How the Care Hours Calculator Works
The Care Hours Calculator is designed to provide a recommended range of weekly care hours based on the unique needs and priorities of the care recipient. It factors in specific care tasks, caregiver consistency importance, and whether the recipient has Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia to create a personalized care plan recommendation.
This tool is not a rigid requirement but rather a valuable guide to ensure the recipient receives the right level of care to support their well-being and independence. It empowers families to make informed decisions while balancing quality care with scheduling feasibility.
Economical Approach
(12-24 hours per week)
Where client truly understands and is accepting of more likely Care Pro turnover and routine fill-ins. Here, the client is mostly placing the completion of the tasks as the priority above Care Pro and client relationships and consistency. Client flexibility with scheduling can be of great importance to improve the consistency of Care Pros involved in the care plan.
Outcome Centered Approach
(25-35 hours per week)
Where client is concerned about the frequency of Care Pro changes but is also focused on saving as much money as possible. We will strive to maintain a minimum of 25 hours per week with more emphasis on consistent days and time blocks that allow us to pair the Care Pro with another client seeking similar hours to make full time hours for Care Pros.
Person Centered Approach
(Greater than 35 hours per week)
Where the relationship before tasks is truly at the center of care delivery. Clients in this group will get all of the tasks, outcomes and someone that truly becomes part of the family. Routines are most established and future health episodes are often prevented. This approach is often viewed as an alternative to large scale facilitated living plans.
Have Questions? Call Sharon at 770-392-8952 or schedule a quick call with her at your convenience using her calendar link below!
Sources for Task Time Estimates
National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) – Provides industry standards for personal care services. www.nahc.org
Activated Insights (formerly Home Care Pulse) – Reports based on data from home care agencies regarding caregiver task durations. www.activatedinsights.com
AARP Caregiving Reports – Offers insights into time commitments for family caregivers. www.aarp.org
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) – Caregiving Resources – Includes task breakdowns and caregiver expectations. www.hhs.gov
National Institute on Aging (NIA) – Reliable health information, task breakdowns, safety considerations, and guidance for Alzheimer’s/dementia caregivers. www.nia.nih.gov
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