How many hours per day can we hire a caregiver?

We can staff caregivers for our clients anywhere from 2 hours per day up to 24-hours per day.  Our caregivers are available at any time during the day or night.

When can you start providing care?

Our Care Managers schedule an introductory meeting with a prospective client and/or the client’s family within 24 hours.  Home care services begin as soon as a Care Plan outline is drafted and the client – or representative third party – signs Astera Care’s Consent Authorization Form and a Contract for Services.

When you hire caregivers, do you perform background checks?

Thorough background checks are completed for each of our caregivers.  Prior to being hired, caregivers are required to visit a LiveScan Fingerprinting Station where digital fingerprints are obtained and transmitted to the U.S. Department of Justice for review.

Once completed, the DOJ mails completed background checks to the Astera Care HR department.  Caregivers without a squeaky clean background are not employed by Astera Care.

Are your caregivers bonded? 

Yes. Each of our caregivers is bonded.  Our caregivers are also covered for Non-Owned Auto Insurance, Employee Theft Insurance and Worker’s Compensation Insurance under the California State Worker’s Compensation Fund.

Can your caregivers drive to appointments or run general errands?

Yes.  Our caregivers are covered under Non-Owned Auto Insurance, which permits our caregivers to drive clients to appointments and to run errands.

Caregivers may drive their own car, or if directly requested by the client, they may use the client’s car.

Can we interview the caregivers before they begin?

You have the option of interviewing the caregivers staffed on your Care Plan prior to beginning care.  Just let us know, and we can arrange a time for you to meet your caregivers.

Can your caregivers perform general housekeeping duties?

Our caregivers help clients with housekeeping, run errands and provide any other general daily living assistance that may be requested by the client. See our Astera Care Menus.

Do you have caregivers that can cook?

Yes.  If requested, caregivers are able to cook and prepare meals for our clients.

Let us know what cuisines are most preferred and we will staff a caregiver that makes delicious food just the way you want it.

Does Medicare or insurance pay for home care?

Neither Medicare nor health insurance cover expenses associated with home custodial care.  In rare cases, Medicare or health insurance reimburses a small portion of other home medical care, such as skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.

However, reimbursement is generally provided only if the patient is “bed-bound” or “home-bound”. That means that the patient must be incapable of leaving home except from periodical visits to the doctor’s office, and only then if transfer and transport assistance is required.

What is Long Term Care Insurance?

Long Term Care Insurance covers costs associated with home care and other long term care assistance.  In California, the cost of nursing care averages $70,000 per year, and around-the-clock care can exceed $150,000 per year.

Astera Care highly recommends anyone under the age of 75 to learn and understand the benefits of LTC Insurance.  Contact us directly regarding LTC Insurance and we can refer you to an insurance professional who can provide additional guidance.

Do you have any other questions?

Send an email to info@asteracare.com, go to our Contact Page or call us at (805) 969 7979.