Frequently Asked Questions from Clients:

1. What is AMAH's Heart?

We were formerly called AMAH Homecare, but are now a non-profit entity making the transition on 06/15/14.  We continue to be a Christian based registry of independent contractors providing in home care services for the disabled and the elderly.

2. What does "Christian based registry" mean exactly?

The owners of this network have expressed the desire to live according to God’s moral standards, with regard for respect, kindness and serving the needs of others. It is one of the criteria we ask of our caregivers as well.

3. How does belonging to a network of providers and clients help me?

The best way to think of AMAH’s Heart is to think of us as a “matching” service. We are actively looking for caregivers who are qualified and trained to be the best caregiver for your needs. We are advocates for both you and your caregiver, assisting both of you to have the best of all care-giving experiences. We are here to help both of you with the original negotiations and paperwork.  As part of your Care Management Plan, we are available for consulting and advising, affording you the peace of mind that you’re getting one of the best service providers available. And since we’re available 24/7, we can be there to help whenever something comes up that you need assistance with.

4. Is there a charge to utilize this network?

Yes. You will have a specialized Care Management Plan with a pre-negotiated weekly Registry Care Management fee assessed.  Each of these are specifically tailored to your care needs.  This plan includes:

• Access to the Clear Care telephony system we contract with. Your caregivers will be logging in and out, so you can both see and hear the details of each shift in your own, private “Family Room.”
• Book-keeping services that handles all compensation of your caregivers for you and will issue a Form 1099 Misc. to them at year’s end.
• Access to AMAH’s Heart 24/7
  Each week, on your invoice, you will see a line item that is called  the “Registry Care Management Fee”. It is the nominal amount we charge to oversee your site. Before you sign your Client Registry  Agreement- all of the terms and rates will be clearly stated.
  
  

5. What does having an "independent care-giving provider" caring for me mean?

It means that they are their own business entity. It means they have a license to perform homecare services and have a current business bank account.  They will sign a contract with you to provide their services called a “Client Service Agreement”. This usually consists of the rates and scope of work you initially requested.

You and they do have the option to freely negotiate different rates and scope of work.

Again these are Independent Contractors and are NOT employees of yours (or AMAH’s) and they are free to care for other clients in addition to you, should they choose to do so. As part of your Care Management Plan, AMAH’s Heart utilizes a book-keeping service to invoice you and to compensate them. Part of their “Client Service Agreement” states that they must give us one week’s notice to cover their shifts should they decide to move to another client. They will be providing services according to a “Scope of Work” you have agreed to and as described in their service agreement.

6. Will I be expected to sign any sort of agreement with AMAH's Heart?

Yes, to place a care-giving provider with you, you will be asked to sign a “Client’s Registry and Care Management Agreement.”

7. How long am I held to this agreement?

As long as you are being provided care by one of AMAH’s care-giving providers, your agreement is binding. It just means that you agree to abide by the terms of this agreement. It is for your protection as well as the caregiver and AMAH’s Heart. You will always have the option to rescind this agreement, should the care-giving provider prove to be unsatisfactory. They have also signed an agreement with us which includes a one year “shall not compete” clause. They cannot void their agreement with us to go to work for you for one full year.  You may have a different AMAH care-giving provider assist you with your needs or go outside of our network to secure your own providers.

8. Do I handle the care-giving negotiations with the care-giving provider myself?

Initially you will have told us what your care needs might be such as schedule setting, care requirements and compensation rates. AMAH will then attempt to find a care-giving provider that accepts these initial terms and rates. The care-giving provider has filled out a profile similar to the one you will be asked to fill out, and we know ahead of time what their experience and qualifications are.  But, if during the interview process, or after starting, the care-giving provider feels a change is necessary, they are free to negotiate these changes directly with you. You of course have the option to accept or deny their request. If ANY changes are made between you and the care-giving provider, we ask that AMAH’s Heart be notified immediately.

You, usually, will have several care-giving providers setting up a meeting with you. And you are free to discuss your care, again keeping AMAH apprised, in writing, of any changes, additions or deletions. If either one of you have concerns about ANYTHING- please call AMAH’s office or one of our representatives immediately. And as a safety precaution, all concerns and items of interest are logged into their daily care-giving sheets and/or the Clear Care telephony system.

