Frequently Asked Questions About Home Care in Omaha
True North Home Care helps seniors and families throughout Omaha and surrounding communities understand their options for care at home. Below are answers to common questions about senior home care, personal care, companionship, dementia support, 24-hour care, hospital-to-home assistance, veterans care, hospice caregiving, payment options, service areas, and how to get started.
General Home Care Questions
What is home care?
Home care provides assistance to a person in their own home so they can continue living as safely, comfortably, and independently as possible.
Depending on the person’s needs, care may include companionship, meal support, personal care, mobility assistance, daily routines, dementia support, supervision, or continuous caregiver coverage.
True North Home Care provides non-medical home care services.
Learn more about Senior Home Care.
Who can benefit from home care?
Home care may help older adults and other individuals who:
- Need assistance with bathing or dressing
- Have difficulty preparing meals
- Spend long periods alone
- Have changing mobility
- Need help after a hospitalization
- Live with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia
- Need supervision
- Have a family caregiver who needs additional support
- Need assistance during overnight hours
- Want to remain at home despite increasing care needs
There is no specific age at which home care becomes necessary.
The decision is usually based on what the person can safely manage and where additional support would improve daily life.
How do I know when my parent needs home care?
Look for changes in everyday routines. Common signs include:
- Bathing less often
- Wearing the same clothes repeatedly
- Skipping meals
- Increasing isolation
- Difficulty walking or standing
- Changes in memory
- Trouble managing normal household routines
- Greater reliance on family members
- Frequent calls for reassurance
- Difficulty being left alone
- Family caregiver exhaustion
One small change may not indicate a major problem.
Several changes occurring together may be a good reason to start a conversation about support.
Does accepting home care mean my parent is no longer independent?
No.
Home care is often used specifically to help preserve independence.
The goal is to support the activities that have become difficult while allowing the person to continue doing as much as they safely can on their own.
For example, someone may still choose their clothes and dress themselves but need help with shoes.
Another person may prepare breakfast independently but need help with dinner.
Care should be based on the individual rather than assuming they need help with everything.
Can home care start before there is a crisis?
Yes.
Families often have more options when they plan before an emergency.
Starting gradually may also make home care easier for an older adult to accept.
A few visits for meals, companionship, or daily routines can sometimes provide helpful support before more extensive care becomes necessary.
Questions About True North Home Care
What services does True North Home Care provide?
True North Home Care offers:
- Senior Home Care
- Personal Care at Home
- 24-Hour Home Care
- Companion Care
- Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care
- Veterans Care
- Hospital to Home
- Hospice Caregiving
Each service can be tailored to the person’s needs and care plan.
Learn more about Home Care Services.
Is True North Home Care insured and bonded?
True North Home Care states that it is fully insured and bonded.
Care Providers also complete background checks as part of the agency’s screening process.
Who leads True North Home Care?
True North Home Care is led by founder and CEO Kayla Nelson, RN.
Her professional background includes experience as a CNA, LPN, and RN, along with work focused on geriatric, hospice, palliative, and home care.
She has served Omaha-area seniors since 2013.
Does True North Home Care have dementia experience?
Yes.
True North Home Care has Certified Dementia Practitioners on its team and provides specialized Alzheimer’s and dementia care.
Dementia support may include familiar routines, cueing, personal care, companionship, meaningful engagement, reassurance, and supervision.
Learn more about Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care.
Does True North Home Care provide medical care?
True North Home Care provides non-medical home care.
Home care is different from skilled home health care.
Clinical services such as skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, or other medically ordered care may be provided by a separate home health or healthcare provider when appropriate.
What is personal care at home?
Personal care is hands-on assistance with activities of daily living.
It may include help with:
- Bathing
- Dressing
- Grooming
- Toileting
- Personal hygiene
- Mobility
- Transfers
The level of assistance depends on the individual’s care plan.
Learn more about Personal Care at Home.
Can a Care Provider help my parent shower?
Bathing assistance may be included in a personal care plan.
The goal is to provide appropriate help while protecting privacy, dignity, and as much independence as possible.
Can caregivers help with toileting?
Personal care may include respectful assistance with toileting and bathroom routines when included in the care plan.
Can someone help my parent get dressed in the morning?
Yes.
Dressing and grooming support may be part of personal care.
Care Providers can assist with difficult parts of the routine while encouraging the person to remain involved when possible.
What is companion care?
Companion care focuses on social interaction and non-hands-on support.
It may include:
- Conversation
- Shared activities
- Meal support
- Errands
- Grocery shopping
- Light household assistance
- Accompaniment
- Routine reminders
- General companionship
Learn more about Companion Care.
Can companion care help with senior loneliness?
Regular companionship can provide more opportunities for conversation, activities, and social interaction.
It cannot address every reason someone feels lonely, but having a dependable person visit regularly may help reduce isolation.
Does someone have to live alone to receive companion care?
No.
A senior can receive companion care even if they live with a spouse, adult child, or another relative.
Companion care may give family members additional support and provide the senior with another source of social interaction.
