A: Home care provides individual, personalized assistance from a trained Caregiver in the comfort of one’s own home. With support from a Caregiver, those requiring care are able to live at home independently and maintain their quality of life. The personal attention they receive vastly improves their safety, health and happiness.

A: When care is required, it is often a family member or friend as the primary care provider for a loved one. However, that job can be stressful and puts a great deal of pressure on the family dynamic and the relationship between the “patient” and “caregiver”. Respite Care is temporary or supplemental care designed to give family Caregivers a much-needed break so they can take care of other priorities in their life and prevent Caregiver Burnout, which refers to a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by the prolonged and overwhelming stress of Caregiving. Just as many things can be rewarding, caring for a loved one can be gratifying, but it also involves many stressors. By utilizing Respite Care, you ensure that you are able to actively participate in your loved one’s care, while still maintaining the important relationship dynamics necessary to decrease stress for all parties involved.

A: There is no standard schedule for home care, as each Family’s needs can vary based on what they are going through – sometimes based on the condition they are facing, or simply based on what you or your loved one are facing as a Family on a day-to-day basis. At Family Care Services we have members of the Family Care Family available to provide care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We enjoy knowing we can be there to assist your Family whenever you need us. We are here to ensure our Care Plans adhere to your needs, making your life easier, not the other way around.

A: Family Care Services prides itself on being extremely flexible by nature, with our services lasting only as long as you need. Some people may only require a Caregiver a few days a week, while others may need a little extra help recovering from surgery or an ailment, or may require long-term help for a chronic illness or other lifelong challenge. Regardless of condition, we know that each case is different and all of our Clients will get the individualized care that they not only need, but also, more importantly, deserve.

A: Family Care Services was founded by Adaria Duarte and her Mother, Patty Duarte. After battling her own health issues most of her life, Adaria realized, not only how important Caregivers are, but also came to the understanding that sometimes, Family just needs to be Family. When people ask her what exactly it is that “they do”, she says, “I can’t help but smile and think…what don’t we do?” The Family Care Family provides Home Care and assistance to Seniors, New/Expecting Moms and Families and Working Parents, those requiring recuperative care, and anyone needing continuing care due to illness, injury, special need, or lifelong challenge. From companion care, errands, and doctor’s appointments, to transportation services, household management and providing assistance with all personal care needs and activities of daily living (ADL’s), or simply providing a hand to hold during those moments where you feel like your world is falling apart, there is very little that they don’t do.

While most companies focus their time on fitting into the cookie cutter mold that is the Home Care industry, Adaria says, “We dedicate our time to breaking the mold, knowing that no two people are alike, and, therefore, no two problems or reasons for needing care are alike. As a result, no person or Family can be approached the same.  Each situation requires Situational Consultations and Assessments that will allow for a Custom and Individualized Plan of Care. For some, asking for help can be relatively easy or slightly uncomfortable, while for others, it is nothing short of devastatingly soul crushing and goes against everything they have ever known and all that they ever stood for…preserving one’s independence and dignity are two of those most common principles.” She explains that when you create a home care company, building a Family of like-minded individuals who share the same philosophies, are compassionate, sympathetic and, most importantly, empathetic people, who understand what it is like to walk in similar shoes, ensures the ability to provide some light at the end of what can be a seemingly dark tunnel

A: Yes. Family Care Services, Inc. is a licensed Health Care Service Firm, licensed and regulated by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, Division of Consumer Affairs. By matter of law, any company providing home care services must be licensed by the State.

A: Family Care Services, Inc. is a privately owned and operated company, which is beneficial to you in many ways. We have had over a decade of experience with home care in New Jersey, specializing in North & Central New Jersey. While Family Care is a new company, we spent the last decade as a Franchise, which provided us with the knowledge and network of individuals to support our Family Care Family.  Adaria and Patty felt it would be most beneficial for their Clients and families to be an independently owned and operated company. This gives Family Care Services the ability to offer more comprehensive and competitive care without the restrictions a franchise can place upon its franchisees.

