Frequently Asked Questions
Choosing appropriate home care services for a loved one can be challenging and confusing. Most agencies offer similar care options, however, it’s in their business practices and policies that you’ll find the greatest variety. CareBridge adheres to strict guidelines based on practices set forth by the Division of Consumer Affairs and the New Jersey board of Nursing. We feel that our clients deserve a professional care experience and it’s through these polices and a strong foundation of business ethics that direct our home care practice.
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Home health care offers affordable non-medical care services at home to individuals needing additional assistance with their activities of daily living (ADLs). These services are normally performed by a certified home health aide (CHHA) who is employed by a state licensed agency. Care is often provided in the client’s home setting, however, there are instances where agencies can also offer care for clients in rehab facilities, assisted living facilities and nursing homes.
Any individual who requires non-medical help temporarily or permanently. Our caregivers are often available for :
- Surgical recovery
- Memory Impairment Issues
- Physical Disabilities (both temporary or permanent)
- Parkinson's Disease / Alzheimer’s & Dementia
- Companionship
- Supplementing Hospice Care
- Cancer Care
- Stroke Care
- Chronic Conditions (kidney failure, heart disease, diabetes, COPD, CHF, vascular disease and others)
- Short-term or Permanent Personal Care
Live-in or 24hr caregivers are licensed professionals who are qualified to provide care for individuals in private homes. A live-in caregiver will reside with the client around-the-clock and should be available to assist clients on an as-needed basis throughout the work day. There are Department of Labor mandated requirements for breaks, meal time, and required amount of sleep for the home care aides. Live-in care is ideal for those individuals who are no longer secure/safe/able to live alone and do not want to be relocated to a nursing home or other healthcare facility. Our Live-in caregiver services are available on a per day basis instead of on an hourly basis.
Our process starts from an initial call to our office inquiring about home care services. Our friendly and educated staff starts collecting information and confirming your requirements and preferences over the phone. A CareBridge representative, usually the business owner, will personally meet with you and family members to discuss care options and present details of care based on your needs. A follow up meeting with our Registered Staff Nurse (RN) is essential to determine the scope of care for your loved ones and to develop a Plan of Care that will be the guidelines for their care. This Plan of Care is presented to our staff aides that we feel would be appropriate for your specific needs and must be accepted by our aides in order to take on the assignment. Placing the most compatible aide with the proper skill sets are our foremost objectives. We believe in a care-centric process that puts our clients care as the leading determination of staff compatibility.
All home care aide applicants are screened and vetted with the following procedures:
First, there is an initial in-person application process in our Office. Interviews, references and review of their core care skills are performed — along with online video training covering standard skills required by the Board of Nursing in New Jersey. Then, there are mandatory yearly CEU courses that we offer our employees with over 350+ hours of training and testing.
A Motor Vehicle Report is performed checking for any motor vehicle related incidents.
A National Criminal Database search is performed to find out if there are any previous criminal activities on the local, county and state levels.
A Sex Offender search is performed to find out if any sex-related offenses were committed by the candidate in the past.
First, we will try to define your requirements and preferences appropriately and see if there are issues which can be corrected and rectified. If not, then we will offer you another staff home health aide according to your care needs and preferences within 48 hours.
Of course! We will meet with you, along with any family members, to personally evaluate and discuss your care requirements and specific preferences. The information we gather from this meeting will help us define your needs and be the basis for setting up the Nursing Assessment visit and Plan of Care documentation.
Our caregivers are available for as little as 4 hours per shift to as many as 24 hours a day. The care is always based on our client’s needs and preferences. Hourly care and Live-in care can both accommodate any client schedule they prefer.
All of the licensed home health aides we employ are certified home health aides (CHHA) that have been trained by a state-licensed school and have passed the course training and testing. CareBridge has invested in online training courses offered throughout the year that cover a broad range of home care topics. These courses are followed by testing that requires a minimum pass rate to complete. These yearly CEU courses are required courses needed to maintain the aide’s current license status.
We need just two business days to cancel your services. We understand that life is all about changes and we are flexible enough to accommodate your changing needs.
Of course! Our clients have full control over their care service hours. Our office staff coordinators will assist you in determining and scheduling the correct service timeframes you need. If there is a need to change service timeframes—simply call us!
Our primary goal is to establish long-term, highly compatible care relationships between clients, their families and our caregivers. A key ingredient to developing a successful caregiving relationship is consistency. Once we provide a caregiver, she/he is your caregiver. Of course, if a caregiver is ill or otherwise unable to provide services, we can arrange for a temporary or permanent, alternate caregiver.
Unfortunately, Medicare, health insurance policies and HMOs do not offer compensation for home-care services. They call it non-medical home-care. However, clients with Long Term Care Insurance plans are covered for home care services. CareBridge works with all Long Term Care Insurance companies and has years of experience in handling the proper documentation for compensation. There are also a few Veterans Administration benefits that do cover several home care assistance services. Check with your local VA office branch.
The first step is to call and we can begin learning about your needs and preferences. Then we can meet with you, at a location of your choice, to further assess and define client and family needs and preferences. You can begin right now by calling us, or if you prefer, requesting a free in-home consultation online. For your convenience, our knowledgeable staff will even arrange for home care over the phone. Contact us today and we’ll start finding an experienced, qualified, highly compatible caregiver immediately.