Getting help at home is usually the first thing that people think about when chores and/or personal care is becoming difficult or impossible. Housekeepers, gardeners and occasional handymen are the easiest for most of us to consider because they don’t carry the psychological burden of no longer being able to do for ourselves. Caregivers can be resisted because of cost, fear of loss of independence, autonomy and privacy, or just due to stubbornness and personal will.

 

There are many choices in help at home. If looking to hire privately, there’s a caregiver referral service out of the Area Agency on Aging. Discharge planners, hospices, social workers also know of people who might want to work privately. If hired privately, the hours worked and wages paid are between you and the employee. You are also liable for worker’s compensation and IRS withholding.

Here’s a brief rundown on the types of agencies in Napa County.

NAPA COUNTY HOME HEALTH AGENCIES

These agencies provide services that are 100% covered by Medicare, Med-cal or private health insurance. This service must be ordered by a doctor. However, you still have a personal choice of agency. Requirements to qualify for care are: 1: Homebound, 2. Need for skilled care. Skilled care means that you need a nurse, a physical, speech or occupational therapist. This is also a time and visit limited services. Some aide service can be available, if there’s a skilled need. This is a service NOT covered byLong Term Care Insurance. Born To Age doesn’t list these prices because the costs are directly reimbursed by Medicare. You are not billed for services.

Professional Healthcare at Home
190 S. Orchard Ave., Suite A-105
Vacaville, CA 95688
707-447-9600, 800-654-5677

PRIVATE DUTY HOME CARE AGENCIES

These agencies provide both skilled and non-skilled care. The services might be covered by long term care insurance, 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 often a minimum number of hours for services.

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.

Abba In Home Care Services
1055 Azuar Dr.
Vallejo, CA
707-704-6489

Abba In Home Care offers in-home, non-medical caregiver services. All employees are bonded, insured and will work flexible hours, either live in or hourly. Rates start at $22 an hour, and $220 for 24-hour live in. Also offers board and care home placements without charge. Serves Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Yolo and Sacramento Counties. www.abbahomehealth.com or email abbahomecare@yahoo.com

Assist On-Call, LLC
Senior Care Services
Non-Medical In-Home Care
2600 Brown Street
Napa, CA 94558
707-506-5680

Assist On-Call offers companionship and home care services. Partners with family to provide the services specific to needs. Caregivers undergo extensive hiring and training process, which includes behavioral assessment/interview, criminal background and driving records check, reference check, TB testing, and mandatory training sessions. Caregivers are available on a flexible few hours a day, up to 24 hours-seven days a week – live-in basis, including weekends and holidays. Hourly care starts at $16 per hour, 24 hour care starts at $210. Live-in care basis negotiable. Free assessment and home safety evaluation.

Hired Hands Homecare
1754 Second Street
Napa, CA 94559
707-265-6400
Contact: V. Lynn Cox

Hired Hands Homecare is a family owned and operated, full service homecare company, providing a wide range of caregiving services for over 17 years. All Caregivers are our employees, and are thoroughly screened, insured, and bonded. Caregivers available on a flexible hourly, overnight, and live-in basis. Hourly care starts @ $24.00 per hour, and 24 hour care starts at $310. Serving the entire North Bay, with office in Marin, Sonoma, & Napa counties. Complimentary case management, needs assessment, and home safety evaluation provided at no cost. Members of the National Private Duty Association (NPDA), the California Association for Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

Home Instead Senior Care
33433 Broadway, Suite B-1
American Canyon, CA 94563
552-2266 P
rovides service in Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties.

This is a private duty home care agency. Employees screened for criminal and driving records, as well as TB tested. Ongoing training is provided to all employees. Provide 24-hour phone support for after hour emergencies. Rates range from $20 – $25 per hour, $330 per day for live in.