A: As we are licensed by the State of New Jersey, we are able to provide services anywhere within the State. However, the vast majority of our clientele reside within Northern and Central New Jersey encompassing: Morris, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren Counties.

A: Yes. The Family Care Services Family provides Home Care and assistance to Seniors, New/Expecting Moms and Families and Working Parents, those requiring recuperative care, and anyone needing continuing care due to illness, injury, special need, or lifelong challenge. Because Adaria understands what it is like to need care at multiple stages in her life, she does not want to only assist one age group of individuals, rather provide all people that require care with a compassionate and skilled hand to do just that, provide care, something that is often lacking in this field. By providing that caring hand to assist our Clients and their Families through some of life’s most trying times, with individuals properly trained in their fields to do so, and more importantly, individuals that have the heart to do so, we are helping to combat the isolation and loneliness that often plagues those that need assistance – at any stage in life – while ensuring, with our educated and skilled staff, we remain a reliable resource to our families and communities.

A:  Yes. Adaria has been in the shoes of her patients, past, present, and future and truly understands how nerve-wracking the care process can be, especially when it comes to allowing a stranger to come into their homes and the homes of their loved ones. That is why as she has been creating this Company and  bringing Caregivers and other Staff members into their Family, it is critical to ensure that they are all individuals that Adaria would not only trust to take care of her loved ones, but also ones she would want caring for her.

However, she found that over the years, one of her greatest frustrations was having people calling, at times in tears, because they felt so lost…their Doctors were saying they needed care but not educating them on their options, or referring them to people who would do nothing but sit on their phones all day; people were being told they needed someone to help with all of this medical jargon, not even knowing what half of it meant. She has spoken to Family after Family that was forced into needing the care but never knowing how they could possibly afford the services. She reached a point where she felt like someone had to be that support system for all of the people that get tossed into needing Family Care’s services and are constantly feeling as if they are drowning because no one is there to guide them. She wanted to be that person that assured anyone they spoke to that they would be there to help, that she would be there to guide them with no other intentions than to ease their worries and make what is often a very tragic situation even the tiniest bit more bearable.

So as you read this, know one thing…she does care. She will be here to guide you through this process. She will be your resource. Whether it is answering questions, giving advice, or just being that support that is needed and is often lacking during trying times…Adaria and the rest of the Family Care Services Family will be there to get you through. This is her promise.

A: Our experience shows that while a knowledgeable, skilled Caregiver is integral to those requiring care, a compassionate Caregiver, one whose personality matches the Client, is crucial. The services we provide are personal and our approach to providing those services is as such. In addition, our experienced Caregivers offer safety, companionship, and emotional support, as well as ensure they receive proper nutrition and are taking the correct medication. All the while, they are providing comfort, and that hand to hold, during some of life’s most difficult transitions.

A: Family Care Services brings peace of mind to families because your loved one is cared for by compassionate, skilled and reliable Caregivers.  We are a fully encompassing organization, not merely just recruiting or placing a Caregiver. We handle all HR needs while providing ongoing training and supervision needed to deliver the best care possible to everyone we assist. We are on-call to serve you 24/7.  Our services eliminate the effort and worry of finding, screening, paying and managing a Caregiver.

Family Care Services reduces stress for the whole Family. Our Caregivers and Family at Family Care allows everyone involved in our patients’ lives to enjoy quality time with their loved ones.  We provide care so you can be family and not focus on the stressful daily needs that are often involved in the care process.

A: Our extensive pool of skilled Caregivers include those experienced and trained in a number of specialized care requirements that commonly affect older adults, as well as those requiring recuperative or continuing care due to illness, injury, special need, or lifelong challenge. These include:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• Dementia
• Cancer
• Rehabilitation
• Orthopedics
• Stroke and Neurology
• Hospice

We are also happy to offer Caregivers that have received specialized certifications in Baby Nursing or Nannying for our New/Expecting Moms and Families and our Working Parents that are looking for assistance tailored to their individual family’s needs.

