While most would prefer a family member or someone they know take care of them, this may not always be the best thing. While promises are made, commitments can be difficult to keep. If caregiving is absolutely necessary, many find that hiring outside assistance with a regular schedule is the most reliable solution.

That way, family members can remain as family, and others can be counted on to do the work.
There are many choices in hiring help at home. Many will hire privately, that is, pay out-of-pocket for help on an “as-needed” basis. There are many different ways to find caregivers. Some senior centers maintain lists, there are other sources from discharge planners, physicians offices and hospice agencies.

Remember, too, that if you hire privately, you work out the hours, rate of pay, etc….and, you’re also an employer and must abide by IRS rulings for tax purposes. Here’s a brief rundown on the types of
agencies in Alameda County.

HOME HEALTH AGENCIES
These agencies provides services that are 100% covered by Medicare and Medi-Cal. The service must be ordered by a physician. However, clients still have a personal choice of any agency. There are certain requirements for care, for one, you must be homebound and in need of skilled care. This would translate
to a nurse or physical, occupational or speech therapy.

This is also a time and visit limited service. Some aide service can be available, if there’s a skilled need. This is a service NOT covered by long term care insurance. Born To Age does not list the prices these agencies charge because the costs are directly reimbursed by Medicare. Client is not billed for services.

Professional HealthCare at Home
925 Ygnacio Valley Rd., Suite 101
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-891-7000

Professional HealthCare at Home is a full service home health care agency, offering both medical and non-medical home care to Bay Area families for over 20 years. Services range from skilled
nursing and rehabilitative therapy to private duty personal care and household assistance. The company is CHAP accredited and Medicare-certified, and all employees are highly trained, screened, bonded, and insured for your peace of mind. Clinicians are licensed, Certified Nursing Assistants are required to pursue continued education units, and on-site supervision is provided.
Professional case managers coordinate care with physicians and other healthcare providers. Services include nursing care, physical and occupational therapy, speech therapy, extended care, wound care, home health aides, medical social workers, and medication management.

Sutter VNA & Hospice
Emeryville: 510-450-8501
San Leandro: 510-618-5200
Warm Springs Home Health Care,
1-888-212-9088
510-490-6988

PRIVATE DUTY HOME CARE AGENCIES

These agencies can provide both skilled and non-skilled medical care. The services might be covered by long term care, or other insurances, and private pay. The agency is the employer. Caregivers are hired, screened and paid for by the agency. If the caregiver is ill or unable to work, a substitute caregiver is available. The agency pays payroll taxes, worker’s compensation and maintains liability coverage. The agency also determines what the caregiver can and can’t do. There is over a minimum number of hours for service. Care provided by these agencies can include: skilled care, personal care, transportation/errands, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, laundry, etc. Shifts can be hourly, live-in or sleepover.

A & M Family Home Care Agency
54 Whitney Place
Fremont, CA 94539
(510) 623-7584
(800)316-2562
www.amfamilycare.com

Both a private duty and referral agency. Full time employed caregivers and independent contractors. Rates range from $20 – $25 per hour with a four hour minimum. Also provide 24 hour services with rates as low as $ 200. All caregivers are background checked, fingerprinted, drug-screened with at least 6 months training and experience. Also provide quarterly continuing education trainings for all our staff.

BrightStar Healthcare
3746 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite 204
Lafayette, CA 94549
925.284.8888
7080 Donlon Way, Suite 215
Dublin, CA 94568
925.833.9770

BrightStar Healthcare is a private duty home care agency providing both skilled and non-medical care. All care services are overseen by our staff RN who also provides a complimentary assessment of all clients and supervises monthly client visits. All caregivers must meet our high standards of care and complete a rigorous screening process including background checks, drug screening and CPR certification, and must carry auto insurance and have a safe DMV record. Caregivers are insured and bonded and all worker’s compensation and payroll taxes are covered. Our Caregivers have special training to assist those with Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s disease and chronic illnesses. Caregiving rates start at $23 an hour. Live in care, $265 a day. Caregivers provide transportation at 55 cents a mile. Skilled services range from $35-40 an hour for LVN and $45-60 an hour for RN depending on time and complexity of need.

Care Providers and Beyond
223 West 5th St.
Antioch, CA 94509
925.978.3961
925.818.6536

This is a private duty home care agency. All care services are overseen by a R.N. consultant, who is also available for medication questions and help with physician communication. Also have a social worker who makes assessments and plans of care. All clients are fully assessed. Transportation provided to all medical appointments. Rates are $19 an hour, four hour minimum. CNA’s are trained in Alzheimers, dementia, stroke and Parkinson’s Disease. All employees are fingerprinted, drug screened, criminal background checked, have a current TB test. All are trained prior to placement. Also offers a no-fee placement service to board and care, assisted care and nursing homes.