Love & Joy Senior Care Services
Solano and Napa: 342-5613
Provides service in Napa and Solano Counties

This is a private duty, non-medical home care and care home placement agency. Caregivers have been carefully chosen, bonded, insured and background checked. Provide services for Dementia/ Alzheimer’s Care, personal care, transportation, companionship and hospice care. Rates range from $18-23 per hour, $240-350 per day for 24-hour live in.

Napa Valley Senior Care, Inc.
2541 Vintage St.,
Napa, CA 226-3055,
510-333-8509

This is a private duty, nonmedical home care agency. Rates: $18-25/ hour. Minimum 4-hour shift. $200- 280 for 24-hour care. All caregivers area criminal background checked, (FBI and Department of Justice), TB-tested, receive first aid and CPR and medication assistance training. Bonded and trained in caring for elderly.

Professional HealthCare at Home
190 S. Orchard Ave. Suite A-105
Vacaville, CA 95687
Office: 707-447-9600
800-654-5677
www.professionalhc.com

Professional Healthcare at Home is a full service home health 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, with nonmedical rates starting at $24 an hour. The company is CHAP accredited and Medicare-certified, and all employees are highly trained, screened, bonded, and insured. Clinicians are licensed, and professional case managers coordinate care with physicians and other healthcare providers. Services include nursing care, physical and occupational therapy, extended care, home health aides, medication management, and the full range of personal care assistance, transportation and companionship.

Senior Helpers
1100 Trancas St. #214
Napa, CA
707-251-1540

Senior Helpers is a private duty home care agency. Rates range from $20-25 an hour, three hour minimum. Live in rate from $300/day. Free home safety and assessment on intake. Caregivers are screened: multi-state/county background checks, fingerprint check, drug testing and reference checks. Competency testing and education performed on an ongoing basis. All staff are supervised. Also offer Geriatric Care Evaluation, Care Coordination and Wellness Watch programs.

Sequoia Senior Solutions
191 Lynch Creek Way, Suite 102
Petaluma, CA 949554
707-254-7660

A private duty, non-medical home care agency. Provides in-home care at $24.50 an hour. Evening Rate, $27.00 an hour from 8 pm to 8am. Minimum 2-hour shift. Live in care, $345/day. In-home free assessments and safety checks. Accepts checks, cash, major credit cards and insurance. Employees are bonded, insured, drug tested and criminal background checked. All are monitored and supervised. Transportation at IRS rate if caregiver’s car is used.

Visiting Angels
1827 Clay St.
Napa, Ca 94559
(707) 528-0222
www.visitingangels.com/santarosa
adesilver@visitingangels.com

Visiting Angels provides personalized non-medical services, and only hires professionally experienced caregivers. Visiting Angels is a fully bonded and insured agency, directed by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Case Managed by a Licensed Vocational Nurse. All caregivers are thoroughly background checked and drug screened. Agency conducts caregiver supervisory visits and regular client check-ins. Available 24/7. Free in-home assessments and safety checks. No Minimum. 2011 rates: Live in/24-hour, $14.50 per hour, Overnight (sleep) $17.50 per hour. Hourly 4-12 hours, $24-$25 per hour. “Angel Visit”: 2 hour $30 per hour, 3 hours $27 per hour.

Your Home….Nursing Services
3158 Jefferson St.
Napa, CA 94558
707-224-7780
www.yourhomenursing.com

