Frequently Asked Questions
Answers for every season
Choosing in-home care is a big decision. Here are answers to the questions families ask us most — and if you don’t see yours, our Care Support Team is always happy to help.
About Care & Company
What services does Care & Company provide?
Our Care Support Team understands the importance of receiving just the right amount of professional support to ensure optimum health, safety, and emotional wellness.
In our commitment to help our clients flourish in every season of life, we’ve developed a unique set of customizable services proven to support the independence of our clients. From weekly companionship and assisted transportation to short-term respite and daily dementia care, our committed caregivers seamlessly fill in the gaps. Our Care Support Team can easily adapt the following services to meet our clients’ changing needs:
✓Companion-Assisted Transportation
✓Companion Care
✓Short-Term Care
✓Post-Op Recovery Care
✓In-Home Foot Care
✓Respite Care
✓Housekeeping Services
✓Healthy Meal Prep
✓Dementia Care
✓24-Hour Live-In Care
✓Handyman Services
What sets Care & Company apart from other care providers?
Two things set Care & Company apart. Firstly, we are locally owned and operated, so all profits stay right here in our communities to support Canadian businesses and families.
Secondly, Care & Company is dedicated to providing holistic, relationship-based care. We know (and science has proven) that relationships are like vitamins for the soul. Our care centres on the whole person, not simply meeting physical needs.
What communities does Care & Company serve?
Our Care Support Team, based in Victoria, BC, provides in-home care services to the surrounding communities of Saanich, Sidney, Brentwood Bay, North Saanich, Oak Bay, Esquimalt, View Royal, Langford, Colwood, Highlands, Metchosin, and Sooke. Our second office serves Nanaimo and the surrounding communities of Nanoose Bay, Lantzville, Qualicum and Parksville.
Located outside our service region? Don’t hesitate to contact our office. We are expanding our service areas and will do our best to accommodate your care needs.
How long has Care & Company been in business?
Care & Company has been in operation since 2005 — that’s 20+ years of experience providing relationship-centred in-home care services.
We’ve learned much along the way, and all of that learning has enabled our Care Support Team to create systems and processes specifically designed to meet the unique and changing needs of our clients and their families. More than two decades of aging-related experience enables us to be a trusted guide for families as they navigate what could otherwise be an uncertain and stressful season.
Questions About Care
How do I know if my loved one needs in-home care?
Recognizing the need for in-home care can be challenging for family members who double as primary caregivers. Common signs include difficulty with daily tasks, mobility issues, forgetfulness, loneliness, or daily concerns over health and physical safety.
If you are noticing one or more of these signs, please contact our Care Support Team. We will create a Personalized Care Plan tailored to meet your loved one’s needs while providing you with invaluable support and peace of mind.
How are your caregivers trained and qualified to provide in-home care?
While many members of our Care Support Team have formal training as LPNs and Home Care Aides (HCAs), others have received in-house training for non-medical roles like Companion Care. Additionally, we have developed our own internal caregiver training to help fill in the gaps between technical theory and the art of providing excellent client-centred care.
Our team is committed to growth and learning. Throughout the year, we partner with occupational therapists, RNs, physiotherapists and other community care professionals to ensure our care staff are continuously challenged and encouraged in their professional development.
How does Care & Company support their caregiving staff?
We believe our Care Support Team members are some of the hardest-working, most compassionate people we’ve ever met. Their work can be both physically and emotionally challenging — while also being immensely meaningful and rewarding.
So that our staff can dedicate their full focus to client care, we pay our caregivers higher-than-living-wage pay, plus health care reimbursement benefits for full-time employees. Our Care Support Team has regular check-ins with caregivers to provide advice, logistical support or administrative assistance when challenges arise.
Though care schedules can make it challenging, our team members enjoy gathering for company-wide events throughout the year. From Christmas parties to Canada Day parades, it’s always a joy to be together in person!
What questions should I ask when searching for a prospective senior care provider?
1. How will you customize care for my loved one’s unique and changing needs?
Excellent care requires personalized plans and customizable solutions. Ask a potential care provider what practical steps they take to create a care plan tailored to your loved one’s unique and changing needs. Many companies will promise but not all are able to deliver. Ask company representatives for examples to back up their promises.
2. Can my loved one expect to receive care from consistent caregivers?
Building meaningful relationships is important in every season of life, but rarely is it more important than for seniors who look to caregiver visits to brighten their days and provide an important source of companionship. Ask if consistency of caregivers is a priority for the care provider you are interviewing. Is this care provider concerned only with your loved one’s physical needs? How do they support the emotional wellness of their clients?
3. What range of care services do you provide?
Managing care for a loved one can be a complex task. Is the care provider you are interviewing able to provide a wide range of services so you can minimize stress and enjoy one-stop shopping for care support services like meal prep, home repairs or caregiver-assisted transportation? An excellent care provider will offer solutions for reducing stress and worry so families can enjoy their precious time with loved ones.
What advice would you give to someone just starting to consider in-home care?
“Start small, but start early.”
This is, hands down, our Care Support Team’s number one piece of advice. Don’t wait for a fall or illness to ask for help. If your loved one would like to age in place, enjoying the familiar comforts of home and neighbourhood, they will benefit from even a small amount of support.
Something as simple as help with meal prep, transportation to medical appointments, a weekly companionship visit or in-home foot care will help bridge the “independence gap” that has so many seniors believing they have to do it all on their own.
Welcoming just a little help expands your loved one’s support network and provides your family with invaluable peace of mind, with a professional care team in your corner.
We receive government-funded care from VIHA but need more help. Can you work with VIHA?