Chateau Home Care
1700 Broadway Street Suite 135
Concord, CA 94520
1.888.611.3871
Fax: 925-405-3751
chateauseniorsolution@
carltonseniorliving.com

Chateau Home Care is a private duty home care agency. Caregivers are insured, bonded and all worker ’s compensation and payroll taxes are covered. Free, no obligation in-home and pre-discharge
assessments, Caregivers are trained in first-aid, dementia, transferring and more. Services available cover all activities of daily living, including transporation. .Rates start at $23.00 per hour. Live-ins also available. Also offers dinner meal delivery service at $12.50 per meal in designated areas within Contra Costa
County. Assistance is always available for emergency situations.

Cohen Cormier Home Care & Care Management

A Service of Sutter VNA & Hospice in Alameda & Contra Costa Counties
510.652.3377 or 925.945.8855

Private duty providing non-medical home care and professional care management. Home care includes at no extra charge: home care assessments and planning by care managers (nurses and social workers); ongoing oversight by the care managers; after hour and weekend on call staffing and care manager back up; and monitoring and direction by Sandra Cohen, R.N. (23 years home care management experience). Caregivers are screened for criminal background, drug testing, DMV report and work references; bonded and insured; and required and paid to participate in in-service training offered by a nurse training expert. Caregivers provide attentive and respectful companionship and assistance with activities of daily living, medication reminders; transportation to appointments and reports to care managers. Families can order additional care managementservices such as medications management, health care coordination and advocacy, participation in medical appointments, assistance with decisions about and transitions to a care facility, and overall local care management for long distance families. Minimum home care order is 16 hours per week. Home care cost: $25 per hour and $250 per live-in day.

Companion Care/Rescare Home Care Services
3730 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Ste 320
Lafayette, CA 94599
925.283.5076

This is a private duty home care and care management agency providing assistance with all activities of daily living. Also will provide assistance with placement for seniors into community living facilities, care for pets of clients, assist with burial or cremation services, or prepare for traditional Jewish burials. Rates: $28.50 per hour, 3-hour minimum. Day rates rate is $275 (this is also charged for ten or more hours). Transportation provided at 50.5 cents a mile, when using a Care Companion’s vehicle. Care Companions are paid a higher wage than average for the Bay Area, including benefits. Companion Care/Rescare supprts many communitybased services geared for improving the lives of seniors.

Confidence Home Care, Inc
865 Marina Bay Parkway
Richmond, CA 94804
510-235-0198

Confidence Home Care provides nonmedical home care services in Marin
County. Rates start at $23/hour. Live ins $275 a day. $175 Sleepover. All caregivers are crimilan background, credit and
work history checked.

Home Instead Senior Care
70 Washington St., #305
Oakland, CA 94607
510-663-3652
Pleasanton:
5776 Stoneridge Mall Road, Suite 135
Pleasanton, CA 94588
925-225-0220
Fremont
39111 Paseo Padre Parkway
Suite 203
Fremont, CA 94538
510-505-0222

Home Instead Senior Care is a nonmedical home care agency providing companionship, personal care and homemaker services for seniors. All caregivers are screened, bonded and insured, receiving initial and on-going training. A Client Care Coordinator performs regular quality control visits to ensure services meet expectations. The cost of services ranges from $22.50 to $26.50 for hourly care, and $225.00 to $260.00 for 24 hour care. Free, no obligation initial client service assessment and home safety check.

Interim Healthcare
1717 North California Blvd, 3A
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-944-5779
www.interimhealthcare.com

Interim is a private duty home care agency with a Homelife Enrichment Programdesigned to address a senior’s entire quality of life, including body, mind, spirit and family. Services include, but
are not limited to, transportation, light housekeeping, meal preparation, companionship, medication reminders, and personal care assistance. Rates are $25 an hour, with a four-hour minimum.
Sleep over (10 hours) is $195. Live-in is $268. Free in-home consultation.

Jamsee Home Care Services

3900 Newpark Mall Rd.
Newark, CA 94560
510-505-9530
408-998-0538

Jamsee Home Care Services is a private duty home care agency providing nonmedical care. Our program provides short term, long term and respite care. The services given by our agency includes assists with activities of daily living such as personal care, medication reminders, meal preparations, light housekeeping, transportation/ errands. Our care is available from 4 to 24 hours a day and our usual rates range from $19 to $22 for hourly and $190 to $220 a day for live-in care. All our Caregivers are experienced, screened, bonded and insured. We provide FREE assessment to all prospective clients and also offer after-office hour and weekend assessment on appointment basis. Our office support group is available on-call 24 hours a day.

