How home care works

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question that’s not answered below? Call us at: (248) 419-5010 we’re more than happy to answer your questions.

Home care services are intended to provide individuals the necessary care that supports them in remaining independent in their own home. Services can include; bathing, dressing, toileting, transfers and walking assistance, meal preparation, errands, companionship and housekeeping. For details on the services we offer refer to our Complete List Of Home Care Services.

Not a problem. We often care for two people within the same residence. If both individuals require hands on personal care, there’s a nominal up-charge. For no additional charge, our Care Pros can often provide meal preparation, housekeeping, and other basic domestic support for one other individual in the home. Please call for details at: (248) 419-5010

For many home care companies having pets can complicate staffing, because of the allergy problems they present and the staffing shortage many companies suffer with. Being that Affordable HomeCare is one of the oldest and largest home care companies in Michigan we don’t have these problems and can easily service you with non-aggressive pets in the home.

Preferably home care should be performed on a regular schedule that is established at the start of services. This allows you to be paired with the same Care Pro on a week to week basis who fully understands your needs inside and out. We’ve learned this is a key indicator of a satisfaction for our Clients. However, we understand that life happens, and schedules may need to change. All we ask is that you provide 24-hour notice for any schedule changes.

We thoroughly screen our Care Pros to safeguard each of our Clients and to preserve our excellent reputation. Although it’s rare, in the event a theft does occur there’s no need to worry. Affordable HomeCare is bonded and insured for your protection.

Affordable HomeCare mainly provides home care services in the tri-county area surrounding Metro Detroit. This mostly includes Oakland County, Wayne County, and Macomb County. If you’re uncertain we service your area you can check HERE or call us at: (248) 419-5010.

Yes, our minimum service block is 4 hours per visit, and 12 hours per week. This allows us to deliver the consistently reliable home care we’re so well known for. Although some companies may offer lower minimums, it’s important to keep in mind less than 4-hour visits are very unreliable and often result in staffing problems. The outcome of these short visits usually ends with frustrated Clients, due to no-call-no-shows, last minute problems, and constant new faces. If you need home care service you can count on, Affordable HomeCare is your answer.

Although our services meet the non-medical personal care needs of most individuals, there are specific services considered medical in nature, and cannot be performed. Medical services should never be performed by a caregiver and are best suited for a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or a Registered Nurse (RN), depending on the service. This ensures they’re being done properly and safely.

We often provide our services in conjunction with a medical service provider. This is usually the most cost effective and safest way to receive personal care and medical care service together. Some of the medical services that cannot be provided are:

  • Medication set-up from prescription bottles
  • Catheter changes
  • Intensive wound care
  • IV infusions or picc line use
  • Feeding tube use
  • Ventilator support

Many home care companies choose not to obtain proper insurance or workers compensation. This unfortunately makes you directly liable for many things, like slip and falls, back strains, or car accidents. Affordable HomeCare is fully insured, so in the event of an unfortunate incident you’re completely covered.

For those who are not receiving 5 hours or more of uninterrupted sleep at night we don’t recommend stay-in care. This is because our stay-in Care Pros need adequate rest in order to provide superior care for 7-10 days at a time. The perfect alternative is Hourly Home Care Service, because your loved one will have an alert Care Pro with them all hours of the day and night, ensuring constant supervision.

Anyone who tells you they’re licensed to provide non-medical home care in Michigan is lying to you. Most people don’t know this, but at this point non-medical home care licensure does not exist in the state of Michigan. Affordable HomeCare’s founder, Greg Adair, is currently working with the Home Care Association of America (HCAOA) and the state of Michigan to develop a non-medical home care licensure program.

Major health insurance plans either private pay or Medicare, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield will only cover the cost of a Skilled Home Health Care Company to provide your “medical” needs. Example: you had a surgery that requires medical support after you return home. In this case, a Skilled Home Health Care Company will only treat the condition which your surgery effected, such as wound care or physical therapy. Skilled Home Health Care must be ordered by your Doctor and usually is only available for a short time.

Our services are not limited to a specific medical condition and are customized to meet your exact needs. Since our service is designed to be directed by the Client and not a Doctor, health insurance companies are unable to cover our services. Additionally, being that our services are not limited to a specific timeline, health insurance companies are not capable of absorbing the financial burden that comes with this. This is the reality with all companies that provide the same or similar types of home care services.

In most cases your long term care insurance policy will cover our services. However, long term care insurance policies are all written differently, so it’s always best to call the company you work with and ask if your policy specifically covers either “non-medical home care” or “custodial care”. Many policies have waiting periods and/or daily/annual limits, so make sure you gather these details before moving forward with any services. As a courtesy, we can even send all the necessary billing records to your long term care insurance company, making your life much easier.

Home care is an out of pocket expense. When evaluating the cost of home care there are several things you should keep in mind. Learn how much home care costs.