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Home Helpers vs. Private Caregivers

If your elderly parents want to stay at home, then at some point, it will be necessary to hire in home care. Explain to your parents that hiring help is not a sign of weakness or "giving up", but instead a sign of good common sense and realizing limitations. Most elderly parents need some type of home care assistant to help with personal care and activities of daily living. This might include assistance with bathing, grooming, dressing, meal preparation, feeding, medication assistance, walking and exercising, shopping and running errands, housekeeping, and laundry. Perhaps your parents can’t be left alone and need supervision, or perhaps you are the primary caregiver and need time to yourself. All of these are reasons to hire in home care.

In most situations, a nurse aide will be able to provide this type of care. Hiring a licensed nurse such as an RN or LPN is not necessary for custodial home care but rather only when skilled care is required. The question now becomes whether to hire this nurse aide through a local home care agency or hire a private caregiver directly.

Caregivers often prefer to be hired directly and paid in cash so that they don’t have to pay taxes and social security and don’t have to be legally qualified to work in the US. Families get the benefit of paying a lower rate, but of course open themselves up to liabilities if they don’t adhere to the law.

Home Helpers Ways of Protecting Your Loved Ones at Every Step

Services - We do a thorough assessment of our senior client’s needs and provide them with only the services they ask for. Our clients receive invoices which clearly document the hours and services provided.

Hiring - We do all the hiring of our in home caregivers with a two-person team, and ultimately only hire people who we would send to our own parents’ homes. We only hire experienced caregivers.

Training - We provide initial orientation to all our caregivers, and ongoing training which can be one-on-one, or in a group setting. We have quarterly caregiver in-service meetings on topics such as Elder Abuse, Alzheimer’s Care, Hospice Care, and Emergency Preparedness. We have an incentive program for our caregivers to achieve higher levels of certification through intensive training.

Scheduling - We are responsible for all the scheduling of care, and have a person in our office dedicated to that task.

License - We are licensed by the State of California; Department of Social Services. (HCO# 434700008)

Background Check - We do live scan fingerprint, SSN trace and Criminal background checks through The California Department of Justice on all caregivers.

TB Clearance – All of our caregivers have TB clearance certificate.

Supervision - We provide ongoing supervision of our caregivers to ensure the client is satisfied and the caregiver understands their responsibilities.

Back Up - Should a caregiver call in sick or need to be replaced, we will handle a backup caregiver or provide a replacement. We always have more caregivers than we need at any time, specifically for this purpose.

Taxes - We are responsible for all payroll taxes and unemployment insurance.

Malpractice - We have professional liability insurance and are responsible as the employer.

Employee Injuries - Our employees are covered under our Workers’ Compensation policy.

Theft - Our employees are bonded through our liability insurance.

Our Senior Home Care services are available in the following cities: Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga, Campbell, Los Gatos, San Jose, and Morgan Hill

Hear From the
Families We Serve

  • I like that they have good communication. They are responsive. They are a good price and they provide good caregivers. The agency is helpful by taking good care of my mother.

    - Eli D.
  • I liked the communication was great, they always sent great caregivers. My mom was always content when the caregivers were here, it was always clean. They would play games with my mom and communicate with her even though it was difficult to talk to h ...

    - Michelle M.
  • I think they are compassionate and fast learners. They are very experienced. They understand the needs of the patient and we talk to them. They are compassionate and very experienced. They give a good conversation to R.

    - Louie L.
  • The agency is very conscientious and reliable. The agency offers reliable services and great caregivers. The caregivers help with household chores and with W's medications.

    - Steven L.
  • I like that the staff has listened to us. It feels very personalized, based on our feedback. They have really adapted to our needs. Physically, we cannot be there ourselves so we need it. They are there for us and helping her, they are more ...

    - Peggy H.
  • I like that my caregivers are friendly and personable.

    - Amy Laduke
  • I like that she is happy, responsive, laughs, smiles and willing to do games over and over. I need someone that will play cards with him. Sarah even helped me with my computer. She gets my out of jams. She does just about anything that I ask her for ...

    - Alice Swanson
  • They were on top of everything. They were super responsive. They were there, attentive, and responsive. They seemed great. They put time and energy into asking me about his life experiences so they could relate to him.

    - Howard
  • The services have been a high impact on my life because they help me with medical transportation. Without their help, I couldn't have gotten my treatment.

    - Anonymous
  • I liked that the people seemed well qualified. They just anticipated my needs before I asked. They would help with my exercise program and they would do the laundry for me. They also anticipated my needs like when I needed a cup of coffee. I liked ...

    - Ronald L.
  • They are very conscientious and on top of things. The caregiver has good communication, she cares, and she understands what the client wants. Our regular caregiver is wonderful. She is happy, jolly, and conscientious. She really cares.

    - Ted P.
  • They're always there when we need them. It's easy to talk to them and get our questions answered. My mom appreciates how effectively they communicate with her. They match her energy levels.

    - Ann W.
  • They would be a companion for her and cook meals for her. Having someone shop for her and meal preparation.