9. What type of care will I be provided?

Any care you will be provided will be based on your expressed needs that you will list on the profile that we ask you to fill out. AMAH’s Heart provides independent providers that can cover a wide range of needs, all the way from simple Companion Care to Home Helpers that assist with 1st stage dementia, incontinent care and simple bathing and dressing. We also can provide caregivers to assist with the more intensive care of those with Special Needs as in middle stage dementia, strokes, ambulatory issues, caring for two clients at one time and Hospice Care. AMAH offers short- term Transition Care for those just leaving the hospital and in need of temporary assistance to get back to their regular daily schedule, as well as Respite Care for family members in need of a little time off.  It is understood that the Care-giving Provider will provide assistance to you, in order that you may continue to live at home and to have as much control over your home environment and your life as is possible, under the circumstances.

The following descriptions of care-needs are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by those assigned to these positions. They are NOT a comprehensive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts and conditions associated with these positions.

COMPANION:

Primary Responsibilities:

• Provide companionship and conversation.
• Assistance with walking (providing an arm for stabilization) and light exercise.
• Meal preparation and clean-up of meal related items.
• Provide appointment and timely reminders.

HOME HELPER:

Primary Responsibilities:

1. All primary services of companion.
2. All "hands on" personal care (assistance with bathing, dressing and toileting)
3. All chore work.
4. Dementia care (first stages)
5. Incidental Transportation
6. Assistance with ambulation and transferring, using appropriate safety gear.
7. "Light" transfers- ie: gait belt, hands-on, etc. Client has ability to assist in transfer.

SPECIAL NEEDS:

Primary Responsibilities:

1. Challenging behavior management.
2. Care of two clients at one time.
3. Hospice Care
4. Special Situations: Night monitoring, oxygen usage, "heavy" transfer (Hoyer, lift, etc.)

24 HOUR/LIVE-IN:

Primary Responsibilities:

1. All primary responsibilities of a companion and home helper services as well as assisting throughout the night and recording the number of times assistance is needed.
2. Preparation of morning meal and clean-up of related items.
    
   Again, you are asked to keep AMAH’s Heart apprised of any needs or concerns as they occur. All parties involved (you, AMAH’s Heart and the Care-giving Provider) understand that initially the care-giving provider is being used as an alternative to an assisted care facility. Should the need eventually arise for you to seek alternative care, we ask that you give us a much notice as possible, in order to ensure your provider that they will be placed as soon as possible with another client.

10. What types of care shifts can I be provided with?

AMAH’s Heart provides care to our clients in two hour shift increments, with a minimum of two hours assessed to them. We feel very strongly that the value of the services that are provided you far outweigh the small   cost of this minimum shift charge. Based on the needs established by your answers in the profile, AMAH will determine how many of these two hour increments you will need. As you probably saw above, we do provide 24 hour care, as well as live-in care (usually five days on and two days off, with room and board provided, as well as a weekly compensation rate with two days off). Please make sure you tell us if you’re interested in this sort of shift coverage.

11. Do I establish my own rates of pay for the care-giving provider?

Generally rates for care-giving, as they apply to the different scopes of work, have already been established and AMAH feels that these rates are fair and competitive within the industry.  You and your care-giving provider are free to change these rates, again keeping AMAH’s Heart apprised, in writing, of any changes, additions or deletions.

12. What will I be charged for the services you provide?

It depends on what your needs are, as we’ve established from your profile and our discussions with you and your family. Note: you are not paying for the time the care-giving provider spends driving to and from your residence. Should the need arise, and if requested by the care-giving provider, compensation for mileage to and from your residence will be negotiated.  We will go over the rates with you, as we are with filling out your “getting to know you” profile.

If the care giving provider uses their vehicle for errands or transporting you, there is a negotiated per mile charge assessed as well. We ask that, if you require any “training” time prior to the start of any caregiving provider’s initial shift, the caregiving provider(s) be compensated for this, at the normal shift rate.

Your Care Management Package with AMAH’s Heart includes the use of a telephony tracking system for your care-giving providers. All of your providers will be logging in and out of the system, which keeps track of their shifts, their mileage and any extra charges. Shifts normally cut-off at midnight on Friday’s, except for those working weekends of course. Those shifts will cut off at midnight on Sunday’s. Your care-giving providers know that they MUST have their invoices turned into the book-keeper by their specific cut-off time.  Their invoices are then matched to what the Clear Care system has for them. This is a great checks and balances system afforded you.

