I took the next step in the pursuit of home care for Kate. I called a agency that was a top recommendation of the social worker at Kate’s physicians’s practice. I spoke with the son-in-law of the owner(s). They introduced this national franchise to the Knoxville area in 2011. The first one began in California in the late 1990s.
I explained our situation to and told him that I was planning ahead. I explained that I did not envision initiating home care in the next couple of months. I also told him that I would probably start on a small scale, perhaps just four hours one day a week and increasing the service as Kate required more attention or I needed to be away from the house more.
He told me about their services which entail everything from simply being in the house as a sitter to cooking, bathing, dressing, taking care of medications, etc. They charge by the hour for most things. There is a two-hour minimum at $27.50 hr. Four hours or more is billed at $21.50 hr. Fulltime (24/7) is billed at $19.50. They have another fulltime option that would involve two people. One would work 24/7 for three days, the other four. I think he said that is billed at $272 daily.
He asked if he could call back in next week to see how things are going. I told him he was welcome to call back, but I emphasized that I didn’t envision moving forward in the next couple of months.
