Frequently Asked Questions
What is Home Care?
The term “Home Care’ refers to home visits made by health care professionals such as Nurses and Personal Support Workers (PSWs). This form of care consists of services provided to individuals and families within their places of residence that help to promote, maintain, or restore health.
Retire-At-Home services can come in the form of medical or non-medical care services, provided by both registered and non-registered health care professionals. Accessing our diverse array of Home Care services can help allow you to remain comfortable, secure, and content in your own home for as long as you choose.
What is Personalized Care?
Retire-At-Home offers personalized care to all our clients. This means that:
- We take the time to get to know you as an individual so that we can properly address your needs and concerns
- By getting to know you and learning about what you want out of your care, we create a customised care plan that takes into account your personal preferences and requirements.
- Your services are performed by a hand-picked caregiver that is both personable and qualified to meet your needs.
- Your services are scheduled when YOU choose.
We are available by phone 24 hours a day, to listen to any concerns regarding your home or health care, and to address them promptly.
If I feel that I need help, why should I choose home care over a retirement home?
While moving to a retirement home is often seen as unavoidable when an individual is faced with health concerns or a decline in overall health, Home Care is also a viable option. Here’s Why:
- Your home is where you feel safe and at ease, and is also where many of your memories are. Studies have proven that we are able to heal more quickly when we are at home in our own environments.
- You are able to maintain your independence.
- By staying at home, you can avoid the cost of accommodation and food that would be incurred at a retirement home.
- Most retirement homes require that you pay for extra care by the hour, just as you would at home.
- There are many subsidies that you may be able to access for health care within your home.
- Retire-At-Home, customises home health care services to your personal needs and wants, available to you within your own home.
Do you only deal with Seniors?
While our emphases and expertise at Retire-At-Home focus primarily on Seniors, our services remain available to anyone in need of assistance with daily personal care.
Our caregivers are experienced and well-trained in delivering care to individuals of all ages.
Are there any subsidies available for Home Health Care? If so, can Retire-At-Home help me qualify for these subsidies?
Yes, there are multiple subsidies available that can fully or partially cover home health care services. It is important to contact us for information regarding these subsidies, as it can vary from year to year and person to person.
Are your caregivers bonded and insured?
Yes, all our caregivers are bonded and fully insured.
How do I know that your Caregivers are trustworthy and that I will be safe?
Our strict and thorough screening process ensures that all of our caregivers meet the highest possible standards for the delivery of health care services. Each and every member of staff has an up-to-date criminal record check, and are all legal citizens of Canada. We provide on-going professional training, require annual CPR certification, and have a computer system that notifies us when their individual registrations are due (i.e. nursing registration).
Regular “Supervisory Visits” are made to your home by our Case Managers in order to make absolutely certain that the care you are receiving meets the standards that we, and you, expect. These visits are arranged with you, but remain unknown to your caregivers, who know that they will receive ‘surprise’ visits from Supervisors and must, therefore, be on their best behaviour and work to the absolute best of their ability at all times. Your safety is our top priority.
How do you select your Caregivers?
At Retire-At-Home, we expect a great deal out of each and every one of our employees, and don’t just trust anyone to care for our clients. The following requirements must be met in order for an individual to be employed by Retire-At-Home:
- Strong people skills that will be conducive to improving our clients’ quality of life.
- A college certificate as a Nurse, Personal Support Worker, Home Support Worker or Health Care Aide, or equivalent/necessary experience in dealing with the ill and/or elderly.
- Annual Criminal Record Check
- Annual CPR Certification
- Annual Flu Shots
Upon an applicant’s hiring, they undergo an orientation by our management team. This orientation involves, briefing, and testing of the new employees on our policies and procedures, as well as on common laws and practices related to health care. All employees also meet with each Client Care Manager to be asked questions and ensure no problems or inconsistencies arise. In most cases, the first shift worked by an employee also involves a visit by one of our Client Care Managers, in order to help ensure that the new employee is properly supervised and is following all rules and guidelines.
Will I have consistency in the caregivers I receive?
Yes. At Retire-At-Home, one of our goals is to provide you with a consistent group of caregivers so that you can become comfortable and begin to develop relationships with the people who come to your home. We strongly encourage that that each client accepts a minimum of 2 caregivers to alternate shifts; in order to allow for more convenient and familiar backup if one employee gets sick or takes a vacation.
Can I choose the times that my caregiver visits me?
Yes, you are able to choose the times of all of your Retire-At-Home visits. We will work with your schedule and preferences, whether they be that your caregiver is with you in the mornings, afternoons, evenings, overnights, or weekends. You can also choose the length and frequency of your visits.
Is there a charge for an Initial Consultation?
The initial consultation comes with no charge and no obligation. This consultation is booked at your convenience in your place of residence, and its purpose is for us to get to know you as an individual, and to help you explore and understand the care options that might suit you. After this meeting, you can take as much time as you require to decide. We will address any of your questions and concerns without any pressure for you to accept service.
What happens if my Caregiver is sick?
At Retire-At-Home, your safety and protection is our top priority. Should one of our Caregivers fall ill, they are instructed to call our offices and refrain from going into work in order to avoid taking any chances of passing along colds or flus. Upon being notified that a caregiver is ill, we will call you to make alternate arrangements that suit your needs and preferences. We will often contact an alternate caregiver who knows you to have them fill the shift.
Do you provide your personalized services to people already living in nursing homes or retirement homes?
Yes. All of our health care services are available to you in whatever facility you may reside in. Our services are flexible, and can follow you from place to place should your location change. Should you need to spend some time in the hospital, for example, we can supply extra care in the hospital setting until your return home. For individuals already living in a nursing home, we can provide any additional or supplementary services that the institution does not.
How do you communicate with family members?
We communicate with designated family members as needed and as requested. Our privacy policies and regulations regarding whom we share information with are very strict. It is, therefore, important to establish who should be contacted ahead of time, as well as what capacity to which information should be divulged. It is, however, our pleasure to notify family members of changes when they occur.
What does ‘Quick Response’ service mean?
Our Client Care Managers and caregiver team are trained and prepared to deal with client concerns as quickly as possible. Our ‘Quick Response’ processes were designed specifically to ensure you don’t have to wait on answers regarding whether or not your client can receive service right away. At Retire-At-Home, we are dedicated to meeting your every need and request, and will always ensure that we do everything possible to supply services as quickly and professionally as possible. We have been able to book 24-hour emergency care within hours and do our absolute best to provide this ‘Quick Response’ care to every client.
Which organizations or professionals have you worked with in the past?
At Retire-At-Home, the majority of our clients come from health care professionals such as doctors, OTs, and PTs, and regular referrals also come from Social Workers and Case Managers from hospital campuses, and other professionals who service seniors.
Retire-At-Home has been a Registered Care Provider for Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) for several years. VAC uses us as a trusted source of home health care services for some of the veterans that they serve. Some or all of the services we provide to our Veteran clients are billed directly to VAC.
Retire-At-Home also works with many Workers’ Compensation claims and with the Workers’ Compensation Boards in various provinces around the country.
