Hourly rates, weekly billing, holiday rates and cancellation terms — what to ask any agency before you sign anything.
The first question to ask any home care provider is whether the rate changes by task. Ours does not: $35 per hour covers companionship, personal care, meals, mobility and memory support alike.
Ask how billing works. We invoice weekly, with payment due on Mondays by check, cash or Zelle, so there are never surprise month-end balances.
Ask about holidays. Six major holidays are billed at one and a half times the standard rate, and that should be written down before care begins.
Ask about cancellations. We ask for 24 hours' notice, which protects both the household and the caregiver's income.
Finally, ask what is excluded. Non-medical care never includes nursing, medication administration or clinical procedures — and any provider that blurs that line is a risk.
