Frequently Asked Questions

The Client Service Manager does the initial in-home assessment and creates the personalized care plan. S/he also makes specific caregiver recommendations to our office if s/he feels there is an ideal match for a particular client

We are very proud of our caregivers’ track records, and are happy to say that tardies and no-shows are a rarity. Even so, emergencies happen, and we are prepared to take over if one of our caregivers needs extra support.

Each caregiver must use the client’s home phone to clock-in. If a caregiver is late a message is sent out to the management staff as an alert and we immediately reach out to the caregiver.

If a caregiver does not arrive for their shift we have on-call caregivers that are called in to work the shift. In some cases, the Client Case Manager or others in management positions will arrive to provide care, as all of our office managers are also trained senior care providers.

The Client Service Manager is a key caregiver leader in our model of operations. Our caregivers and the Client Service Manager all check-in with our Human Resource Manager – who also checks in on patient/caregiver visits from time to time.

Because each client has different needs, we assign a small team of caregivers to each client. That way, the client can create familiarity and rapport with just a few people, maintaining caregiver consistency as much as possible.

Communicating with families is a foundation of high-quality senior care. In addition to regular visits from our Client Service Managers, which always generate communication via phone and/or email with the designated contact(s).

Perhaps more importantly, family members can call their client service manager at any time with questions or to check in on the care plan. We also offer secure, online Family Portal that allows family members to log in to a private website and check on the care notes.

North River Home Care has been in business as a professionally senior home care provider since 2007. We now have more than 250 caregivers on our roster, providing expert care to seniors and their families around the South Shore and Upper Cape areas.

• Step 1: Intake
  • Goal: Schedule Assessment. Once Assessment is scheduled, it’s usually a go.
  • Who, what, why. We want to understand all of the greater and smaller needs of our client, and will also go over the recommended services, along with a rate quote.
  • Send an informational packet. If you’ve found us or contacted us online, we’ll send you an informational packet. If you heard about us through word-of-mouth, we’ll get a packet out by email or mail as requested.
• Step 2: Schedule Assessment
  • Determine frequency and immediacy. More independent clients who independently handle basic, daily care tasks may not require the same level of immediacy or frequency of care as those who need help with daily tasks.
  • Care Notes. We’ll take careful notes about the client’s preferred diet, med reminders, bed time, other medical or therapeutic needs, favorite activities, etc. This forms the basis of the personalized care plan.
  • Set expectations. It’s important that the client, the client’s spouse/family, and the caregiver on the same page. We will set expectations and service goals in writing and use those to review and amend the care plan as needed.
• Step 3: Case start
  • Timeliness. As mentioned above, it can take anywhere from within a few hours to a few days, depending on multiple factors. Typically, clients on the Upper Cape area may need to wait a bit longer to be matched with the right caregiver. South Shore clients may be able to begin service within just a few hours after completing their assessment.
  • Service needs. Patients who require basic home care can typically begin service sooner than those who have more acute dementia or hospice needs because that may require more collaborative work between caregiving entities.

In many cases, services can begin within a few hours after we’ve finalized the initial client evaluation and contract. Other times, it may depend on the time of year (holidays, for example, might make it harder), the types or specificity of the services needed, and your location.

We have a four-hour minimum service requirement. During this time, we can provide any of the senior care services listed above, and we can also support things like shopping, errand running, as well as meal preparations so the client and caregiver can share meals together. The latter is one of the best ways to get senior loved ones to eat more than they would on their own.