also carry insurance including liability, non-owned auto and workman’s compensation, which protects our clients in the event of an accident in their home. Many people are unaware that an accident in your home can result in a claim against your homeowner’s insurance if you do not go through an agency that carries workman’s compensation insurance. Hiring an “private” caregiver, instead of employing an agency like Beyond Home Care, exposes a client to many scary situations that are completely avoidable when dealing with a reliable agency.

• ​Commitment: It’s hard to commit to the future when you just don’t know what the future holds. Commitment can be scary during time in your life that can be filled with unease about the future. We work hard to ensure we do not add to the stress. For that reason, at Beyond Home Care, we do not require a contract with our clients. At any time, you can cancel services by giving us reasonable notice. We are also extremely flexible with services and do not tie a client down to specific times and/or days of the week. No two client schedules are alike because we customize it to fit their unique needs. We see some clients 24hrs a day, 7 days a week and others 3-4 times a week from 8a-5p. Still there are other clients who use us as respite care and call ahead to schedule dates that work best with them. The flexibility allows our clients to use our services when and how they need. 

 

• Cost: Cost of services tends to be at the top of the “fear” list, and understandably so. As we age, expenses can add up whether from illness, injury, or even just the unexpected. Most seniors are on fixed incomes from retirement or social security and therefore are cautious about their funds. Home Care is more affordable than you may realize especially when taking into consideration most people do not need 24 hour care to stay independent in their own homes. Although many clients are private pay, there are some programs that will pay towards home care.​

​Veterans and survivors who are eligible for VA pension and require assistance from another person for activities of daily living, may be eligible for additional monetary payment through the Veterans Aide and Attendance Benefit.   More information on eligibility and application can be found here at https://www.benefits.va.gov/pension/aid_attendance_housebound.asp or those local to Tallapoosa County can contact our Veteran’s Affairs officer Nicole Goodman located at the CJ Coley Courthouse Annex.
 
Long Term Care Insurance policies long-term care generally not covered by health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. This would include services performed by a home aide or Caregiver. Unfortunately, Medicare does not cover caregiving services performed in the home which comes to as a surprise to most.
 
Using a respected agency is the first step to eliminating many of the ‘fears” to home care. The unknown can be stressful, but we are here to help make the transition into home care smooth and painless for our clients and their families! The initial consultation at Beyond Home Care is always free and holds no obligation, and bottom line, we are here to help! Don’t let the “fear” of home care hold you back from living independently in your home.

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