A: Yes, we are more than happy to provide references and/or testimonials from previous or existing Clients. We understand that this can often be a comforting way to know you’ve made the right choice in trusting a home care company with your loved one.

A: Yes, we do. However, our Nurses do not provide the primary care to our Clients. Our Nurses are on staff to act in a Oversight capacity, supervising both our Clients and Caregivers to ensure that the best care possible is being delivered. In accordance with State guidelines, our Nurses perform an Initial Assessment on our Patients to establish a baseline of health and develop their Plan of Care. They then contact our Patients and/or their family members every 30 days to determine if their Plan of Care continues to meet the needs of the Patient, and perform in-person reassessments every 60 days or as needed to re-evaluate the Patient’s condition and confirm they are receiving the appropriate and quality care they deserve.

A: Yes, we provide home care services wherever you or your loved one calls home, temporary or permanent. Including:

• Homes
• Apartments
• Retirement Communities
• Assisted Living Communities
• Nursing Homes
• Hospitals
• Vacation

A: Caring for our clients is a top priority and we are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. In the event you need to speak to someone after hours (9-5 EST), you can by calling the office number and speaking to our 24-Hour Answering Service and you may leave a message or speak to one of the trained team members who will direct you based on the degree of urgency. In an applicable emergency, they will direct you to call 911. All messages are responded to within 15 minutes.

A: Licensed Health Care Services Firms, like Family Care Services, are permitted to assist our families with everything from Companion Care to their Activities of Daily Living. Some of these services include but are not limited to:

•  Companion Care
• Personal Care (toileting, bathing, grooming, etc.)
• Assistance with all ADLs (Activities of Daily Living)
• Socialization Activities
• Assistance with home therapy/exercise programs
• Meal Preparation
• Light Housekeeping, Laundry & other Household Management Tasks
• Transportation
• Errand Services
• Care Management
• Vital Signs Monitoring & Medication Management
• Hourly, Overnight, Live-In, and 24-Hour Care Available

To learn more about the kinds of services we can provide to your and your family and the customized Care Plan we can develop to fit your needs, contact us today!

A: Licensed Health Care Services Firms, like Family Care Services, are permitted to assist our families with everything from Companion Care to their Activities of Daily Living. Some of these services include but are not limited to:

•  Companion Care
• Personal Care (toileting, bathing, grooming, etc.)
• Assistance with all ADLs (Activities of Daily Living)
• Socialization Activities
• Assistance with home therapy/exercise programs
• Meal Preparation
• Light Housekeeping, Laundry & other Household Management Tasks
• Transportation
• Errand Services
• Care Management
• Vital Signs Monitoring & Medication Management
• Hourly, Overnight, Live-In, and 24-Hour Care Available

To learn more about the kinds of services we can provide to your and your family and the customized Care Plan we can develop to fit your needs, contact us today!

A: All Caregivers are responsible for performing light housekeeping and errand services. However, we have found that everyone’s definition of “light housekeeping” varies, and review this in detail as we develop your individualized Plan of Care.

A: Because we understand that each and every family is different, our approach to care and the services we provide is different from the first moment you speak to us. You are not simply a potential Client; you are family and are treated as such. It is important to us that we get to know you and your loved ones, and you know and trust us so that we can ensure that we not only provide you with the right Caregiver(s), but also, that we are providing you with the right Plan of Care, and thus the right services. Because there is very little that we cannot do or assist in coordinating and managing for your family, those services can be endless. In order to know we are providing you with everything you know you need, and those things you may not have known you did, it is important that we perform our in-home consultation, giving us the time to discuss with you and your loved ones what you want and need, while also learning what you are expecting out of this process and from those involved in your care process.

This also gives us the time to determine what Caregiver(s) will be the right fit for you and your loved one. It has been the foundation of our company to not just place any Caregiver into a home, rather pair people based on skill set, but also on personality and commonalities so that those receiving care do not just see their Caregiver as a Caregiver, but also as someone that they can enjoy having around and spending time with. For this reason, a Caregiver will never just be sent to your home – you will meet your Caregiver ahead of time and make sure they are the right fit for you.