What is the difference between companion care and personal care?
Companion care is generally non-hands-on.
It focuses on social interaction, activities, meals, errands, and everyday routines.
Personal care includes hands-on assistance with bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, mobility, and similar activities.
Some people receive both.
Can someone with dementia receive home care?
Yes.
Many people living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia receive support in their own homes.
Whether remaining at home continues to be appropriate depends on the person’s needs, safety, supervision, environment, and available support.
Learn more about Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care.
What does dementia home care include?
Dementia care may include:
- Familiar routines
- Cueing
- Personal care
- Meals
- Companionship
- Meaningful activities
- Mobility support
- Reassurance
- Supervision
- Daytime or overnight assistance
The approach should change as the individual’s abilities and needs change.
Why does my parent with dementia keep asking the same question?
A person with dementia may not remember that they already asked the question or received an answer.
The question feels new each time.
Calmly answering again, offering reassurance, or redirecting attention is often more helpful than repeatedly telling the person they have already asked.
Why does someone with dementia resist bathing?
Bathing may become confusing or frightening for a person with dementia.
They may not understand what is happening, feel embarrassed, dislike the temperature, become overwhelmed by too many instructions, or misinterpret another person’s intentions.
Using familiar routines, simple directions, patience, and extra time may help.
What if my parent with dementia should not be left alone?
If someone requires continuous supervision because of dementia-related needs, the family may need to increase the amount of home care.
True North Home Care offers 24-hour home care for individuals who need continuous caregiver coverage.
Learn more about 24-Hour Home Care.
What is 24-hour home care?
24-hour home care provides continuous caregiver coverage throughout the day and overnight.
Care is generally provided using scheduled caregiver shifts so someone is available at all times.
Does True North Home Care offer live-in care?
No.
True North Home Care provides 24-hour home care, not live-in care.
Learn more about 24-Hour Home Care.
What is the difference between 24-hour care and live-in care?
With 24-hour home care, caregivers provide continuous coverage through scheduled shifts.
Live-in care generally involves a caregiver residing in the home for an extended period and having defined sleeping or off-duty time.
True North Home Care offers continuous 24-hour home care rather than live-in care.
Who might need 24-hour home care?
Continuous care may be appropriate for someone who:
- Should not be left alone
- Needs frequent personal care
- Requires overnight assistance
- Has significant dementia-related needs
- Needs regular mobility support
- Has recently experienced a major change in health
- Has family caregivers who cannot safely maintain around-the-clock coverage
Can 24-hour home care be temporary?
Yes.
Some families use continuous care temporarily after hospitalization, during a difficult transition, or while care needs are being reassessed.
Others require ongoing 24-hour support.
What is hospital to home care?
Hospital to home care provides non-medical assistance after someone returns home from a hospital, rehabilitation facility, surgery, illness, or injury.
Support may include personal care, mobility assistance, meals, companionship, household routines, and supervision.
Learn more about Hospital to Home.
When should I arrange care after a hospital stay?
Whenever possible, begin planning before discharge if you know the person will need help at home.
You can also arrange care after discharge if the individual’s needs turn out to be greater than expected.
Is hospital to home care the same as home health?
No.
Home health and non-medical home care serve different purposes.
Home health may provide skilled clinical services such as nursing or therapy when medically appropriate.
Home care assists with everyday activities such as bathing, dressing, meals, companionship, and routine support.
Some individuals receive both services at the same time.
What if my parent needs more care than expected after discharge?
Care needs can be reassessed.
A short-term hospital-to-home arrangement may transition into ongoing senior home care, personal care, dementia care, or 24 hour home care if additional assistance is needed.
Does True North Home Care work with Veterans?
True North Home Care provides home care for Veterans who need support with everyday life at home.
Services may include personal care, companionship, meals, dementia support, mobility assistance, supervision, and other approved care.
Learn more about Veterans Care.
What is VA Aid and Attendance?
Aid and Attendance is an additional VA pension amount that may be available to certain qualifying Veterans and survivors who meet VA pension and additional care-related eligibility requirements.
It is not automatically available to every Veteran.
Does every Veteran qualify for paid home care?
No.
VA benefits depend on the Veteran’s eligibility, enrollment, clinical needs, the specific program, authorization requirements, and other factors.
Families should confirm benefit eligibility directly with the Department of Veterans Affairs or an accredited Veterans benefits professional.
Does True North Home Care determine VA eligibility?
No.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs determines eligibility for VA programs and benefits.
True North Home Care can discuss its care services and applicable payment options but cannot guarantee VA approval or reimbursement.
What is hospice caregiving?
Hospice caregiving is non-medical home care provided alongside hospice services.
It may include personal care, companionship, mobility assistance, meals, supervision, family caregiver relief, and other everyday support.
Learn more about Hospice Caregiving.
Is True North Home Care a hospice?
True North Home Care provides hospice caregiving support, not a replacement for the hospice organization’s clinical services.
The hospice team remains responsible for the hospice medical plan of care.