If you have internet capability, your invoice will be emailed to you from the book-keeper on Saturday’s. If you do have week-end shifts being covered, you should receive yours no later than Monday morning.   Payment is expected upon receipt. The easiest way to pay is using the online banking “click and pay” that is found at the bottom of each of your weekly invoices. This is a safe and private means of paying and assures that your care-giving provider will be compensated in a timely manner.

Payments can also be dropped off at our office located at 426 Sutton Way, Suite 107, Grass Valley. And of course you can mail it, as long as it is received by the Friday of that same week, at 10 AM.  Checks are made payable to AMAH’s Heart.  All payments are deposited directly into a designated Client Income Account, separate from our General Fund account. It is used specifically to compensate the care-giving providers.  Currently, we cannot accept credit card payments. Please keep in mind that your caregiving provider can not be compensated until you have paid AMAH’s Heart.

In addition, we would be happy to work with your insurance carrier, should you have long term care or other type coverage available that covers your care costs.

13. Will my care-giving provider work holidays?

Most likely. Charges for services provided for certain holidays will be assessed differently though. The following holidays will be  assessed  @ one and a half times the regular shift rate:

• Christmas Eve (after 6 PM) and Christmas Day;
• New Year’s Eve (after 6 PM) and New Year’s Day;
• Easter
• Memorial Day
• 4th of July
• Labor Day

14. What if my needs change?

AMAH’s Heart reserves the right to modify the description of the care we provide to you. Any changes will be based on our conversations with you and the care-giving provider, as well as monthly “need assessment” reports and the daily care-giving notes. No changes to your care will ever be made without your consent. But should a change in care become apparent, we do everything we can to assist you. Once the new changes are agreed to- your contract will be amended. Any modifications to a care-giving provider’s responsibilities are made in order to keep you safe and to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities, both mental and physical. As you know, it’s just the nature of senior care that things eventually change. Should you become unable to care for yourself as independently as you do now, and you still desire to stay at home, AMAH’s Heart expects that the care-giving provider will want to re-negotiate the original compensation rate, again based on a needs assessment between you, the care-giving provider and AMAH. Any change to the initial shift rate charge will in the form of an addendum to your contract.

15. What are some of the other responsibilities of my care-giving provider?

Even though these might be considered secondary responsibilities, we do  take them just as seriously as the primary care responsibilities:

• Contribute to your positive living climate for the overall quality of life.
• Record hours and duties performed on the Clear Care telephony system and/or in the provided “Daily Schedule” sheets.
• Participate in monthly needs assessments.

16. What are some of the other requirements expected from the care-giving provider?

They are expected, as an Independent Contractor providing care-giving services, under contract with you AND as part of AMAH’s Heart Registry, to be able to show proof that they are current on all their vaccines: Flu, Hepatitis B and TB. A copy of these current vaccination records are available for your records.  In addition, they will show a current certification of the First Aid/CPR class, as well as any other applicable training needed for your type of care. They have signed an authorization consenting to allow AMAH’s Heart to perform certain background checks which will have been performed prior to their joining out network. In addition they will have submitted proof of a “clean” DMV record.

Theywill also have provided us with proof that they have a current driver’s license, registration and insurance on their vehicle, if you have need of them transporting you. If they are placed in a position that requires the usage of your car to provide transportation for them, AMAH’s Heart must have a current registration form and insurance certificate on file. And,    please keep in mind, that you must have a reliable, safe, well-running vehicle in order for them to transport you anywhere, any distance.

17. What is the care-giving provider accidentally breaks something while on shift?

Part of your contract with AMAH’s Heart will have a provision that states that the care-giving provider will not be held responsible for MINOR accidental breakages of your possessions. If they have been grossly negligent, then they will be held responsible for damages and replacement of  the item broken.  We’ll all talk about it and decide what’s fair.

Most client’s have homeowners insurance to cover the more expensive   items.  It is highly recommended that you check with your homeowner’s insurance agent to discuss the fact that you have someone working in your home now.

18. What if it doesn't work out with the care-giving provider I am matched with?

If for ANY reason you OR the care-giving provider do not feel this is a good match, AMAH’s Heart will attempt to assign you someone else, as expeditiously as possible.  Should two such matching periods go by without a “good” match, your care needs will be immediately reviewed and it may be advisable for you to seek assistance elsewhere.

We’d love to have you join our network.

You can call or email us at amahsheart@yahoo.com  and we’d be happy to set a time for us to come visit with you and do our preliminary assessment.  Either way, we look forward to being of service.