A: At Family Care Services, we structure the Care Plan around you and your loved ones needs. Whether help is needed for just a few hours a week or 24/7, it is our goal to make life easier for you and your family. For those that are unsure of how often services are needed, we can assist in determining how often care should be provided during our initial in-home consultation and Nursing Assessment.

A: At Family Care Services, we structure the Care Plan around you and your loved ones needs. Whether help is needed for just a few hours a week or 24/7, it is our goal to make life easier for you and your family. For those that are unsure of how often services are needed, we can assist in determining how often care should be provided during our initial in-home consultation and Nursing Assessment.

A: One of the more difficult tasks in the research phase of the Care Process for most Families is often determining what type of care is needed and/or the “Care Structure”. Usually it is because most people simply don’t know what they want or need, or their needs are changing and they think their Care Structure has to remain fixed. Other times it is because people confuse, or are confused by, the different types of Care Structures. With In-Home Care, families most commonly use either Hourly or Live-In Care, and at times may need or prefer to have 24/7 Care, which is often confused with Live-In Care.

Hourly Care simply refers to a Caregiver or Caregivers that provide services for a few hours at a time, as often as you need, leaving at the end of their shift and returning home. Hourly Care is billed at an hourly rate.

Live-In Care refers to the Care Structure where Caregivers come in shifts and stay with the Client around-the-clock, ready to assist with all Activities of Daily Living, and ensuring the safety of the Client all hours of the day. However, with Live-In Care, there are certain criteria that needs to be met, such as the amount of sleep the Caregiver must be getting each night. Live-In Care is billed at a flat, daily rate.

24/7 Care is typically recommended or used as a “last resort” when someone reaches a point in which they must be under close supervision at all hours of the day and/or require continual care during which the criteria that needs to be met for Live-In Care can no longer be met (i.e. the Live-In Caregiver is not getting sufficient sleep). With this Care Structure, the Caregivers would typically rotate in 2-3 shifts so that someone is awake and can provide the necessary care and supervision needed 24 hours per day. 24/7 Care is billed at an hourly rate, which is why though some may choose to have 24/7 Care for peace of mind, we recommend it only when someone truly needs it due to the financial burden it can place on a Family.

A: Before Care starts, our No-Obligation, Free, In-Home Consultation gives potential Clients and their family members the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about our personalized home care services tailored to suit their individual needs.

A: Since we want to make sure that your Family is comfortable with our Family Care Services Family, we feel it is important that you don’t just meet a Caregiver, Nurse or other Supervisor. We feel it is crucial that you meet the Owners of the Company, Adaria and Patty, as they feel that if you aren’t comfortable with them, it would understandably be hard to be happy with or trust anyone they would want to have working with your Family.

A: As a result of our In-Home Consultation, a Caregiver is assigned that has the necessary skills, experience and personality match to best serve the client’s needs. While we always say that the more time we have to match the Caregiver(s), the better success we have, we can typically have a Caregiver available at your convenience – even in emergent situations – though we ask our Families to remember that it may require switching Caregivers out for “the right fit”.

A: Family Care Services never locks our families into a contract. However, there is paperwork that needs to be completed in order to begin services. One of those documents is a Service Agreement and you are free to terminate it at any time with proper notice – no questions asked. Our goal is to provide the best possible home care service, and for all parties involved to be happy with the service being provided.

A: Family Care Services develops a written Plan of Care for each client based on an assessment of their needs performed by our Nurse. The Plan of Care is developed before providing service in cooperation and agreement with the Client, their representative and any family or friends they would like present and/or involved in the care process. The Plan of Care is used to direct the Caregiver(s) in the delivery of the Client’s home care services. The Plan of Care is reviewed with the Client and family periodically to ensure that the Client is receiving the appropriate level of care and is pleased with the Caregiver(s) providing the care.

A: Since we’ve been in business for 11+ years, almost all of our Caregivers are referred to us by our compassionate, reliable Caregivers who currently work for us.

