STEPS Home Care offers a continuum of Concierge services that vary according to the level of care and the amount of time you need a Caregiver on a weekly basis. Our care ranges from Companion Care to more complicated Skilled Nursing. So, as the situation changes over time, we can revise the Plan of Care to evolve along with it. We service Westchester, Fairfield, and Nassau Counties, and Manhattan and Riverdale.
Companions provide valuable services prior to the need for more hands-on home care. Companion Care is a good first step for seniors beginning to experience some difficulties, those that are isolated and need companionship, or for families looking to gradually provide assistance for their loves ones in the early stages of decline.
Companions provide help with the following Activities of Daily Living:
All STEPS Caregivers, including Companions, are Certified Home Health Aides or Nursing Assistants. We also specialize in hiring Caregivers that drive. This is a big differentiator for STEPS in the New York Metropolitan area, and provides a great deal of independence and freedom for seniors, who no longer drive and/or have given up their car.
All of our Home Health Aides (HHA) are Certified and have at least 2 years of prior experience. HHAs provide hands-on, non-medical care to those experiencing physical and/or cognitive impairments, which make it difficult for them to remain independent. This level of care is often more than an informal Caregiver can provide. HHAs provide help with all the Companion Care activities previously discussed plus the following Activities of Daily Living:
All of our Caregivers are Certified Home Health Aides (HHAs). We also specialize in hiring Caregivers that drive. This is a big differentiator for STEPS in the New York Metropolitan area, and provides a great deal of independence and freedom for seniors, who no longer drive and/or have given up their car.
STEPS’ and its Caregivers have extensive experience working with patients suffering from the following illnesses:
STEPS Home Care offers a continuum of services ranging from Companion Care to Skilled Nursing. We hire Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Registered Nurses (RNs) with multiple years of experience and the specific clinical experience to manage each specific case. Our LPNs and RNs are able to offer Concierge and Care Management services, acting as the liaison between the STEPS Care Coordination team and any other medical professionals involved in a patient’s care.
Because our RNs and LPNs posses a greater level of education and experience than Home Health Aides, they are able to provide a higher level of oversight and communication with other medical professionals. This higher level of care results in earlier intervention, which has proven to significantly reduce hospitalization.
LPNs and RNs provide help in the following areas:
We do everything we can to make the lives of our patients and their families easier. As a Concierge agency committed to meeting all your needs, we have additional, customized elder care services such as:
Comprehensive Referral Network
Transportation
Appointment Scheduling
Long Term Care Insurance Management
Vacation/Travel Support
Snowbird Travel Support
Medication Management
Hourly shifts start at 6 hours per day with a minimum of 3 days per week. This level of care works well in several situations. Two situations we most often see are:
Respite Care – Several hours of care can provide respite for the primary Caregiver (i.e. spouse, family member, etc.) so they can run errands, take some much needed personal time, or just relax and recharge their battery. Providing care to a loved one can be very stressful. Even a few hours of help from a qualified professional can provide the peace of mind.
First Step – This option is a helpful first step for someone who has not had a Caregiver before, and is just beginning to experience difficulty. In a case like this, the Caregiver can act almost as a Personal Assistant by helping with the tedious Activities of Daily Living, such as light housekeeping, meal preparation, errands, etc.
There is a significant cost break when moving from Hourly Care to a 12-Hour Shift. Once a client’s needs surpass 8-9 hours per day, this option can make financial sense. A 12-Hour Shift can be used for both day or night coverage.
Day – A 12-Hour Day Shift normally starts between 7-9 AM, which generally provides coverage from when the patient wakes up until they go to bed. This allows for coverage during the busiest time of the day. If there is family member, who works while serving as the primary Caregiver, this option allows them to go to work without rushing the morning routine or rushing home in the evening to prepare a meal. Meanwhile, the patient is comfortably taken care of throughout the day.
Night – A 12-hour night shift typically starts between 7-9 PM, and covers the evening routine, the time the patient or primary Caregiver sleeps, and the morning routine. This is particularly useful for patients suffering from restlessness and insomnia at night due to adverse affects of dementia. It is also helpful for patients requiring ambulation assistance to get to, and from, the bathroom frequently at night. The additional assistance allows the spouse to get much needed uninterrupted sleep knowing their loved one is being taken care of properly.
This level of care provides 24-Hour coverage and is the most cost effective option. You, or your loved one, will have the assistance they require day and night. A team of two Caregivers share the week so that a rested Caregiver is in the home at all times.
STEPS Home Care can arrange for Live In Caregivers who drive and, if necessary, have their own car. This is extremely rare and sets STEPS apart for other agencies.
“My wife and I are both in our mid eighties. My wife became ill and handicapped last year and we used our long-term care insurance company to find an agency that could supply Aides to care for her. The agencies that were suggested all were completely unresponsive. I used the internet and that was how I happened on STEPS Home Care.
From my first contact with STEPS, I knew that they were the agency that I would use. Their response to my call for help was immediate and caring. From the beginning, they provided my wife with high quality Aides who were responsive her needs. I don’t know how I would manage without them. The Aides have never missed an hour of care. Back-ups were always there in case of emergency. They are all compassionate, caring and dependable. I have come to regard them almost as an extension of my family.”
– Paul L.