Family resourcesFigure out what care your family needs
Practical tools for adult children and spouses: a quick check for whether it’s time for help, a room-by-room safety checklist, a guide to paying for care and the questions to ask any agency. Nothing you enter here is sent anywhere.
Is it time for home care?
Tick anything you’ve noticed in the last few months. Your results and suggestions update as you go.
Home safety checklist
Falls are the biggest risk for older adults at home. Walk through the house with this list and tick what’s already in place. Your progress is saved on this device.
Anything left unticked is worth a closer look.
Entry and stairs
0 / 4Bathroom
0 / 4Bedroom
0 / 4Kitchen
0 / 4Living areas
0 / 4Want a second pair of eyes?
Our caregivers watch for fall hazards while they work and keep walkways clear as part of light housekeeping.
About light housekeepingPaying for home care
Most families combine a few of these. We’re happy to talk through your options. This is general information, not financial advice.
Private pay
Most families pay for non-medical home care themselves. Our sliding fee scale lowers the hourly rate as weekly hours go up, and there are no minimums or contracts.
Long-term care insurance
Many long-term care policies help pay for in-home care. Check your policy’s elimination period and daily benefit, and ask the insurer what paperwork they need.
Veterans’ benefits
Wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities may qualify for the VA’s Aid and Attendance pension benefit, which can help pay for care at home.
Medicare
Original Medicare doesn’t pay for non-medical, private-duty home care. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer limited in-home support benefits, so check your plan.
Medicaid
Some Texans qualify for personal attendant services through Medicaid managed care, such as STAR+PLUS. Ask your plan which providers it works with.
Questions to ask any home care agency
Ask every agency you’re considering. Open each question to see how Keep Safe Care answers.
Are your caregivers insured and bonded?Our answer
Yes. Every Keep Safe Care caregiver is insured and bonded.
Do you require a contract or minimum hours?Our answer
No contracts and no minimums. You can book as little as one hour a week.
Will we see the same caregiver each week?Our answer
That’s the goal. The 2/3 Rule pays caregivers more, which keeps good caregivers with your family.
How do I know the caregiver showed up and what they did?Our answer
Caregivers check in and out with GPS, and tasks, photos and messages are tracked in our app in real time.
How are your rates set?Our answer
With a sliding fee scale: the more hours you book each week, the lower your hourly rate.
What can’t your caregivers do?Our answer
They don’t perform medical tasks like injections or wound care. We provide non-medical care and can work alongside home health providers.
How much of my payment goes to the caregiver?Our answer
Two-thirds. That’s the 2/3 Rule.
What happens when needs change?Our answer
We adjust the care plan and the schedule with you. There’s no contract to renegotiate.
Home care or home health?
They sound alike but cover different needs.
What we provide
Non-medical home care
- Covers
- Companionship, bathing and dressing, meals, housekeeping, rides and errands, medication reminders, and overnight, 24/7 and respite care.
- Provided by
- Companion caregivers, personal care assistants, home health aides and CNAs.
- Schedule
- Your choice, from one hour a week to around the clock, for as long as you need it.
- Paying for it
- Usually paid privately. Long-term care insurance and veterans’ benefits can sometimes help.
Medical care
Home health care
- Covers
- Skilled nursing, wound care, injections and IV therapy, and physical, occupational or speech therapy.
- Provided by
- Licensed nurses and therapists, under a doctor’s orders.
- Schedule
- Short visits for a limited period, as ordered by a doctor.
- Paying for it
- Often covered by Medicare or health insurance for people who qualify.
Many families use both: a home health nurse visits for medical needs, and a Keep Safe Care caregiver helps with daily life in between.
Talk with us about care
Tell us what’s going on and we’ll help you figure out the right kind and amount of care. There’s no contract and no minimum.