In addition to our internal referral sources, we have several reputable methods of recruitment for finding and hiring Caregivers that include specific websites, target groups, job fairs and focused advertising. Once we recruit potential employees, we assess their merits through multi-process interviews conducted via telephone, and in person.

A: We recognize how stressful it can be to allow a stranger in your home and have developed a rigorous multi-step screening process for all Caregivers new to Family Care Services. Each applicant must go through several interviews with our various team members, as well as provide recent, verifiable references. All of our Caregivers have passed thorough reference and criminal background checks including local and national criminal records, driving record checks and verify eligibility for employment. In addition, each applicant is tested for competency and is required to attend a company orientation.

While it is beneficial to hire Caregivers with extensive experience, we often enjoy hiring Caregivers new to the field as they can offer a different perspective, are very malleable and receptive to our training methods and standards and frequently become some of our most proficient and successful Caregivers. We have found that imposing any sort of “employment experience” restriction does more harm than good as while any Caregiver can be trained in the technical aspects of this job, you cannot teach empathy and compassion, which requires no experience.

All Family Care Services Caregivers are are bonded, insured and are our direct employees, not subcontractors. We match your specific needs and requests to the skills and background of each Caregiver to find the ideal match. This screening process has proven effective and we have a very high satisfaction rating

A: Put simply, Family Care Caregivers are not just Caregivers, they are compassionate, sympathetic and often empathetic people that are in this field for the right reason. They are individuals that have dedicated their lives to helping others, to caring for you and your loved ones when they are not or cannot care for their own. They are family members, friends, neighbors, incredible Caregivers that we have met and recruited while patients, or visiting patients at various facilities. They are the under-appreciated, overworked people that we rely on to help with some of the most trying tasks, often during life’s most difficult times. Family Care Caregivers are such great Caregivers because putting aside their training, certifications or years of experience, they have the heart that many lack and all of us need. They are not merely the backbone of our Company, they are our Family; and we are confident you will feel the same.

A: During our Initial In-Home Consultation, we talk at length with our potential Clients and their Families about their physical and emotional needs, things they feel might make life easier for them, their schedule requirements and their expectations of a Caregiver, along with things like hobbies and likes and dislikes. This allows us to not only understand what kind of physical skillset a Caregiver must have, but also helps us to gauge which of our Caregivers personality’s may match best with the Client while taking into account things like the availability and flexibility they might have in their schedule, and additional skills a Client might find beneficial such as cooking or being bi-lingual. In taking the time to get to know our families and focusing on more than a Caregiver’s “physical abilities”, we have a much higher success rate when pairing our Clients and Caregivers because both are much happier.

A: While Family Care Services tries to get the best possible match of skills and personality in a Caregiver(s) for your Family, there are occasions when a different Caregiver will need to be arranged. Family Care Services conducts periodic follow-ups and, if for any reason, you want to change a Caregiver(s), we will do so at no charge until you are completely satisfied.

From the beginning, we ensure that we provide the best and most compatible Caregiver(s) match for you or your loved one. If for any reason, the Caregiver(s) placed is not working out, we will work as quickly as possible to place a new one in the position. This is one of the great benefits of using a home care company.

A: When working with Family Care Services, you are not just hiring a Caregiver. You are working with a full Care Team to ensure the highest standards of care are met. Before beginning home care services, the Care Team creates a schedule and a Care Plan that covers all aspects of the appropriate care and review it in detail with the Caregiver(s). In addition to State Mandated visits, an RN Care Manager or Client Care Manager at Family Care Services makes regular Quality Assurance visits to ensure the quality of care is exceptional and makes changes as needed.

A: In general we set our clients up with at least one consistent Caregiver that will oversee their care as scheduled. However, most of our Clients have at least one primary caregiver and one back-up Caregiver, and some have multiple due to the demands of their schedule. This ensures there is always a consistent face in the home, rather than a revolving door of strangers. In the event that one of the primary Caregivers is unavailable (due to sickness, being on vacation, etc.) we have a team of Caregivers that can take over as needed. In these situations you will be notified in advance.

