Eight Questions to Ask When Researching Home Care
1. Is the agency licensed, bonded, and insured? Are the caregivers employees or contractors?
• EverHome Healthcare is licensed, our license number is IHS.FS.00000184, bonded and insured.
• Our caregivers are W2 employees and covered under our Worker’s compensation policy.
2. Is the agency locally owned and operated?
• EverHome Healthcare is an independent, locally doctor owned and operated agency.
3. Does the agency have home health services as well? Is there a nurse, RN or LPN, on staff if needed?
• EverHome Healthcare offers both home care and home health services. There are RNs and LPNs on staff. The nurses or our Clinical Director review and are involved with every plan of care and work with your care team to help ensure all care needs are being met.
4. Does the agency have full-time, dedicated care coordinators on staff?
• EverHome Healthcare has 2 full-time care coordinators.
• They complete the in-home assessment, create the plan of care and provide training and support to the caregivers. The care coordinator will provide introductions to the client for the first caregiver and new caregivers as needed, update the plan of care and check-in with the client on a weekly basis.
• The care coordinators are available 7 days a week and we have a weekly care conference to review the care plans and needs of every client.
5. Does the agency verify that the caregivers are certified and perform background checks?
•Only 5% of caregiver applicants demonstrate sufficient experience and skills to be hired by us.
•EverHome Healthcare has a four step hiring process that includes:
1. the caregiver applicant have to pass a full fingerprint and background checks.
2. the caregiver applicants have to pass a 50-question exam
3. the caregiver applicant have to pass a skills evaluation and verification in the office including scenario role playing
4. the caregiver applicant has to successfully complete an interview process.
• All of our caregivers are either certified Home Care Assistants (HCA), Certified Nurse Assistants (CNA), or are currently enrolled in HCA or CNA school with an active Nursing Aide Registry (NAR).
6. Does the agency provide companionship visits as well as assist with medically complex care?
• EverHome Healthcare can provide care services for all types of care needs.
• Our caregivers can provide companionship, assist with light housekeeping, help with personal care, provide meal preparation and medication reminders, to name a few of the tasks. The caregivers can also provide transfers for clients with limited mobility.
• We have CNAs with Nurse Delegation certification who can assist with medication administration, blood glucose testing for diabetics, and tube feedings. With Nurse Delegators on staff, we can efficiently provide the delegation and be flexible for change of care delegations.
7. Does the agency always have a staff member available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
• EverHome Healthcare always has staff on call when the office is not open. We have a nurse, a scheduler, Care Coordinator, and someone from our intake team ready to help you. The office is open Mondays through Fridays from 8am to 5pm, except major holidays.
• We have contingency plans for care in case of inclement weather or other emergencies.
8. How does the agency handle filling shifts when a caregiver calls out?
• EverHome Healthcare always has staff available to respond to calls. When a caregiver notifies us that they are unable to make a scheduled shift, the client or family is immediately notified. If a replacement caregiver is not found, then a care coordinator, when available, will cover the shift. All office staff are also certified and can be used as needed to ensure that clients are safe and comfortable.