Comfort & Care of Tampa Bay
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Comfort & Care of Tampa Bay
In-Home Care Made Easy
We take great care to ensure the in-home care experience is comfortable and stress-free for our clients. Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. Don’t hesitate to contact us for more information at 727-688-0587 or email us.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
In Home Care Service Arrangement
Do I need outside assistance with in-home care?
How do I arrange for service?
You can arrange service over the phone call to 727-688-0587. One of our care coordinators will be glad to speak with you about your needs. Providing answers will make you more aware of what assistance is available and what would be most beneficial to you. The care coordinator will set up an initial assessment to meet with you and/or your loved one in the home.
When can I call the office to arrange or schedule the service?
How quickly are you able to start the services?
Is home care provided only in private residence?
Who will I meet at the initial in-home assesment?
You will meet the owner, registered nurse, or care coordinator (or a combination). An initial assessment is done in your home, not over the telephone. The initial assessment highlights what you can do for yourself. Further, it involves speaking with your oncology provider, family doctor, and any other professionals who provide health and social services to you. Other members of your family are consulted.
How will my experience be different now compare to before COVID-19?
We have implemented several important precautionary measures. They include:
- Screening processes for all clients, caregivers before starting services or scheduling.
- We continue to follow current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.
Does the agency create a plan of care for each new client?
Do I need to sign an agreement to start the service?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Our Care Providers
What services do you provide?
Comfort & Care of Tampa Bay provides a wide range of services.
- Health care (medication management, physician’s appointments, physical therapy)
- Personal care services (bathing, eating, dressing, toileting, grooming)
- Household care services (cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping)
- Social care services (companionship, meaningful activities, conversation)
Registered Nurse provides skilled services that cannot be performed safely and effectively by nonprofessional personnel, which include:
- medication management,
- injections,
- wound care/dressing changes,
- administering an enema,
- education on disease treatment and prevention.
Can caregivers provide transportation?
CNA vs HHA: What is the difference?
Most HHAs work with one patient or a small number of patients in patients’ homes, hospice, nursing homes or care facilities. CNAs work with a wide variety of patients in doctor’s offices, hospitals, surgical centers, and clinics in addition to homes, hospice, nursing homes, and care facilities.
CNAs are certified by the state of Florida and HHAs have a certificate or evidence of successful completion of at least forty hours of home health aide training from a public vocational-technical or non-public career education school.
Are your Home Health Aides (HHA) certified, screened, bonded and insured?
What does your pre-employment screening look like?
We select potential caregivers based on their experience, background, and personality to ensure they are a proper fit for us. This screening process includes:
- Social Security number trace and verification
- Federal and state criminal records, felony and misdemeanor verification
- National sex offender registry check
- DMV record review.
- License/credential verification
- Fraud and Abuse Control Information System (FACIS), which searches for any wrong actions of individuals and entities in the health care field.
- Social networking profile review.
- Prior employment and education verification.
What do you do if the scheduled caregiver doesn't work out?
Comfort & Care of Tampa Bay makes sure that the caregiver we schedule with your loved one is the most qualified for your loved one’s situation and needs. If the assigned caregiver is not as compatible as we hoped, we work quickly to find a replacement.
What if the caregiver doesn't show up for a scheduled shift?
Will I have the same caregiver or will it be somebody different every time?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Client Services and Care Management
Will you coordinate my care with my support team?
How often will someone check to see if I am satisfied with the services provided to me or my loved one?
How can I get status updates on the services the caregivers are providing to my loved one?
How quickly will you respond after business hours?
Please call 727-301-2664, our after-business hours line. It is answered every time you call. Regardless of the time, you can call in an emergency night or day. Our care coordinators respond to your call 24/7 so that you or your loved one can get the help you need.
What is the procedure for receiving and resolving complaints?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Insurance & Billing
Do you accept insurance?
How do I file the insurance claim?
At first, we send the insurance company all the information we need in order to start services, including company credentials and then an initial assessment, as well as the client’s care plan. On Mondays, we submit the invoices and nursing notes to the insurance company directly so that you can receive the reimbursement on time.
Do I pay the caregiver directly? Do I tip the caregiver?
No, you don’t pay your caregiver directly. The caregivers are not allowed to accept tips or gifts. You’ll pay the company directly. For your convenience, we accept personal checks and long-term care insurances. We do not accept Medicare or Medicaid.
How does Comfort & Care handle payment and billing?
Comfort & Care of Tampa Bay bills on a weekly basis with payment due upon receipt each week. We also require a one-week deposit with all new service agreements. For your convenience, we accept personal checks and long-term care insurance. We do not accept Medicare or Medicaid.
Hourly Care
We hire caregivers who work with clients on a recurrent schedule, usually 2 to 5 primary aides for each client to provide certain personal care assistance and household tasks. The assigned caregivers help to fill in for each other, which eliminates the stress on the client and their family to have a temporary substitute.
In order to attract and retain the best caregivers and achieve lasting relationships between our clients and caregivers we ask our clients to engage us for at least 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. It is acceptable to change the hours after your initial start-up, as often the real needs are exposed after the caregiver has started services. The Care Manager will introduce and train the caregiver.