Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can I have service and can I change them?
Alpha-Care provides service to clients 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, including holidays. If your service is provided under your doctor's orders then those orders will determine the frequency and time of your care.
However, most of our clients are receiving care at their own request and so we work with you to establish a visit schedule that meets your needs. If you want to request a change in your schedule it's as easy as picking up the phone and calling us and our office staff will work with you to accommodate the change.
How much does your service cost?
The cost of our service varies based upon the level of care and time that is required to meet your needs. We would be glad to discuss this with you over the phone or in person at your home. If you desire we will also review your needs with you and your insurance carrier to determine if they could help pay for any of the services you need. As a rule health insurance companies will not pay for assistance with daily living activities but long-term care insurance carriers will frequently cover these needs. Many of our clients pay for our services out of their own pocket.
How do I obtain your services and how soon can you start?
You can call any of the offices shown on this web page and someone will respond to your call as soon as possible. If you desire we will come to your home, discuss our services, conduct a brief assessment of your needs, and give you a proposal for our services and their cost. If you then desire to utilize our services we will complete our assessment, create a plan of care, and begin the process of selecting caregivers to assist you on the date you desire.
Do you employ all of your caregivers?
Yes, we employ all of our nurses and aides and we pay all related payroll taxes and insurances. We do not contract out any of our services to others. You do not have to worry about any legal, tax, or liability insurance issues when you utilize services from our agency.
Why should I utilize Alpha-Care instead of hiring someone through a help wanted ad?
There are a number of great reasons for using our agency over someone you hire yourself. The first benefit of utilizing an agency is you do not have to worry about paying employment taxes and your liability coverage. In most circumstances, the IRS stipulates that the employer of long-term domestic help must pay Medicare and social security taxes on their wages. Additionally most people only have minimal injury coverage [$5,000 or less] through their homeowners insurance. If a caregiver has an accident while working in your home and injures their back or breaks an arm or a leg you could be faced with a very large expense. We have experienced employee injury claims of $100,000 or more in medical costs and lost wages. This is a substantial risk that most individuals aren't prepared to handle but would be exposing themselves to if they hire their own help. Additionally when you hire an independent caregiver, you will not have any back up for them in the event they become sick or take a vacation. An agency will manage the scheduling and coordinate time off for your primary caregiver[s]. Lastly, most people do not know how to run back ground checks and licensure checks on the people you plan to hire. You could be hiring someone with a criminal record or someone who has lost their license. In most cases the piece of mind and support you receive from working with an agency is well worth the additional cost.
How well does Alpha-Care screen its employees/caregivers?
All of our employees undergo a thorough pre-employment screening which includes work references, criminal background check, professional license or certification validation, health screening, CPR certification, competency evaluation, and pre-employment testing.
Are your employees bonded and insured?
Yes, Alpha-Care carries general liability, professional liability, unemployment compensation, and worker's compensation coverage. Alpha-Care stands behind all of our employees.
Who supervises my care?
Alpha-Care has a number of client service managers, coordinators, and RN case managers who assesses your needs, develop a plan of care with your doctor, if applicable, and provide ongoing supervision of the employees and the service they provide. We closely monitor the services we provide and the satisfaction levels of our clients.
Can I interview and choose my own caregivers?
As a Nursing Agency, it is Alpha-Care's responsibility to interview, screen and hire our employees to ensure they meet our standards. We work hard to match the clinical and personal skills of the staff we assign to meet your individual needs. We will check with you frequently when starting your case to see that the individuals working with you are meeting your needs. In the event a caregiver is not a good fit, we will work with you to find someone who works better with you. Many of our clients develop long lasting friendships with their caregivers.
Pediatrics
How many pediatric patients are you caring for and what is their age range?
We generally have 15 to 25 pediatric patients being cared for by our staff of nurses. Many of our patients began care with us as infants and have been with us for many years. Currently we have patients who range in age from less than a year to twenty-one.
How many of your children have a tracheostomy and/or ventilator support?
Most of our pediatric patients have a tracheostomy and several are receiving ventilator support. Many of the children are discharged into our care with ventilator support and in time they progress to the point the ventilator is no longer required. A number of our children have progressed and been decanulated so they no longer require our specialized care. Each child’s condition is unique and we do all we can to assist in their development.
How much experience does your staff have in working with developmentally delayed children?
Many of the children under our care are developmentally delayed. However, our Case Management staff is all experienced in working with children of varying cognitive abilities.
Has your staff been trained in CPR? Can you provide this training for me or other trained caregivers?
All of our nurses are required to be CPR certified. Most certifications are good for two years and then they are required to repeat their training and recertify. We can arrange for family members and other caregivers to be trained in CPR.
How are the nurses skills evaluated and kept current?
All of our nurses receive training in tracheostomy care and ventilator support before they are assigned a case. We also provide a great deal of in home orientation for nurses new to the field by pairing them with one of our experienced nurses until they are ready to work on their own.
How often do you communicate with the DSCC office, medical providers and families to make sure the care for my child is going smoothly?
We talk with all of our families and the medical providers involved in your child’s care on a frequent basis, especially when we first receive the case. We expect our Case Managers to make weekly home visits with all of our new clients. After the initial transition period, the Case Manager will conduct a supervisory visit every 30 days [DSCC only requires supervisory visits every 60 days]. The Case Manager will work together with the family to develop the supervisory visit schedule. We keep in regular contact with the primary physician and the durable medical equipment company if a ventilator is part of the plan of care. If needed a Case Manager can be reached 24 hours a day every day of the week.
How often are nursing schedules provided?
When starting a new case we send out weekly schedules to the nurses and the home of our patient. After the first full month of service, we usually move to a monthly schedule based on the needs of the family
How does your agency cover staffing issues such as a nurse calling off due to illness?
We try to have our nurses cross-trained so that we can supply a replacement nurse who has experience in working with your child in your home.
How much advance notice do you require to change the schedule of care for my child?
We always like to receive as much notice as possible so we can talk with our nurses and change the schedule to insure that everyone’s needs are met. However if something comes up at the last minute and you need to modify a schedule for a day you can call us and if our nurses can accommodate your needs we will certainly do so. The more significant the change being requested the more lead time we prefer.
What is your service area?
Our current service area includes the area between interstates 80 to the north and 70 to the south; Indiana is our eastern boundary and Springfield is our current western boundary.
Champaign
115 N. Neil Street
Suite 106
Champaign, IL 61820
ph: 217-398-4100
ph: 1-800-219-1313
fax: 217-398-4175
Charleston
1550 Douglas Drive
Suite 111
Charleston, IL 61920
ph: 217-345-2257
ph: 1-866-413-9952
fax: 217-345-1356
Danville
10 Ridgeview Street
Suite A
Danville, IL 61832
ph: 217-446-6800
fax: 217-446-1527
Decatur
2580 E. Federal Drive
Suite 407
Decatur, IL 62526
ph: 217-876-7100
fax: 217-876-7223