LivHOME
1981 N. Broadway, Suite 235
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
866.371.1488
925.296.0406

This is the nation’s largest professionally led at-home senior care company. LivHome’s staff are credentialed experts in eldercare with specialities in social work, nursing and mental health. They oversee care, communicating with caregivers and family and, when necessary, medical and financial professionals. Services include a free initial assessment, hourly caregiving with rates between $25-28 an hour (four hour minimum). Live-in care is $260-289 a day. Sleepover $180 per night. Care management services also available, fee based on need.
Website:www.LivHome.com

Right At Home
In Home Care and Assistance
3137 Castro Valley Blvd.,
Suite 206
Castro Valley, CA 94546
510-690-9612

Right at Home is a national organization that promotes independence, security and joy through the provision of in-home care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults. RAH caregivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured caregivers who provide services from a few hours per week to around the clock base on individual needs. Our hourly rates range from $21-$25 and live-in
rates from $220-$275 depending on client’s care needs. Free no obligation assessments conducted. RAH differentiates itself by providing personal touches that makes our clients definitely feel
“Right at Home”.

Professional HealthCare at Home
925 Ygnacio Valley Rd., Suite 101
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-891-7000

Non-medical home aides and personal care assistants provide help with activities of daily living such as dressing, walking, bathing, transportation and companionship. Care is available on both an hourly and 24 hour live-in basis. Care providers are on call 24 hours a day, with non-medical care rates starting at $23/hour (4-hour minimum) and $230 per day for live-in care.

TREQ In-Home Care, Inc.

2450 Peralta Blvd.
Fremont, CA
888.565.8737

This is a private duty home care agency serving people throughout the Bay Area. Hourly rates start at $20.50, with a four hour minimum. Live-ins start at $200 a day. All caregivers are trained,experienced, bonded and insured. Free assessments.

HOME CARE REFERRAL AGENCIES

These agencies provide nonmedical caregivers/companions to help with personal care, transportation, meals, baths, light housekeeping, etc. They provide many of the same services as private duty home care agencies, however, the caregiver’s are not employees of the agency. There are two types of referral agencies:

1. The agency finds and screens the caregiver, but the client interviews and chooses the caregiver. The client and the caregiver negotiate the rate. The client pays the caregiver directly, and also pays a referral fee to the agency. No substitutes are available.

2. The agency finds and screens the caregiver. The client has the option of interviewing or letting the agency match the appropriate caregiver. The agency assists in negotiating the rate between the client and caregiver, including agency fee. Caregiver earnings are reported to the IRS. Substitute caregivers are available.

AmeriCare Alliance
Serving Alameda and Contra Costa Counties
510-885-1319

AmeriCare Alliance is a locally owned and operated referral agency that is part of a nationwide franchise. Our caregivers are personally screened, including criminal background, Social Security, driving record, state certifications, professional references and face-to-face meetings. AmeriCare matches families and clients to caregivers, encouraging clients to interview and make their final selection. We provide families with all reference and resume information. No hourly minimums. Rates start at $19 per hour. Live in ranges from $220-$240. Plans are developed to keep cost as low as possible.

From the Heart Home Care, Inc.
11501 Dublin Rd. #200
Dublin, CA
Contra Costa / Alameda
925.803.0663
Marin / San Francisco
415.444.0663
Santa Clara
408.298.0663

We are a non-medical referral agency locally owned and operated. Rates are negotiated to cover all services. There are no minimums. A one hour visit is $36 per hour, two-three hours is $22 per hour, and 4 consecutive hours or greater is $19.75 per hour. Overnight shifts start from $175, and 24-hour shifts start from $250. All services are private pay or can be covered by long-term care insurance. Transportation, using a caregiver’s car, is 75 cents per mile. Caregivers have at least three years experience, including a screening of criminal, credit and social security records. All are legal to work in the U.S. Each caregiver is criminally bonded and carries individual malpractice and liability insurance.

Tender Heart Home Care Agency
925.838.4444

Tender Heart is a non-medical in home care referral agency that provides assistance with all the activities of daily living. Usual rates are between $17.50- 22.00 an hour, and live-ins range from $190-225 a day. There is a two-hour minimum with slightly higher rates. Caregivers can provide transportation at 75 cents a mile. Tender Heart screens all caregivers, verifies social security, does a complete criminal background check, and all caregivers must come with at least two years experience. References are checked and verified. The most important credential is that all caregivers have a loving and caring heart. An initial in-home screening is done at no charge to match the right caregiver to the client’s needs and staff are on call 24-hours a day.