True North Home Care can provide additional non-medical support at home.
Does hospice provide someone in the home around the clock?
Routine hospice care does not generally mean a hospice employee stays in the home continuously.
The frequency and type of hospice visits depend on the individual’s plan of care and circumstances.
Families who need additional continuous non-medical support may consider private home care.
Can True North Home Care provide overnight or 24-hour support during hospice?
Yes.
Families can discuss overnight or 24-hour home care when additional non-medical support is needed.
True North Home Care provides continuous 24-hour care rather than live-in care.
Paying for Home Care
How do families pay for home care?
True North Home Care works with or can help families explore payment options that include:
- Private pay
- Medicaid Waiver
- Long-term care insurance
- Veterans benefits
- Medicare GUIDE Program
Eligibility and coverage vary by program and individual circumstances.
Does Medicare pay for home care?
Traditional Medicare has specific eligibility and coverage rules and generally distinguishes between skilled home health services and ongoing non-medical custodial home care.
Some families may qualify for support through specific Medicare programs or other benefits.
True North Home Care also participates in the Medicare GUIDE Program.
Families should confirm individual coverage and eligibility before assuming a service will be paid for by Medicare.
What is the Medicare GUIDE Program?
GUIDE stands for Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience.
The Medicare GUIDE model is designed to improve support for eligible people living with dementia and their caregivers through participating organizations.
Families interested in the program should ask True North Home Care whether their loved one may qualify and what services are available through the agency’s participation.
Does Medicaid pay for home care?
Some individuals may qualify for home and community-based services through Medicaid waiver programs.
Eligibility, approved services, authorization, and coverage depend on the person’s circumstances and applicable program rules.
True North Home Care lists Medicaid Waiver among its payment sources.
Can long-term care insurance pay for home care?
Some long-term care insurance policies cover qualifying home care services.
Coverage depends entirely on the specific policy.
Families should review the policy’s elimination period, benefit amount, covered services, documentation requirements, and claims process.
Can we pay privately for home care?
Yes.
Private pay allows a family to pay directly for services without relying on approval from an outside benefit program.
Some families use private pay while waiting for another benefit determination or because it provides greater flexibility.
How much does home care cost?
Home care costs depend on factors such as:
- Number of hours needed
- Frequency of care
- Type of assistance
- Daytime versus overnight needs
- Whether 24-hour care is required
- Location
- Applicable payer requirements
True North Home Care can discuss pricing after learning more about the care needs and schedule.
Care Planning and Getting Started
How do we get started with True North Home Care?
The process generally begins with a conversation.
- Call True North Home Care
- Explain what is happening at home
- Discuss the person’s routines, abilities, concerns, and schedule
- Develop an appropriate care plan
- Begin care according to the agreed plan and availability
Do I need to know which service my parent needs before calling?
No.
You can simply describe what you are seeing. For example:
“Mom is having trouble showering.”
“Dad is alone all day.”
“My husband has dementia and is awake at night.”
“My mother is being discharged from rehab tomorrow.”
Those details can help guide the conversation about which type of support may be appropriate.
Can care needs change after services begin?
Yes.
A care plan may need to change as the person’s abilities, health, routines, or family situation change.
Someone who begins with companion care may later need personal care.
Someone receiving daytime support may eventually need overnight or 24 hour care.
Families should communicate changing concerns so the care arrangement can be reevaluated.
Can family members still be involved when professional home care starts?
Absolutely.
Home care does not remove the family from the person’s life.
It can help family members share responsibility and spend less of their time handling every practical caregiving task.
Family involvement can remain an important part of the care plan.
What should I tell True North Home Care during the first call?
Helpful information includes:
- What has recently changed
- Which activities are difficult
- Whether the person lives alone
- Any memory concerns
- Mobility needs
- Personal care needs
- Overnight concerns
- Recent hospitalization
- Current family involvement
- Preferred schedule
- Payment or benefit questions
- The city where care is needed
You do not need to have every answer before contacting us.
Service Area Questions
Where is True North Home Care located?
True North Home Care
11314 Elm Street
Omaha, NE 68144
Phone: (402) 981-8593
Fax: (402) 285-7162
Email: info@truenorthhomecare.com
What communities does True North Home Care serve?
Priority service communities include:
- Omaha
- Papillon
- Bellevue
- La Vista
- Ralston
- Council Bluffs
- Gretna
- Elkhorn
- Bennington
- Millard
Service availability may depend on the address, requested schedule, type of care, Care Provider availability, and payer requirements.
Still Have Questions About Home Care?
Home care can feel complicated when you are trying to make decisions for someone you love.
You may be wondering whether your parent needs a few hours of companionship or continuous care.
You may be trying to understand veterans benefits.
You may be preparing for a hospital discharge.
You may simply know that your current family caregiving arrangement is becoming difficult to sustain.
You do not have to determine the entire care plan before asking for help.
Tell us what is happening.
Free Consultation With a Senior Care Expert
Call True North Home Care at (402) 981-8593 to discuss your family’s home care needs.