Choosing a home care agency is an important decision. You’re inviting someone into your or your loved one’s home and trusting that person to provide dependable care.
Guardian Angel Senior Services has supported older adults, individuals with disabilities, and families since 2003. We provide personal care, homemaking, and companionship under the supervision of nurses on an hourly and live-in basis. Care plans are developed with a focus on client dignity, preferences, comfort, and daily routine. We provide care wherever home may be, a private home, apartment, or Assisted Living.
When choosing a provider, use these 10 questions to learn how an agency operates and whether it can provide the level of care, consistency, and peace of mind to meet your unique family needs.
What We’ll Cover:
- How long has the agency been in business?
- Which insurance plans or funding programs do you accept?
- What qualities do you look for in caregiver candidates?
- Are your caregivers insured and bonded through the home care agency?
- How do you determine what a caregiver is capable of doing?
- What training do you provide for caregivers?
- Will you develop a care plan and consult with physicians?
- Do you typically send the same caregiver to a client’s home?
- What happens if my loved one is not comfortable with a particular caregiver?
- Can you help my loved one access other services and community resources?
- Choosing the right home care agency for your family
1) How long has the agency been in business?
An agency’s history can tell you a great deal about its stability, experience, and ability to support families as their care needs change.
Guardian Angel was founded in 2003 by Melanie and Daniel Lewis following a personal experience involving Melanie’s grandmother. The company was created around a simple goal: helping older adults remain comfortable, independent, and supported in their own homes. We are not a franchise but an organically grown organization.
2) Which insurance plans or funding programs do you accept?
Guardian Angel works with several funding sources, including:
- Long Term Care Insurance and CareScout
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Medicare Dementia Guide Program
- MassAbility
- Private Pay
- MA Aging Servicers Access Points (ASAPs)
- NH Medicaid Choices for Independence (CFI).
3) What qualities do you look for in caregiver candidates?
Certifications and experience are important, but caregiving also requires patience, compassion, reliability, communication, and respect.
A thorough screening process is one of the most important safeguards an agency can provide. As part of our hiring process, Guardian Angel checks references, social media profiles, several registries,s including Medicare and Medicaid Fraud, Multi-State Criminal Background Checks,s and driving records.
We look for individuals with the heart of a caregiver and a calling for caring. Candidates should have a personality that aligns with the company’s mission and a willingness to go above and beyond a basic checklist of tasks.
4) Are your caregivers insured and bonded through the home care agency?
Guardian Angel caregivers are employed and are fully insured and bonded. Employees are covered under the agency’s liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage. Our caregivers are not independent contractors.
This distinction matters because hiring an individual privately may leave the family responsible for employment taxes, workplace injuries, insurance, scheduling, and other employer obligations.
5) How do you determine what a caregiver is capable of doing?
Guardian Angel creates profiles for caregivers and clients to help match them more effectively. A caregiver assigned to companionship or light housekeeping may need a different skill set than someone assisting with transfers, bathing, dementia care, catheter routines, or post-operative support.
Families should also ask how the agency confirms that the selected caregiver has the practical qualifications needed to meet the client’s specific physical, emotional, and daily living needs.
6) What training do you provide for caregivers?
Guardian Angel provides ongoing, monthly in-service education for all employees. We also have In-House Home Health Aide and Dementia Certification programs. This support helps caregivers continue developing their abilities and remain prepared to support clients with different needs.
7) Will you develop a care plan and consult with physicians?
A written care plan provides the client, family, caregivers, and the agency with a shared understanding of the support being provided and the expectations for care.
Guardian Angel develops individualized, detailed care plans tailored to each client’s needs. The process begins with a free in-home assessment conducted by a Home Care Manager or nurse.
During the assessment, families should be prepared to discuss:
- Daily routines and personal preferences
- Mobility and safety concerns
- Diagnoses and current health needs
- Medications and reminders
- Bathing, dressing, and toileting assistance
- Meal preparation and household needs
- Transportation
- Social activities and companionship
- Instructions from physicians or other healthcare professionals
8) Do you typically send the same caregiver to a client’s home?
Consistency helps build trust. It also allows a caregiver to become familiar with the client’s routines, preferences, communication style, and care needs.
Guardian Angel works to keep the number of caregivers assigned to each client as limited as possible. The exact number depends on the schedule.
Having a familiar backup is beneficial. It provides continuity when a regular caregiver is unavailable without requiring the client to meet a stranger at the last minute.
9) What happens if my loved one is not comfortable with a particular caregiver?
A caregiver may be qualified and compassionate, but still not be the right personality match for every client.
Families should feel comfortable reporting concerns without worrying that doing so will disrupt care. The agency should listen to the client, determine whether the issue concerns communication, quality of care, safety, or compatibility, and decide on an appropriate course of action.
Guardian Angel considers personality when matching caregivers and clients. Its goal is to develop relationships in which clients feel safe, respected, and comfortable. Concerns about a match should be reported to the local office as soon as possible so they can be addressed.
10) Can you help my loved one access other services and community resources?
Home care is only one piece of a larger support system. A client may also benefit from meal delivery, transportation, medical equipment, senior center programs, caregiver support, or assistance with benefit programs. We help connect families with information about our local partners and provide a resource sheet for complimentary services.
Choosing the Right Home Care Agency for Your Family
The right home care agency should do more than provide a caregiver. It should listen to your concerns, explain its policies clearly, develop a care plan tailored to the individual, and remain available when questions or changes arise.
Don’t be afraid to ask detailed questions. A trustworthy provider should want you to understand who will be entering the home, what services will be performed, how care will be supervised, and what your family can expect.
Contact your local Guardian Angel office to learn more about home care or to schedule a home visit. For urgent needs, services can often begin within 24 hours.
