Do you provide Companion Care services in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities?

Yes. Although Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities have staff caregivers, the care provided frequently is limited to Cluster Care where one caregiver provides assistance for many different clients for relatively short periods of time. With Cluster Care, a single roving caregiver will look in on numerous different clients for short periods of time.

Companion Care is different because of the continuous One-On-One care and attention provided by one caregiver for one client typically in the home environment. Companion Care can be provided in Assisted Living Facilities and Nursing Homes to augment the Cluster Care common to those environments.

Why should my caregiver to be an employee of the home care company instead of Independent Contractor?

When the caregiver is referred to a consumer for a fee, or if the home care company treats the caregiver as an Independent Contractor to save money, the arrangement may create an Employee-Employer relationship between the caregiver and the consumer paying for the care. This is risky business for the consumer.

Absent a favorable IRS ruling that an Independent Contractor status exists, this employer relationship means the consumer paying for the care now is responsible for payment of overtime wages, all federal and state payroll taxes, and must file withholding taxes for Social Security, Medicare, federal and state unemployment. Failure to do so may result in very expensive IRS scrutiny.

Additionally, under Florida Statute 440, as the employer, you must provide Workers' Compensation Insurance to protect the employee from medical expenses and lost wages due to injury or disability that occurs on the job. Medical costs and long-term disability payments for workers injured on the job could cause a financial hardship for even wealthy clients, particularly if litigation results.

All Senior Companion Care caregivers are employed directly by the company, which pays any overtime wages, all federal, state and local taxes, and provides Workers' Compensation Insurance in case the caregiver is injured or disabled on the job. This protects our clients, which is our primary mission.

How are Senior Companion Care Caregivers selected?

Caregivers are selected for their life experience skills in passionately caring for others. Before hiring, each must undergo a thorough Level II Law Enforcement Background Screening to substantiate character and integrity. Those passing legal screening are then thoroughly trained in the non-medical Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) and Dementia Care, including Alzheimer's Disease, to protect, enhance, and enrich the lives of our clients. The Senior Companion Care Supervisor oversees all training and continuing education.