Frequently asked questions
The things people actually ask on the first call.
Are you a nursing agency?
No. We are a non-skilled home care agency. We help with daily living, companionship, respite, and support around the house. We do not provide nursing, therapy, wound care, or any medical treatment. If you need skilled care we will tell you and help you find the right provider.
Can your caregivers give medication?
We can assist with medication a person is administering themselves: reminding, opening containers, reading a label aloud, steadying a hand. We cannot administer medication, which means we cannot decide a dose or place medication in someone's mouth. That line is set by regulation and we do not cross it.
How quickly can care start?
It depends on the hours and the match, but it is usually days rather than weeks. The sequence is a call, a visit to build the service plan, then the assignment. Nothing starts until you have the plan and the costs in writing.
What does it cost, and how is it billed?
Rates depend on the type of care and the number of hours. You receive the fees and the total cost, on an hourly and weekly basis, in writing before care begins. We are not going to publish a headline rate and then revise it at your kitchen table.
Do you take insurance or Medicaid?
Call us and ask about your specific situation. Non-medical home care is often paid privately, but coverage varies by programme, waiver, and long-term care policy. We will tell you what we can and cannot bill rather than guessing.
Can I choose or change my caregiver?
Yes. You are involved in the service planning process, and the plan accommodates your preferences wherever that is reasonable. If a match is not working, tell your supervisor. Requesting a different caregiver is normal and is not treated as a complaint.
What if I want to stop services?
You can stop at any time. If we ever needed to end services, you are entitled to at least 10 calendar days advance written notice.
Are caregivers employees or contractors?
Employees. We carry the payroll taxes, workers compensation, and liability insurance. You do not take on the tax or insurance obligations of an employer by accepting care from us, and that is stated in writing in your information packet.
How do I raise a complaint?
Speak to a supervisor or the administrator first if you can, and we will acknowledge it, investigate, and come back to you. You can also contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health complaint hotline on 1-866-826-3644 or your local Area Agency on Aging Ombudsman at any time, independently of us. We are prohibited from retaliating and we will not.
Do you serve people under 18?
Where we do, every caregiver assigned holds a ChildLine clearance confirming they are not named in the Statewide Central Register as the perpetrator of a founded or indicated report of child abuse.
Not answered here?
Call (215) 962-8087 or email [email protected]. A real person will answer, and if we do not know we will say so.
Let us talk about what would actually help.
No cost, no obligation, and no pressure. Tell us what the week looks like and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right fit.