Yes. Our Care Support Team works with our clients and their VIHA care schedules to customize supplemental care that fills in the gaps where public health provision falls short.
I don’t live nearby. How does your team communicate with out-of-town family?
Our Care Support Team will be your hands and feet when you can’t be there. We have plenty of experience serving clients whose children live all across North America.
We’ve integrated the latest software to connect clients with their families, caregivers and our Care Support Team: caregivers add updates, families can ask questions, and our team always stays in the loop. Whether you’re across town or across the country, excellent communication is essential for quality care and peace of mind.
Are all of your caregivers insured and bonded?
Yes. All of our caregivers are covered by E&O insurance, are bonded, and have been thoroughly vetted with a current vulnerable sector police record check and a current first aid certificate.
What happens if I need to change or discontinue services?
We understand that the nature of aging and in-home care is that needs are constantly changing. As per our contract, there is a 30-day written notice requirement to end care, except in the case of death. Thirty days’ notice remains a requirement for any client who chooses MAiD, as this is a scheduled event.
Costs, Caregivers & More
How do you protect our family’s personal information?
Our Care Support Team is trained in confidentiality procedures to ensure the secure handling and protection of our clients’ information. Personal Care Plans and caregiver communications are shared only with assigned care workers.
What are the costs of Care & Company’s home care services?
The following rates are intended as a general guide.
During a Personalized Care Plan Visit, a member of our Care Support Team will be able to advise where even a small amount of targeted professional care could make a significant impact or where customized services could be combined to increase affordability.
2-hour shift
$60/hr
3-hour shift
$55/hr
In-home foot care
$120 per service
Companion-assisted transportation
$55/hr
Wheelchair-accessible assisted transportation
$65/hr
Live-in care, with family providing a 3-hour caregiver break
From $650 / 24 hours
Live-in care, with Care & Company providing the 3-hour caregiver break (as per provincial regulations)
$850 / 24 hours
The Consistency Factor
One important financial factor to consider when hiring a care provider is consistency of caregivers. Consistent caregivers not only provide emotional-health benefits in addition to physical health support, but caregiver consistency also provides significant financial benefits by eliminating confusion and increasing care efficiency, allowing maximum care support to be provided during each shift.
Our family needs in-home care support for our loved one but we are concerned about the cost. Can you offer advice?
Our most important piece of advice is to start small, but start early. Families are often surprised to learn how little professional care, when provided in just the right areas, is required to create a significant improvement in their loved one’s quality of life, physical health and emotional wellness.
Our Care Support Team will use The Personalized Care Plan© to advise where small investments in care support could have the greatest impact or where customized services could be combined to increase affordability.
In situations where a more comprehensive care plan is required, we can connect our client families with trusted financial professionals who specialize in supporting those who wish to facilitate their loved one’s wishes to age in place through solutions such as reverse mortgages.
Some families are able to access financial resources available through their health insurance plans or Veterans Affairs. Our Care Support Team can guide you in the right direction to determine if such resources may be available for your family.
How are caregivers matched with clients in The Consistent Care Approach©?
During a Personalized Care Plan Visit, a member of our Care Support Team will ask for details regarding personal history such as employment, interests, hobbies and other preferences.
Our team’s first priority is to match each of our clients with adequate support for physical health and safety needs. After filtering for scheduling considerations, our next priority is to create caregiver matches that will enjoy natural points of connection and conversation.
Our Care Support Team realizes that caregiver matches are more art than science, and not every match will be a perfect fit at the first visit. Understanding that relationships take time, we recommend a trial period of 14 days before requesting a change. While this is the guideline, our Care Support Team will work diligently to make changes should a caregiver match not be the right fit.
Learn more about The Consistent Care Approach©.
Will my family member always receive care from the same caregiver?
At Care & Company, we specialize in The Consistent Care Approach©: our Care Support Team works diligently to achieve consistency of caregivers because we see the relational benefits for our clients, their families and our caregivers.
Of course, there are times when a caregiver may not be available due to illness or other life events. It is with these situations in mind that we arrange for a rotation of two regularly scheduled caregivers, so that our clients can expect to enjoy the comfort and security of a familiar face.
What happens if my family member requires hospitalization?
In situations requiring hospitalization, our Care Support Team will work diligently to ensure your loved one receives continued caregiver support, where possible, during their stay in hospital.
In cases where the length of a hospital stay is undetermined, our Client Care Contract allows for a hold on care. Most families choose to have their caregivers scheduled to provide in-hospital visits; a welcome option for families who appreciate the peace of mind this added care support offers.
Can Care & Company provide short-term care for a family member while I am travelling?
Yes, we specialize in customized, short-term and respite care support solutions. Wherever possible, we do highly recommend that families allow as much lead time as possible so caregiver relationships and routines are well established prior to travel. Regardless of your lead time, reach out to our Care Support Team to learn how we can help provide peace of mind so you can enjoy worry-free travel.
Can your caregivers help with medications?
Yes, our caregivers can assist with medication reminders and administration. Intravenous and injection medication needs require specialized training but can be provided on a case-by-case basis.
Does Care & Company serve adults with physical or developmental health challenges?
Yes, our Care Support Team has experience providing customized care for clients of all ages and abilities. During a Personalized Care Plan Visit, we will assess needs and challenges to determine how our services can best support the dignity, independence and flourishing of your loved one.
Not sure where to start?
We’ll help you find the right fit
Most families start with just one or two services.
Our Care Support Team will help you figure out exactly where a little help would make the biggest difference — no pressure, no obligation. Together we’ll build a Personalized Care Plan that can grow with your loved one.