    - Janet S.
  • I was very appreciative of the service this group provided to my mother daily. We needed the home helper to come in to watch mom take her prescription medicines. The home helpers were great and very pleasant to my mom. They made her smile. They were ...

    - kAREN lcs
  • They helped us with our needs. They helped me with physical movements.

    - Ken W.
  • My caregiver is sweet and kind to my mom which is the most important thing. She puts off light cleaning occasionally.

    - Debra N.
  • They were responsive and convenient. The impact was amazing, and they saved me.

    - Sheryl H.
  • The caregiver was just terrific, not just physical chores, but they talk and are kind to her. Just watching what they do gives you a sense of their compassion.

    - Marsha G.
  • Your company provided prompt & caring service to my mother and kept me informed regarding her care. We would recommend Home Helpers to anyone who needs assistance to remain in their homes while receiving help with activities of daily living, ...

    - Cheryl B.
  • Home Helpers provide caregiving for my mother who has beginning stage dementia. This has been a difficult case for several reasons. Home Helpers has been flexible, communicative, helpful and has worked very hard to take good care of my mother in a ...

    - Eli D.
  • Home Helpers provides transportation to me. My caregivers wake me up and arrive on time. They are neat and clean. Home Helpers has impressed me because of their caregiver’s safe driving. My caregivers even ask me if I want a drink when they see that ...

    - Jeffery D.
  • My caregivers are all willing to help with whatever I need and I am very comfortable with them.

    - Rita M.
  • Thank you so much for the care you gave my mother. In allowed my family and me to get some much-needed rest. I would recommend you to anyone. You are the best.

    - Carol A.
  • I appreciate their fast response and that they’re always there when I need them. The caregiver was very professional, and they all take their job very seriously. I recommend people to Home Helpers of Santa Clara Valley.

    - Judy J.
  • Very helpful. Your caregivers are very attentive and do their job well. I urgently needed care, Home Helpers came to the home same evening to perform in-home assessment and the caregiver started the next morning. The caregiver was extremely helpful ...

    - Daniel S.
  • Your caregivers are personally concerned - very caring, pleasant and reliable. That's really something that is hard to find these days.

    - Mary S.
  • The people are reliable and knowledgeable. They anticipate my needs well. They know ahead of time what needs to be done for me to do my tasks.

    - Ronald L.
  • They help us the most by making sure that my mom is safe by monitoring her. I like that they are helpful and communicate well with us. They do well at dealing with my mother’s dementia.

    - Eli D.
  • The caregivers help me with my daily routine. They clean me and we go on walks. They have made my life easier by identifying my needs.

    - Nazanin K.
  • They help with changing, feeding, bathing, cooking, and doctor appointments. I can depend on the services.

    - A
  • The quality of our caregivers is top-notch. They’re patient, even though my mother isn’t easy to work with. They do a whole range of things. They keep my mother company, make sure that she’s eating well, and make sure that she gets her medication. ...

    - Deborah P.
  • I liked them helping out with some of the household chores. They gave me relief so that I wasn’t on the job 24/7. They were very efficient, responsive, and we never had a problem with billing or things like that. They were very happy to talk with her ...

    - David B.
  • I like that I have a really good caregiver. They are very efficient in helping me do the things that I need. She is able to help me with the housekeeping, shopping, and even helps me bring the groceries in. I do not know what I would do without her, ...

    - Ruth R.
  • They are very kind and helpful. The most helpful part has been just knowing that their helper will be there to help them if they need it. They show kindness and care. I appreciate that they are always happy to help.

    - Sheryl A.
  • I like their responsiveness and the quality of the caregivers. I knew they would be quickly responsive to our needs and have high-quality caregivers. They help the most through doing their job and doing it well. The caregivers do well at providing ...

    - Mallory K.
  • My caregiver was wonderful. She was great with my husband. She would help him shave. She helps me by vacuuming my house.

    - Joyce S.
  • Home helpers really saved me when I was at my lowest point trying to provide care for my elderly father who had a difficult time ambulating after a fall. In the early hours of the morning after the second sleepless night, I found home helpers online. ...

    - Marjan
  • I like my Home Helper that comes because we work well together. It’s making a big difference. They help the most by getting my loved one to daycare. The office staff calls me reminds of any changes. I appreciate that they work well with my loved one ...

    - Anonymous
  • They are very communicative and flexible. They work hard to meet the needs of the clients. They make life easier by providing care for my mother. They do some cooking and transportation, but mostly, they do whatever she wants help with that day. They ...

    - Eli D.
  • The services have made a big change for me and have had a great impact on my life. The caregiver is really awesome. She helps with my care with my hair, my pets, and cooking. She helps me with keeping the house clean. Other caregivers do the minimum, ...

    - Marty L.
  • They have very good and nice services. Carmerin is a very good worker. We don’t have to tell her what to do because she already knows what to do. It’s not only a job or work she has to do, but we can also trust her and are comfortable with her. She ...

