Every potential client starts with a free in-home assessment. An administrator from A Lending Hand comes to your home and goes over your loved one’s care plan in detail. The care plan outlines the assistance needed, the number of hours required each week, and whether care is needed in the mornings, evenings, or overnight. Once we understand your loved one’s needs and schedule, we personally reach out to caregivers who are the best fit for the hours you need and the level of care your family is looking for.

When schedules allow, we arrange a meet-and-greet before care begins so your family member can get to know their caregiver before the first visit. If time is limited, the caregiver arrives with the full care plan, and we call ahead to make sure everyone knows what to expect. Either way, we follow up within the first few days to see how things are going and make any needed adjustments before small concerns become bigger issues.

The minimum for personal care is 15 hours a week.

Some personal care cases are straightforward, requiring just a few hours of support each day from a single caregiver. Others require multiple caregivers and around-the-clock coverage. When that happens, we build a small, dedicated team for that case, so your loved one is always cared for by someone who already knows their routine and preferences, not a rotating stream of unfamiliar faces.

Caregivers who provide personal care follow your loved one’s specific care plan. A typical visit might include help getting up and dressed for the day, assistance in the shower, a prepared breakfast, and a check on medications. Later in the day, that could mean a trip to the grocery store, help preparing dinner, or simply spending time together over conversation. The specific mix depends entirely on what your family member actually needs — we build the plan around real daily life, not a generic checklist.

If your family has a long-term care insurance policy, using it is often more complicated than people expect. Many policies require detailed weekly documentation — caregiver notes on exactly what was done during each visit — before the insurer will reimburse a claim. We can help manage that paperwork and the ongoing documentation for an additional fee, so your family isn’t left piecing together an unfamiliar claims process on top of everything else you’re managing.

Behind every one of our caregivers is a family, not a call center. When you call A Lending Hand — any hour, any day — you’ll reach the people who personally oversee your care, not an answering service. That’s true for a first-time question about whether personal care is right for your situation, or if something comes up unexpectedly once care has already started. When families have questions or concerns about an aging parent, they deserve a real person and a real answer, not an automated system.

• Consistent caregiver matching. We work to keep the same caregiver assigned to your family whenever possible, rather than rotating in someone new for each visit. If your usual caregiver is unavailable, the caregiver who steps in receives the care plan in advance, so care stays consistent and personalized.
• A thorough screening process for every caregiver. Every member of our caregiving team goes through a careful vetting process before they’re ever matched with a client. This includes a Level 2 (FBI) background screening, local records check, DMV report, reference check, education check, and certifications.
• We answer the phone. No call center, no answering service. Because we’re family-owned and operated, you’ll always connect with someone personally invested in your loved one’s care, not a scripted voice on the other end of the line.
• Help navigating long-term care insurance. We offer long-term care insurance claims support for an additional fee, including assistance with the paperwork and documentation many policies require.