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Author: Winnie Johnson

We get a lot of questions about caregiving. The common thread is that something has happened, and life just got a little more hectic and confusing.

Here is a list of the most common questions I get and the answers that I give.

Do we have caregivers in Corona Del mar? Yes we do. We are a locally owned company that provides services all over South Orange County. And actually Corona Del Mar is my favorite beachside town, but don’t tell Seal Beach that I said that.

Are your caregivers background checked?

In California, all caregivers are licensed through Social Services (CDSS). Therefore the state does background checks using DOJ and other government criminal databases. If a caregiver commits a crime, their license is suspended, we are notified, and we are not allowed to employ them any longer.

Do the caregivers work for you?

Yes, in California, caregiving agencies can only hire caregivers as employees, not as independent contractors. Therefore they are paid in accordance with all wage and hour laws. Also, they are covered by our bond, our workers comp our liability insurance. This is important since it means that if a caregiver gets hurt, or an accident happens, our insurance covers it.

How much does caregiving cost?

Prices have steadily and rapidly increased over the last decade since wages in California are up, and caregivers are in high demand.

At the time of writing this, our costs are a little under $40 an hour. This is pretty typical in the industry.

Do you take insurance? How do people pay for this?  

The only type of insurance that covers caregiving is Long Term Care insurance (LTC). This is something that people buy from a life-insurance agent or sometimes through union benefits. If you have LTC, call them and activate it immediately since there is often a 90 day waiting period. We work with just about every LTC company, so we can help you with the process or answer your questions if you have any.

Veterans can get caregiving paid for by the VA! This is an amazing benefit to honor our veterans. There are a number of different programs, so if you have questions about the process, call me. The process of applying is free, so if you are a veteran, the only cost is the time it will take you to fill out some government paperwork.

I have had a few clients over the years who desperately needed care and were on a fixed income. They have had success with taking out the equity in their house via a reverse mortgage. Reverse mortgages had a bad reputation many years ago, but they have been reformed and can be the perfect solution for seniors that have home equity and need cash for care. I have a few good contacts in this space for anyone that’s interested.

Another option is that if you have life insurance, it may be possible to surrender it for a cash value. This is one of those hidden options that may help out. If you’d like to know more

Is there a minimum shift length?

Most agencies require caregiver visits to be four hours or longer. We don’t have a minimum, but caregivers avoid short shifts. Especially if they have to drive far. For this reason, we often charge a bit more (per hour) to get somebody to do it. Our attitude is that we want to work around your needs; so if you only need help for two hours, we’ll try to find one of our team members that might live or work nearby that can help you out.

Can you help with Live-In / 24 hour / Round-the-clock care?

Yes, we help people for 24 hours a day, or 2 hours a day. Live in care is pricey since the labor laws in California require the caregiver to be paid overtime. And we are not allowed to accept having a room as a form of payment. California labor laws are strict, so I would err on the side of caution if prices are too good,

What do the caregivers help with?

A caregiver can do anything a family member or a neighbor can do (with a few legal exceptions). We can cook meals, do laundry, change bed sheets, take out the trash, help with a shower or the bathroom. We can change disposable undergarments, or provide a bed bath. We also can drive somebody to the store or appointments. We can also be a companion and help somebody be engaged if they are lonely. We help people that need a companion, we help people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and we help people that are on hospice and need full-time support. Caregivers are there when family can’t be. We are not able to help with things that require medical licensure, such as medication loading, injections, drawing blood, etc. For obvious reasons, our caregivers can not help with anything financial.

How  much notice do you need? How far in advance should we call you?

We help some people the same day or the next day that they call us; emergencies happen! But we would prefer about 72 hours notice. If you want to meet and interview caregivers, it may take a little longer since matching schedules up can be tricky.

If the person needing care is in the hospital, what happens next? 

If you are concerned after a major surgery or medical event, you can ask your doctor for “Acute rehab”. This is like a medical hotel where people can stay for two weeks during recovery. They have nurses, physical therapists and round-the-clock care. Their goal is to make sure people are going to be OK at home and not get re-admitted to the hospital. This is paid for by Medicare and I highly recommend this option for anyone with intense care needs after a hospitalization.

What are my different options for getting care?

Caregiving is a great option for getting help at home, but it’s not the only option. It’s actually the most expensive since you are getting one-on-one care at your own residence.

The least expensive option is a board and care. These are residential homes that have been converted to senior living. They usually have four to five residents and full time nursing / caregiving staff. Because you are splitting the cost of care with 5 other residents, this is the most bang for your buck when it comes to intense care needs.  At the time of this writing, these cost about $6,000 a month in Southern California. Board and Cares are providing an intensive level of supervision. This is a great option who needs care at all times, but can’t afford it in their own home.

Senior communities are great options for people that want to live in a group setting and have their meals taken care of and need limited daily help. Most senior communities (nursing homes, or any other name you might’ve heard) do not provide super intensive care. They expect residents to be mostly self-sufficient since these places do not have the staff to be one-on-one with the residents. Since they are providing room, board, entertainment, transportation etc., they can cost anywhere between $8,000 to $20,000 a month. This varies because some are pretty minimal and others are like the Ritz-Carlton!

Memory Care is for people with dementia and Alzheimer’s. These are usually in secure areas within some senior communities. They are fairly expensive because they require more staffing that provides a higher level of care. Prices range between probably $15,000 and $20,000.

If you have more questions about caregiving and senior care, I would be happy to answer them by text or by phone at your convenience, due to the nature of our work, we are open 24/7 to help.