    - Ophelia V.
  • They are very helpful. They take him for a walk, make lunch, and will take him for a haircut and talk with him. They are very upbeat and talkative to my husband. It is just very good. They talk to him, take him to lunch, and are just really good with ...

    - Joyce S.
  • The caregivers are on time, they do their job, and they understand the process. The caregivers give us good individual feedback on how things are going throughout the day. You can tell in their voice that the office staff cares about what he is doing ...

    - Anne D.
  • Everything is upfront. They are not hiding everything. They first showed me their bond, and that put me at ease. They have saved my life and my sanity. They help with cooking, cleaning, and just being here and talking to them. They are helping the ...

    - Howard F.
  • The owner is very responsive and flexible. He is good at communication. They take care of my mom. She likes some caregivers better than others. The owner finds caregivers that work with my mom. They are responsive to her since she can be hard to ...

    - Valeria D.
  • The service has been really good. So far, we’ve had three assistants here and two out of the three have been wonderful. It has been really helpful because we have a reliable and kind helper assisting. Being reliable has been very great. Sandra is our ...

    - Quinn Y.
  • I had to put together a portable closet, and the caregiver just kept working on it, never gave up, and never complained. They are helping me get some of my stuff put away and more organized. The caregiver, Carmen, comes in and will immediately offer ...

    - Lynette T.
  • The caregiver is very sweet. They are here when I need someone to take care of my parents, and they are very flexible. They have been flexible and available to me.

    - Judy B.
  • Between my father’s passing and the loneliness my mother was left with, we went through a number of caregiver agencies. They were all very similar in their practice, caregivers, personal attention, and cost. But then Home Helpers stood out from the ...

    - Jeff N.
  • Great company. Compassionate caregivers. Professional and caring. Will recommend.

    - Robert J.
  • You will have the peace of mind that your help will be there. Ketan is very reliable and personally will see to it that you have uninterrupted help when you need it.

    - Taraneh
  • I would say that Home Helpers’ administration is excellent. They are very attentive and responsive. Home Helpers handles things and if there is something that comes up that needs input, they call me to get that input from me.

    - Eli D.
  • Amazing customer service, and hands-on attention. My dad was well cared for by caring and reliable staff members and the owner Ketan was compassionate and went above and beyond.

    - Naomi Y.
  • I would be likely to recommend Home Helpers because someone in the office was really helpful, he gave me good advice and made sure things were set up exactly the way they were supposed to be for me. These services had a significant impact on my life ...

    - Kim L.
  • I would tell a friend that Home Helpers has provided a human element for me. The caregiver from Home Helpers takes me out to get my groceries and I appreciate that she is able to take her little truck and bring home plants for me.

    - Grace N.
  • Toa was an angel we are very pleased with how she was here for my mother, she was wonderful, she read to my mother, she sang to my mother. It was just beautiful and she was here when my mother left this earth 5:35 and arrived in Heaven 5:36. You have ...

    - David P.
  • I appreciate you and your company’s caring about my mom’s well being - you were a comfort right from the moment we met at The Terraces. And thank you for the orchid you gave my mom. Orchids are her favorites. My dad gave her one on their wedding day, ...

    - Sharon W.
  • The owners of Home Helpers are responsive and organized. They try to match the client’s needs with the staff. They have provided good caregivers and accompanied the caregivers on their first day.

    - Anonymous
  • The service from Home Helpers gives my mom independence. Home Helpers takes her to the grocery store and helps her get out. Home Helpers is reliable and if you give them 24 hours notice, they will change the schedule for you, and they will give you ...

    - Pat O.
  • Home Helpers makes my life easier through the flexibility they offer and how they can be here after one phone call. It makes my job easier knowing I can count on them. The caregivers care just by the way they greet everyone. I am always hearing that ...

    - Carrie A.

We're Here to Help

You have an
urgent situation

You need support you can trust immediately.

We will
come to you

With our FREE In-Home Care Assessment and Home Safety Assessment we can help you through this tough time in the comfort of your own home.

You have a loved one who is in declining health

You want to keep them in their beloved home, but need to know their needs are being cared for.

We'll help you with a plan

With our Cared-4program, we create a customized plan specific to your loved one's needs.

Intro to In-Home Care Intro to In-Home Care
You need additional
support

You have been providing care, but need additional help who can care for your loved one with the same passion that you do.

Exceptional
Caregivers

Our Caregivers are trained and insured. We'll be part of your family, help with the day, and celebrate your loved one.

Our Caregivers Our Caregivers

Steps to Care

  1. 1.
    Initial Call Once we’ve received your information, we will have a detailed call to gather more information on the care situation, answer any pressing concerns, and set up a time to meet in person.
  2. 2.
    In-home Care Assessment Here we will answer all your questions, and ask some of our own to craft a Cared-4Customized Care Plan to your unique needs.
  3. 3.
    Start of Care We will come with our Caregiver on the first day of care to go through the Care Plan together and help with introductions.
  4. 4.
    Client Visits Once we have begun care, we will pop in at times our Caregiver is there to see how things are going and determine if we need to adjust the Care Plan.