Key decision questions
- How many hours of support are needed each week, including nights and weekends?
- Is the need non-medical home care, skilled home health, hospice, or post-hospital rehab support?
- Can the home be made safer with equipment, fall prevention, bathroom safety, or medication organization?
- What is the backup plan if the caregiver is sick, late, or unavailable?
Cost factors
- Hourly caregiver rate and minimum shift length.
- Overnight, live-in, weekend, holiday, or short-notice coverage.
- Transportation, meal preparation, bathing, transfers, and dementia supervision.
- Whether family can cover gaps or needs paid coverage every day.
Coverage questions
- Medicare may cover limited home health services when medical criteria are met, but it generally does not pay for ordinary long-term custodial home care.
- Texas Medicaid long-term services and STAR+PLUS rules should be verified through official sources.
- Long-term care insurance, VA benefits, private pay, and family caregiving may all be part of the plan.
Safety questions
- Is the senior safe alone between caregiver visits?
- Are falls, wandering, stove safety, driving, or medication mistakes creating risk?
- Can the agency increase hours quickly after hospitalization or surgery?
- How are care notes and family updates shared?
Family checklist before calling providers
- Write down the daily tasks that need help before calling agencies.
- Ask whether caregivers are employees, background checked, bonded, and supervised.
- Request written hourly rates, minimums, cancellation rules, and holiday rates.
- Compare home care against assisted living or memory care if supervision needs are rising.
Related senior care paths
Focused senior care request
Need help organizing the next calls?
Use this when the family needs help comparing care level, cost questions, coverage questions, safety risks, and what to ask before calling agencies or facilities.