Frequently Asked Questions

Care Managers have the experience and training to assess a situation, actively listen and review records in order to develop an individualized care plan that will help meet your needs. We offer a free consultation where we encourage our potential clients to “just put it all out there” and tell us the story and situation of what is going on. We then work with the client to determine needs and goals and put a system in place, no matter how complicated the situation.

At Hand in Hand Care, in addition to being Care Managers we are also Registered Nurses. This allows us to specialize in the management of chronic medical conditions like diabetes, heart failure, COPD etc. We have been trained to provide education, oversee medical compliance, provide physical assessments, manage medications and communicate changes in condition to physicians to help prevent further re-hospitalization.

No, we do not have a weekly or hourly minimum requirement for visits. As every person and situation is unique, we work with our clients and their families to meet their specific needs. That may be one visit every two weeks or one visit every two days. Our goal is to work with you and your personal needs to ensure the clients safety, security and medical needs are taken care of thus providing confidence, peace of mind and prolonged independence.

A Patient Advocate is someone who helps guide a patient through the healthcare system. A Patient Advocate helps patients communicate with their healthcare providers, so they get the information they need to make informed healthcare decisions. We will help you walk into your healthcare appointment with a plan. What do you want to report? What do you want to ask? We can also accompany you to your visit to help relay the information as well as be a “second set of ears” so later we can reinforce, explain, help arrange follow up care, assist with medication changes and relay information to pertinent family members. As advocates we can also help get financial, legal and community support as needed.

As Registered Nurses we can administer IV and other injectable medications in the home setting with a physician order. In addition to administering the medications we will continually assess your medical condition to ensure proper recovery and communicate with your physician to help assure the best outcome. We also perform other skilled nursing services such as wound care, wound vac therapy, catheter, PEG and trach care.

Yes, we can provide regularly scheduled visits as well as emergency check-ins for our clients. On our regular visits we will assess their overall wellbeing (are there signs of change in condition), assess the environment (is it safe, are they keeping up with their needs, is there food in the house), we assess nutritional status, medication compliance as well as provide some social/companion time. We also help facilitate communication through phone calls, email, Facetime and Zoom. Emergency visits and check-ins occur if you are unable to reach your loved one, detect a change in their condition, or if you have general concerns about their overall wellbeing (reports of loss of balance, possible falls, increased cough or weakness). During our emergency visits we perform a physical assessment of the client, assess the environment, obtain additional care if needed and communicate with family regarding the situation.

We proudly work with our local hospice providers to assist clients and their families with end-of-life care. We can help facilitate the arranging of hospice services as well as work with the hospice team to ensure all needs are met. While hospice provides countless services for the client and families, at this difficult time there are occasions when families need extra help. Having experienced in home, as well as in facility, end-of-life care firsthand we are here to help. In addition to facilitating, arranging and supporting end of life care, as Registered Nurses, we can provide hands on care as well as medication administration

The first step would be for us to perform an assessment and gather data. Part of that assessment would include learning about you and your particular situation, the communities’ requirements and what your change in condition is that is making your needs “too great”. From there we will develop a care plan that will help you meet the needs and requirements of your community, initiate that care plan and act as advocate/liaison with you and your community. A successful outcome would allow you to age in place with the dignity and respect that you deserve.

People often start thinking about working with a Care Manager when there is a change in circumstances such as after a move, a change in medical or cognitive status or the loss of a loved one. When thinking about the future it is important to get a plan in place. At Hand in Hand Care, we offer free consultations and do not require weekly visits or hourly minimums, so it is the perfect opportunity to connect with a Care Manager and begin that planning process. If you are beginning to consider the next phases of life, we recommend that you give us a call. We can meet, do a thorough assessment and get a preliminary care plan in place that can later be put into motion, when the need arises, without the stress of an emergency or crisis situation.

While the best time to call is before a crisis occurs (hospitalization, dramatic change in health status) but if a crisis does occur and you have not yet established with a Care Manager we can quickly and efficiently evaluate the situation and assist you through it.

Some long-term care insurance covers Care Management services. We will help you file with your long-term care insurance provider as well as provide the necessary documentation for reimbursement. Our Skilled Nursing services are considered private duty nursing care and are offered as a private pay service. We do work with local skilled nursing agencies to compliment the services that insurance and Medicare provide. Ex., if insurance/Medicare will only pay for 2 or 3 visits for medication administration/patient teaching we will pick up where the agency left off and provide care on a private pay basis. This continuity of care helps ensure that you get the full treatment and care that you need.

While some Care Managers provide strictly “management” services at Hand in Hand Care we are Registered Nurses as well as Care Managers. We can provide hands on care whether that means assisting with showers, transfers, wound care, medication administration, transportation etc… we have you covered. Our service fees do not change with the level of care provided. We offer straight forward pricing not a “cafeteria menu” or a la carte pricing. We charge the same across the board to allow everyone to receive the care that they need and deserve.

Yes, as a benefit to our clients we provide transportation to appointments at no additional charge, if the client can safely stand and pivot into the vehicle. We are unable to provide wheelchair or stretcher transport, but we are happy to help arrange these services.