Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some common questions about Ready
Hands and elderly care along with their answers below. |
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1. What makes
Ready Hands different?
We are the only area home care company that
is owned and managed full-time by a physician and registered nurse.
This means we usually have a better understanding of your or your
loved one's needs and can provide safer services. We only hire W-2
employees, not independent contractors. That way we can give them
the guidance and supervision they need in order to meet your expectations.
Finally, we have met the rigorous requirements of licensure by the
Commonwealth of Virginia as a home care organization. That offers
numerous protections for clients. |
2. Does Medicare
cover our services?
No, since
Ready Hands does not deliver skilled medical or nursing care, neither
Medicare nor most private health insurers pay for our services. Most
long-term care insurance policies cover our services. |
3. May I choose
the Home Care Aide I like?
Yes,
we do everything possible to match you with a home care employee of
your choice. We share information with you about available personnel,
including their interests, their particular capabilities and work
background. Your satisfaction with and confidence in your Home Care
Aide is important to us. And, since most clients develop ongoing relationships
with their home care workers, we want them to be compatible. |
4. May I change
Home Care Aides if I'm not satisfied?
Yes.
If you find that your Home Care Aide is not meeting your needs, we
certainly want to rectify the situation. We will work with you to
assign an alternative. |
5. Does Ready
Hands work collaboratively with other agencies?
Yes.
Sometimes clients who need our services also require additional help
from other professionals. We collaborate in any way we can so that
you get coordinated care. |
6. What geographic
areas does Ready Hands serve?
Ready Hands serves all areas of Fairfax County,
Arlington, Alexandria. We can occasionally accept clients in Loudoun
or Prince William counties on a case by case basis. |
7. What does
our free initial consultation entail?
Dr. Benson or Sue Benson visits each prospective
client to learn his or her needs and explain what Ready Hands can
offer. We encourage family participation. As part of this visit, they
gather important information about the client's functional status,
general health condition and any special needs or circumstances -
like special diets, activity precautions, allergies, medication timing
etc. That way, when we send a Home Care Aide to your home, you can
be confident we have prepared him or her for dealing safely with your
particular situation. |
8. Does Ready
Hands communicate with family members?
Most
definitely. Often it is a family member who engages us to care for
a loved one. But in any case, as long as we have the permission of
our client or responsible party, we want to be in touch with family
members, whether they live locally or at a distance. Good communication
is at the heart of good service. We encourage involvement of a client's
loved ones in planning our services, and we want to keep them involved
on an ongoing basis. |
9. Does Ready
Hands provide transportation?
Yes.
Home Care Aides may transport clients in an automobile if they have
been cleared to drive and have successfully undergone a driving record
check. We ask that a client who desires automobile transportation
give us written permission to use his or her vehicle. Our employees
do not transport clients in their own vehicles. Besides automobile
transport, all Home Care Aides will of course accompany clients to
appointments or visits via public transportation, taxi or van services. |
10. Is a
minimum number of hours required per visit?
Ready Hands asks that clients engage us for visits of at least four
hours five days per week. This is a protection for our employees and allows
us to attract and retain higher caliber people. |
11. Must
I give advance notice before discontinuing services?
No. Our Service Agreement asks that you provide
reasonable notice if possible, but this is not a requirement. If at
any time you are dissatisfied with our services and would like to
cancel, you may do so immediately with no penalty. |
12. Does
Ready Hands require a deposit before scheduling services?
Yes, in order to commit to scheduling services,
we request a deposit equal to one half of the first month's estimated
charges. Whenever services are terminated for any reason, the deposit
is promptly returned, minus any outstanding unpaid balance. |
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