A: The Caregiver(s) must have suitable sleeping arrangements and needs to be able to receive about eight hours of sleep a night, five of those hours uninterrupted. The Caregiver(s) must also be provided with reasonable groceries/meals.

A: This is a very rare event. But if it does occur, Family Care Services offers a system that enables the Caregiver to “clock in” and “clock out” by calling an automated toll-free number or by using an app on their phones. If a scheduled shift has not been called in, the system alerts the office staff immediately and we send a secondary Caregiver. With our telephony system, there are no time sheets or missed shifts.

A: Throughout the many interactions you will have with our office through the regular Care Process, you will be given infinite opportunity to ask questions regarding your Caregiver or overall Care. However, you can call our office at any time and speak with the Operations Manager or another Supervisor and your call will be directed appropriately. Rest assured that we will look into your questions or comments immediately.

A: Each Client with Family Care Services has a unique situation, with each person having specific needs and requirements – medical or otherwise. The Care Structure wanted/needed and the amount of time a Caregiver is required in a Client’s home also plays a part in the cost. This is why we do not like to just “quote” services, rather prefer to give an accurate rate once we perform our Free In-Home Consultation and Nursing Assessment. However, we do understand that cost can play a large factor in Care and are more than happy to give our potential Families an estimate on the cost of care after getting more information about their individual situation. Please contact us to discuss your needs and pricing.

A: Yes, very competitive. Our rates are a result of our well-honed business process combined with our 11+ years of experience. While we can say that we will never be the least expensive service, we can say that we will always provide the best value. We focus on striking a delicate balance between the need to keep services affordable for our families, while paying our Caregivers a healthy, livable wage, which allows us to retain the quality of staff that’s necessary to maintain our superior standards in care.

A: Long Term Care Insurance policies and other insurance policies may cover cost of the home care services Family Care Services provides. Medicare and Medicaid may offer some coverage to those who are Medicare/Medicaid-eligible, however, we are not a Medicare/Medicaid-certified provider. However, certain programs through these providers may allow you to work with a home care provider of your choosing that will allow you to supplement the costs of your care needs. Other sources of coverage may include private/self pay, auto accident insurance, Worker’s Compensation Insurance, Veteran Affairs, and various religious or social service organizations.

A: All Caregivers are direct employees of Family Care Services and are paid directly by Family Care every two weeks. You do not pay the Caregiver directly and our Caregivers cannot accept tips. You will be invoiced for any services we provide by Family Care and will remit payment directly to us. Family Care Services is responsible for all of our Caregivers’ Human Resources Processing, which includes: Caregiver compensation and all applicable taxes and insurances.

A: Family Care Services’ billing cycle is calculated either once per month, biweekly, or weekly. We understand that all families have different needs, and that different billing structures may benefit different care structures so we want to ensure that we offer flexible billing and payment policies for all of our families.

A: There are many options to pay for home care services with Family Care. For your convenience we offer:

• Check
• ACH
• Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT)
• Credit Card

A: Yes, we do. If you have a Long Term Care Insurance Policy, the first step is to verify your coverage, as every Long Term Care Insurance Policy differs. You will need to find out if you have a deductible, what the criteria is to meet it and what your daily benefit is, along with any limitations there may be when utilizing your policy to pay for your care. Navigating these benefits can be challenging and someone from our Office can help you verify and maximize utilization of your benefits. We do not accept Assignment of Benefits so all services will be paid for out of pocket, however, our Office Staff will assist you with reimbursement from your long-term care policy.

A: Whereas Medicare services rarely provide enough hours for a client’s needs, we provide care based on your needs and we do not currently accept Medicare as payment. Our clients pay us directly.

A: Family Care Services is not a Medicaid provider, and, unfortunately, we are unable to work with those who receive reimbursement through Medicaid. However, Medicaid does offer some programs that may allow you to work with a home care provider of your choice that will allow you to supplement the costs of your care needs.