Starting Home Care for a Parent: A Practical Transition Plan
Starting Home Care for a Parent: A Practical Transition Plan
Short answer: Starting home care means adjusting routines and setting clear expectations. You will need to talk with your parent, prepare the house for safety, organize medical information, and coordinate with the care provider. Planning these steps helps your family adjust to the new support.
- Involve your parent in planning to respect their right to consumer control.
- Complete a home safety check by removing tripping hazards and checking lighting.
- Start with shorter visits to help your parent get used to having an aide at home.
- If using the Medicaid Community HealthChoices (CHC) waiver, a service coordinator sets your care plan.
- A relative can be paid to provide care through the CHC waiver, except the participant’s spouse, legal guardian, representative payee or POA.
Talking with your parent about help
Transitioning to home care requires open communication. Pennsylvania law protects a consumer’s right to be involved in their service planning. Ask your parent what tasks they want help with and how they prefer things done. You might notice they have trouble standing up or remembering their daily schedule.
Under PA home care training rules, direct care workers learn about the consumer control and independent living philosophy. This means the aide is there to support your parent’s choices, not take over their routine. Keep the conversation focused on how an aide helps them stay safely at home. If you are still deciding, review the signs you need home care.
Before the first visit: checklist
Prepare the environment and organize information before the aide arrives. A safe, organized home makes the first days easier. Review home safety for seniors guidelines. Write down any specific house rules, such as parking instructions or areas of the home that are off-limits. Having these expectations on paper prevents misunderstandings.
Follow this CDC fall prevention checklist to prepare the house:
- Clear paths around furniture and remove throw rugs to prevent falls.
- Install grab bars inside and next to the tub, shower, and toilet.
- Ensure the home has bright, even lighting, especially on stairs and the path from the bed to the bathroom.
- Write down a list of self-administered medications and emergency contacts in large print near each phone.
The first two weeks
The first few days are an adjustment period. Schedule shorter visits initially so your parent gets used to the new face in the house. If morning visits feel rushed, ask the agency to shift the schedule to the afternoon. Good communication ensures the care plan matches your parent’s actual needs.
Monitor how the aide handles tasks like meal preparation or personal care assistance. Provide feedback directly to the caregiver and the agency. Under PA regulations, agencies must give consumers at least 10 calendar days’ written notice before terminating services, with few exceptions.
If you need to arrange support for an aging parent, call New Century Home Care at 215-974-0000 or fill out our contact form by choosing “I am a client” and “I need services.” Our office staff speak English, Russian, and Ukrainian.
If paying through Medicaid: service plan, coordinator, choosing an agency
Many Pennsylvanians pay for care through the Community HealthChoices (CHC) waiver. If your parent is approved, a service coordinator creates a person-centered service plan. This plan lists exactly which services your parent receives and how often. CHC waiver services include Personal Assistance Services, non-medical transportation, and home adaptations.
Once the service coordinator finalizes the plan, you can choose a licensed home care agency to provide the staff. Learn more about PA Medicaid for home care.
| Covered Personal Assistance Services | Not Covered as PAS |
|---|---|
| Help with eating, bathing, and dressing | Skilled nursing or wound care |
| Cueing and supervising | Medication administration |
| Routine support like meal planning | Home health aide services (requires a physician prescription) |
| Incidental homemaker tasks | Physical or occupational therapy |
If a relative becomes the paid caregiver
Family members can step into the caregiver role and get paid through the CHC waiver. The waiver allows relatives to provide Personal Assistance Services. If you choose not to use an agency, the Services My Way option lets the participant act as the employer. This requires managing timesheets and working with a financial management service vendor.
However, the state excludes certain legal roles. The CHC waiver will not pay for services furnished by the participant’s spouse, legal guardian, representative payee, or power of attorney. Read our guide on how to get paid to care for family in Pennsylvania.
To start care for your loved one, contact us. Call 215-974-0000 or select “I am a client” and “I need services” on our form.
Frequently asked questions
How do you become a paid caregiver for an elderly parent in PA?
In Pennsylvania, you can become a paid caregiver through the Community HealthChoices (CHC) waiver. Your parent must apply, meet financial and medical requirements, and be approved. Once approved, they can choose an agency or use the participant-directed Services My Way model to hire you, provided you are not the participant’s spouse, legal guardian, representative payee or POA.
What are the signs of caregiver stress?
Signs of caregiver stress include anger, social withdrawal, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, sleeplessness, and irritability. If you experience these regularly, talk to your doctor. You can manage stress by taking breaks, using respite care, eating well, and joining a support group.
Will Medicare pay for home care for seniors?
Medicare covers part-time or intermittent skilled nursing, physical therapy, and medical social services for homebound individuals. It covers home health aides only alongside skilled care. Medicare does not pay for 24-hour care or non-medical personal care when that is the only assistance needed.
Non-medical home care in Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware and Chester counties. Medicaid CHC (Keystone First), VA programs and private pay. We speak English, Russian and Ukrainian.
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