Getting started
How it works
If you have never arranged home care before, here is every step — what happens, who’s involved, and what it costs — with the care agreement and costs explained before you commit.
The short version
Three unhurried steps, and someone to talk to at each one.
-
1
A free care consultation
We meet your family, talk through what’s happening, and answer every question. No pressure and no obligation.
-
2
A care plan built around your loved one
We walk through the home for fall risks, then write a plan and schedule that you approve before anything begins.
-
3
Meet your caregiver
Matched to your loved one’s needs, routine, preferences and personality — and introduced before the first working visit where we can.
1. The first phone call
The first call takes about fifteen minutes. You don’t need paperwork or a diagnosis in front of you — just tell us what’s going on. A care coordinator will ask a few practical questions: who the care is for, what the day looks like now, what’s changed, how soon help is needed, and where you are.
Nothing is decided on that call and nothing is charged. If it sounds like we can help, we arrange a free in-home consultation. If your situation really needs a home-health nurse, therapy or hospice instead, we’ll tell you and point you in the right direction.
You can also start online — a short set of questions — and a coordinator will call you back, as promptly as possible. We aim to respond immediately, including after hours; call our 24/7 number for urgent concerns.
2. The free in-home consultation
A nurse evaluates your care needs, and a coordinator discusses the care plan with you at home — the person needing care, and whichever family members want to be there. It usually takes about an hour. There is no cost and no obligation, and you can end the process at any point.
The consultation covers:
- What a normal day and week look like, and where the difficulties are
- Personal care needs, mobility, meals, medication routine, memory, mood and sleep
- What your loved one wants — their preferences matter as much as the task list
- Who else is involved: family, neighbors, doctors, other services
- The kind of caregiver who would fit — temperament, language, experience
- How many hours, on which days, and roughly what it will cost
- A walk through the home for safety (below)
You come out of it with a clear picture of what care would look like and what it would cost, whether or not you decide to go ahead.
3. The home safety walk-through
Falls are the single biggest risk to someone living at home, and most of the causes are fixable. During the consultation the coordinator walks through the home with you and looks at:
- Entrances — steps, handrails, thresholds, lighting, a clear path to the door
- Floors — loose rugs, trailing cords, clutter in walkways, slippery transitions
- Bathroom — grab bars, a non-slip mat, a shower seat or raised toilet seat, water-temperature safety
- Bedroom — bed height, the route to the bathroom at night, night lights, a phone within reach
- Stairs — handrails on both sides, good lighting, sound treads, a marked top and bottom step
- Kitchen — everyday items within easy reach, stove safety, somewhere to sit for longer tasks
- Lighting throughout, especially on the paths used at night
- Medication — how it’s stored and organized
- Emergencies — working smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms, a reachable phone, emergency contacts, and how a responder would get in
- Mobility aids — canes, walkers and wheelchairs at the right height and in good condition
We’ll suggest simple changes — move a rug, add a night light, fit a grab bar — and flag anything that needs a professional, such as an occupational-therapy assessment or a stairlift. We are not occupational therapists, and we’ll say so where that’s who you need.
4. Your written care plan
After the consultation the coordinator writes a plan of care. It sets out, in plain language:
- Exactly what help will be provided on each visit
- The days and times, and how long each visit is
- Your loved one’s routine and preferences, so any caregiver can follow them
- Safety notes and things to watch for and report
- Who to contact, and in what order, if something changes
You read it and approve it before any care starts. It is reviewed as needs change, and it is only altered with your agreement. You always have a copy.
5. Scheduling
Care usually begins within one or two days. Same-day care may be possible for urgent needs, including hospital discharge, depending on caregiver availability and the assessment. Schedules are normally planned one to two weeks ahead.
Once the plan is approved, we assign a caregiver — matched to it, not just available — and set the regular schedule. Where we can, the caregiver is introduced before their first working visit.
- You have a small, regular team rather than a different person each visit.
- If your regular caregiver is on leave or unwell, a caregiver briefed on the care plan covers, and we tell you in advance whenever possible.
- You can add visits, change times or adjust hours by calling the office — 24 hours’ notice is required, and we do our best with less.
6. Billing
Pricing is provided after a nurse evaluates your needs. Visits have a five-hour minimum, with no minimum weekly hours. There is currently no additional rate for evening, overnight or live-in care. Invoices are issued weekly or every two weeks, as agreed. We accept checks and bank transfers. No deposit or card on file is required.
You are billed only for the care actually provided. Invoices come on a regular cycle, with the visits itemized so you can see exactly what you paid for.
Private pay is our primary focus, and we also work with long-term care insurance and Veterans benefits. Selectives also participates as a Maryland Medicaid provider under the Community Options Program; Medicaid services are subject to eligibility, authorization, program requirements, service availability and other applicable requirements. Contact our care team to discuss your needs and available options.
7. Changing or canceling care
Care agreements run for a minimum of three months. Changing a single visit and ending the agreement are handled separately:
- A single visit — give 24 hours’ notice to change or cancel it; there is no late cancellation fee.
- More or fewer hours — call the coordinator; we update the plan and the schedule.
- A pause — for a hospital stay, a family visit or travel, contact us to agree changes within your care agreement.
- Stopping — give two weeks’ notice to cancel the care agreement.
8. After hours and emergencies
In a medical emergency, the caregiver — or you — calls 911 first, then the Selectives office, then the family contacts listed in the care plan.
For anything else, call 443-847-4057 at any time: the owner answers the same number 24/7 for new inquiries and urgent care concerns, including a caregiver not arriving.
Common questions about getting started
Is the consultation really free?
Yes. The first phone call and the in-home consultation cost nothing and commit you to nothing. You only pay once care has been agreed and has started.
How quickly can care begin?
Usually within one or two days. For urgent needs such as a hospital discharge, same-day care may be possible — it depends on the assessment and on caregiver availability.
Do I have to sign a long-term contract?
The care agreement has a minimum term of three months, and you can end it with two weeks’ notice. Individual visits are separate: change or cancel one with 24 hours’ notice, and there is no late cancellation fee.
What if I need to change the schedule?
Call the office. You can add visits, change times or adjust hours — 24 hours’ notice is required and we do our best with less. Changes to the plan of care are confirmed with you and written down.
Who do I call at night or on the weekend?
The same number, 443-847-4057 — it is answered 24/7, including if a caregiver hasn’t arrived. In a medical emergency, call 911 first.
What happens if our regular caregiver is sick?
A caregiver who has been briefed on your care plan covers the visit, and we let you know in advance whenever possible. Because the plan is written down, cover care follows the same routine.
Ready to talk it through?
The first call is free and there’s no obligation. Tell us what’s happening and we’ll take it from there.