Your Home…Nursing Services is a state licensed, family owned, local, private duty home care agency providing services since 1989. Complimentary skilled nurse assessment. Staff includes: homemakers, caregivers, massage therapy and skilled nurses, providing non-medical to handson care. Range of services can provide all levels of need. services to all ages Most of the 120 caregivers have been employed here over five years and are continuously refining skills. Caregivers are screened, bonded, covered by all insurances, have CPR and first aid certification, background checks, motor vehicle reports and have at least 3 references confirmed. Weekly skilled nurse re-visits with patients for quality, and phone family with any changes (special service for family living out of area). Staff also advocate for care with local doctors. Rates: Homemakers, $22.50 per hour, Caregivers, $24.50 to $26.50 per hour, Sleepovers, $250.00, Live-ins, $350.00 ($14.58 per hour), Bathing Services, $50.00 per visit, Wellness/Safety Visit, $35.00. No hourly minimums and no extra charge for weekends or holidays. Special Services: Caregivers for worldwide traveling, pet care, family member support at family events (weddings, vacations) and special skilled nursing wound care in the home. Also specialize in caring for: Cancer (Hospice), Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Strokes, Parkinson’s and assisting with post-surgical special needs. Services covered by private pay, credit cards, most long term care insurances, employer health plans, such as: CALPERS and we are the chosen vendor for the Veterans Homecare Benefits program. Agency will provide all the “leg work” for you with your insurance requirements. Will assist with reimbursement possibilities.

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 home care agencies, however, the caregiver is not an employee of the agency… the caregiver is an independent contractor.

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.

Acclaim Professional Healthcare
4340 Redwood Hwy, Suite A14
San Rafael, CA 94903
Marin 415-479-5125
San Francisco 415-752-5246
A Subsidiary of Acclaim Homecare, Inc.
www.acclaimhomecare.com

Acclaim Professional Healthcare provides employee based private duty services which include assistance with all activities of daily living, medication reminders, meal planning and preparation, light housekeeping and laundry, companion care as well as respite care, transportation to medical appointmentsand therapies. Additionally provides medication programs and individualized care plans.Caregivers are monitored by experienced geriatric care manager. Acclaim Professional Healthcare has hourly, live-in and sleepover services. Rates are dependent on services required. Minimum of 2 hours@ $55.00. Hourly starts at 24.00 to 26.00 per hour. Live in rates start at $265.00.Overnites start at $175.00. Assessments are provided prior to start of cares. No agency fees, no charge for the initial consultation. 24 hour paging service to respond to critical situations.

Caregiver Referral Services
(Ask for Caregiver Referral)
Area Agency on Aging
Serving Napa and Solano
707-644-6612

This agency maintains a list of people who work as companions, housekeepers, handymen, gardeners and odd jobbers. You’ll be given several names to call, and you make the choice of hire. It’s a free service. Hourly rates are negotiable for each person, and usually range between $15-$20 an hour.

Cora’s Home Companion Care
3478 Shelter Creek
Napa, CA
707-255-6260 707-363-2220

This is a non medical home companion providing personal care in your home. Rates, $15-20 an hour Minimum, four-hour shift. Live-in care $190-$250, depends on level of care and needs of patient.

Hearts that Matter
68 Coombs St., Suite A-9
Napa, CA 94558
252-7569
Contact: Kim or Charmaine

This nonmedical home care referral agency provides companions, housekeepers and nursing assistants. Rates range from $18 – 22 per hour for a four-hour shift. 24-hour rate is negotiable, but starts at $300. They can provide rides, and care for people with Alzheimer’s . Will accept long term care insurance. Caregivers are bonded, criminal background checked, fingerprinted, CPR certified and credentialed.

In-Home Supportive Services
Napa County
Comprehensive Services for Older Adults
900 Coombs St., #257
Napa, CA 94558
707-253-4625

A county-funded service, primarily for people needing assistance to stay at home, yet are unable to afford to privately pay for care. The rate and number of hours that one is eligible for services is determined by a county social worker. In order to qualify for this service, a person must also qualify for Medi-Cal and SSI. This agency also maintains a caregiver registry.

Napa Caregivers Now Required to Obtain Permit

If you hire an independent caregiver, insist that the caregiver has a valid permit to work in Napa County. This laminated permit includes a photo, permit number and expiration date. If the caregiver works for an agency, ask whether the agency has a signed agreement with the Area Agency on Aging that all their caregiver have been screened and background checked in compliance with the permit process. The Napa County Caregiver Permit means that the caregiver has passed a background screening, and paid a fee to obtain that permit. For caregiver permit questions, call the Area Agency on Aging at 643- 1797.