FAQ
Please contact us if your question is not answered on this page.
We provide both home care and home health services in the client's home.
Home care or In-home care is when a caregiver comes into your home and provides caregiving services. We first have a nurse complete an initial assessment and then develop the plan of care with the client and family to assure that the care needs and expectations are met. The caregiver(s), who provides the hands on care, follows the plan of care which may include tasks such as personal care, companion care, medication assistance, and transportation. Home care services may include Nurse Delegation and/or RN Care Management and private duty nursing depending on the client and family care needs.
Home health is skilled care that is ordered by the client's physician and may include services such as nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and RN care management. Please contact us if you need assistance with obtaining physician orders for home health.
Nurse delegation has been approved by a Washington State rule which states that a Registered Nurse may delegate specific nursing care tasks to caregivers who meet certain requirements and who are providing in-home care to individuals. Nurse delegation offers an alternative to a skilled nursing facility, licensed nurse, or a family member performing the nursing care tasks. Some examples of nurse delegated tasks include tube feedings, administration of certain medications, blood glucose monitoring, insulin pen, non-sterile dressing changes, and in and out catheter for the bladder.
We are doctor owned and operated. Our owners, Dr. Evan Cantini and Dr. Alvin McLean are both committed to providing our clients with the safest and the highest quality of care. No diagnosis is too complicated. We are unique in that we are willing to consider any scenario from simple to complex, from companion care for seniors to private duty nursing for clients with complex medical needs such as home ventilator management. The initial assessment and development of the client plan of care is performed by a nurse instead of a caregiver or care coordinator. We are also accredited with The Joint Commission and have earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval, a mark of quality, by maintaining a high level of quality and compliance with the latest standards.
No diagnosis is too complicated. We have experience with a full spectrum of diagnosis and age ranges including Alzheimer's disease, dementia, Parkinsons disease, stroke, cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and cerebral palsy. We also provide companion care for seniors and serve individuals who have been recently discharged from the hospital or skilled nursing facility.
Yes, when physician orders are required for home health services, RN Care Management, and/or RN Delegation services. We will obtain physician orders and follow their instructions and provide feedback to them on the outcome of the treatments that they recommend for you.
Yes, we can provide 24 hour in-home care. Depending on the extent of the care needs, we would provide care in 12-hour shifts or 24-hour shifts or live-in shifts.
We are not a Hospice agency but we are experienced in providing in-home care and RN delegation services to clients receiving Hospice and Palliative care from Medicare agencies. We work closely with Hospice agencies to develop a plan of care for our clients and to ensure that the client and family goals are being met.
We are licensed in King, Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap, Island, Thurston and Skagit Counties.
In most cases, the home care is provided by Care Specialists who are registered nursing assistants or certified nursing assistants. Occasionally, there may be a need for private duty nursing care depending on the needs of the client. Our Care Specialists are also required to go through a rigorous hiring and orientation process which includes background screening, written comprehension tests, and demonstration of hands on skills such as infection prevention and control and how to reduce the risk of falls when working with a client.
The nurse and the scheduler work closely with each client and family to ensure that the caregiver assigned meets the client's expectations and care needs. We encourage each client and family to provide us with feedback on the caregiver(s) that has been assigned. If the caregiver assigned is not a good fit then we will replace that caregiver as soon as possible. In certain circumstances, we can arrange for a "meet and greet" prior to scheduling a caregiver.
We have a 4 hour minimum per shift. Depending on the location of the client, we have an option for a caregiver visit which is up to 2 hours to complete an identified task such as assistance with a shower.
Depending on location, we may be able to do this. Please contact us.
Caregivers can provide transportation to appointments for any client who is private paying for services. There is a charge for mileage if transportation is provided in the caregiver's vehicle. Every employee is screened at the time of hire and on an annual basis for current driver license, auto insurance, and safe driving record. If the payer for services is Labor and Industries then we cannot provide transportation since Labor and Industries prohibits caregivers from providing transportation to clients.
If the Care Specialist drives you in their car, we will charge you mileage for the amount. We would include those charges in your next bill. There is no additional charge if they drive you in your car.
Yes, they can do housework and laundry on a routine basis. At the start of services the nurse works with each client to develop a plan of care that includes household chores.
Caregivers are responsible for bringing their own food or meals unless they are working a 24 hour shift. Clients are required to provide meals for the caregiver if the caregiver is working a 24 hour shift.
On occasion, you may pay for a caregiver's meal at a restaurant as long as their meal is less than $25 dollars.
Caregivers and other CHCServices employees cannot except a cash tip. An occasional gift of less than $25 dollars for an event such as a holiday is allowed but not expected.
At the start and end of each shift, the caregiver uses the client's landline to call in to an electronic telephone system that documents the hours worked. This telephony system identifies the client's phone number and matches it with the scheduled shift of the caregiver. The caregiver will also ask each client to sign the paper timecard at the end of each week.
We realize that good communication is a critical piece to having a client's care needs met, especially if a client has any hearing or cognitive deficits. If you encounter a problem with your caregiver, whether it is language or otherwise, please contact the Scheduler by calling the main office number.
Client satisfaction with the care we provide is a top priority. We encourage you to give us immediate feedback if you have any concerns. The nurse may need to provide additional coaching with the caregiver and there may be times when the caregiver is simply not a good fit. We will work with you to find a solution that meets your care needs.
We are a not a Medicare Agency. Funding for home health and home care can come from private pay, long term care insurers, trust funds, Washington State Labor and Industries, some government insurers, and some health insurers. We accept personal check, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express for payment
The initial nursing assessment and development of the plan of care is free of charge
The charge for service varies depending on the level of service and amount of service needed. Please call us for further information.
A security deposit equal to the estimated charge for the first 3 weeks of service is due at the time the client service agreement is signed. The security deposit can be applied to the last invoice or it can be refunded if services are discontinued.
The billing cycle is every two weeks. You may receive your first bill sooner than 2 weeks depending on when the initial services are provided in the billing cycle.
No, we do not currently take Medicare or Medicaid. We can assist you in finding an agency if your physician has prescribed skilled services or therapies that are covered by Medicare or Medicaid. We frequently provide caregiver services to clients receiving home health with the Medicare agencies and will coordinate care with those agencies to ensure the best possible outcome for our clients.