History
Homewatch CareGivers started in 1980 in Denver, Colorado as a home watch and in-home care business. The company grew through the years and franchised in 1997. Homewatch has franchise offices in most states. The company also operates in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, Japan, and other countries. To find an office near you, go to the Homewatch CareGivers corporate web page and click on the state you prefer.
About Our Caregivers
We use the highest standards when selecting caregivers and staff. Our caregivers are required to have a minimum of 3 years' experience, but most have 10 to 20 years' experience, and some have even more. Each caregiver must pass a thorough background check consisting of California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records, Superior and mulicipal criminal and civil court records nationwide, and social security records (so we know this is the person we are talkin with and not a relative). We also check personal and professional references. We realize no one wants a "parade of faces" through their home, and that's why we try to provide the same caregiver every time. We believe is supplying you with a quality caregiver, not simply a warm, breathing body. We try very hard to match caregivers and clients, and we get it right about 90 percent of the time. Clients and their families can choose to rely on our recommendation for a caregiver, or they can interview caregivers prior to the start of care. There is no charge to interview caregivers. We require all of our caregivers to speak fluent English and to provide care in a compassionate way "from the heart." Many of the caregivers drive, but some do not (so tell us if you need transportation or not).
Safety & Security
We believe our clients should not put their assets or insurance at risk in the event a caregiver is injured at their home. That's why we carry worker's compensation insurance. Because caregivers are our employees, our worker's compensation policy covers their injury. If you have a home in California, you also have worker's compensation insurance as part of your homeowner's insurance policy. But it makes no sense for you to use that policy in the event of an injury, when we can use our policy. This protects your insurance from exposure to a rate hike stemming from a claim. In addition, we carry liability insurance to cover any losses stemming from a mistake made by a caregiver. We also have a bond to cover your loss should a caregiver take something from your home. On this last point, we have never had a problem with our caregivers. Part of our success stems from the fact that we pay our caregivers better than most other companies, and we recommend to our client families that they remove small valuable or sentimental objects (rings, etc.) from their homes prior to the start of care. We also recommend video taping or photographing the objects and each room prior to the start of care. This is not only beneficial for caregiving purposes, but it can provide proof of a loss to your insurance company in the event of a fire, earthquake, mud slide, or other disaster.
Taxes, Payroll & Invoicing
Because caregivers are our employees (not yours), we (not you) assume responsibility for all local, state and federal employer, payroll, EDD and other taxes. We use a Certified Public Accountancy (CPA) firm in Burlingame to ensure state and federal taxes are filed correctly. The firm also generates our payroll. Our company invoices clients or a designated "guarantor" weekly, which means no cash should ever be exchanged between the client and caregiver. We believe in providing service first, and then invoicing for it. Invoices are generated weekly, and we ask that clients or guarantors pay weekly as well. We invoice only for care services and gasoline reimbursement, if the caregiver drives the client. The gas reimbursement is a pass-through cost invoices at the rate recommended by the Internal Revenue Service. Unlike other home care companies, we do not charge for an initial meeting, we do not charge a deposit of any kind, and we do not charge extra for cooking meals or any other service that we may provide.
24 Hour Access
Our client's satisfaction is the key to our success. That's why we are open 24 hours per day every day of the year to serve our clients and their families, friends, conservators and attorneys. We answer our phones in person, but there are occasions when we may not be able to get to the phone in time and you will be asked to leave a message. If this occurs, rest assured we will get back to you as soon as we can. It usually only takes a few minutes to return your call. However, if we are in a meeting, it may take up to an hour.
