Frequently Asked Questions
Find quick answers to common questions about our services, care process, and what to expect when working with us.
1. About Home Care Services
Home care provides non-medical support to help individuals remain safe, comfortable, and independent at home. Services include help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, companionship, and more. Home health care, on the other hand, involves medical services such as physical therapy or wound care delivered by licensed healthcare professionals under a doctor’s orders.
We provide a wide range of non-medical home care services, including personal care (like bathing, dressing, and grooming), companionship, light housekeeping, meal preparation, medication reminders, transportation, respite care, and specialized care for Alzheimer’s, dementia, and chronic conditions.
Home care is ideal for older adults who want to age in place but need assistance with daily tasks. It also benefits individuals recovering from surgery or illness, people with disabilities, and family caregivers who need respite support.
Personal care includes hands-on assistance with bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and mobility.
Companion care offers help with light housekeeping, errands, conversation, and social engagement.
Specialized care involves tailored support for specific needs such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, or post-hospital recovery.
Common signs include difficulty with daily activities, forgetfulness, unsteady walking, poor hygiene, isolation, or caregiver burnout in family members. If you’re unsure, we offer a free consultation to help assess your loved one’s needs.
2. Getting Started
Getting started is simple—just contact us via phone at (877) 707-9111 or through our website. We’ll schedule a free in-home or virtual consultation to understand your needs and create a personalized care plan.
Yes, we provide a free, no-obligation consultation where we learn about your loved one’s needs, answer your questions, and recommend a personalized care plan.
A Care Manager visits your home to discuss your loved one’s daily routines, medical conditions, preferences, and goals. This helps us match the right caregiver and build a care plan that’s just right.
Services can often begin within 24 to 48 hours after the initial consultation, depending on your needs and caregiver availability.
Yes, we offer flexible care plans, including short-term or trial care, to ensure you’re comfortable before making a longer commitment.
Unlike most other agencies, we do not have a minimum weekly hours requirement. In addition, our minimum shift length is as short as 3 hours!
With ApexCare, you can start with as little as one (1) three (3) hour shift per week.
3. Caregiver Information
All caregivers undergo a rigorous hiring process, including background checks, multiple rounds of interviews, and a skills evaluation to ensure they meet our high standards of professionalism and compassion.
Yes, our caregivers receive ongoing training in areas like personal care, dementia, infection control, and safety protocols.
Our care management team also performs training sessions in our clients’ homes to ensure that our care meets the unique needs of each client.
We understand how important consistency is when it comes to caregiving. While we strive to assign a regular caregiver whenever possible, there may be times when a change is necessary due to illness, schedule changes, or other circumstances. This is a normal part of home care, and when it happens, we work closely with you to find a replacement caregiver who is well-matched to your loved one’s personality, care needs, and preferences.
While we understand the desire to choose a specific caregiver, we do not offer caregiver selection as part of our process. This is because caregiver schedules and availability can change frequently, and we want to ensure consistent, reliable care that aligns with your loved one’s needs and schedule. That said, we take great care in matching each client with a caregiver based on experience, personality, and care requirements.
If you’re ever unhappy with a caregiver for any reason, please don’t hesitate to call us. Your comfort and satisfaction are important to us, and we’ll work quickly to find a suitable replacement.
We have a team of trained caregivers ready to step in if your regular caregiver is unavailable, ensuring that care continues without interruption.
4. Scheduling and Flexibility
At ApexCare, we prioritize flexibility. Unlike many home care agencies that require a minimum of 15–20 hours per week and 4-hour shifts, we have no weekly minimum requirement. Our only minimum is a 3-hour shift.
This means you can schedule as little as one 3-hour visit per week—perfect for clients who need occasional support or are just getting started with home care. We understand that every family’s needs are different and may change over time, and we’re here to adapt with you. Our goal is to make care simple, responsive, and easy to access.
Yes, we provide both 24/7 and live-in care options for clients who require continuous support and supervision.
For live-in care, we do not charge overtime for hours beyond eight per day. In fact, our live-in rates are more cost-effective than our standard hourly rates. We recognize that live-in care can be a significant financial commitment, and we’re committed to working with families to make it as affordable and accessible as possible.
Absolutely. We offer flexible scheduling and can adjust care as your needs change.
You can contact your local office or Care Coordinator directly to request changes. We’re always happy to accommodate evolving needs.
5. Costs and Payment
Our rates vary depending on the region and the type of care needed. We encourage you to call us—we’re happy to provide clear, upfront pricing based on your specific situation.
At ApexCare, we’re committed to keeping our pricing competitive and transparent. Unlike many other agencies, we don’t charge extra for overnight or weekend care, or for higher levels of care. We also don’t apply overtime charges for shifts longer than eight hours. This can result in significant savings—especially for clients needing extended care.
Yes! We work with most long-term care insurance providers and can assist you with the paperwork, claims, and billing process.
Our team has extensive experience navigating long-term care insurance and will help ensure everything is set up correctly for smooth, timely reimbursement. We’re here to make the process as easy and stress-free as possible.
Home care services are generally not covered by Medicare.
However, in California, Medi-Cal may offer limited home care benefits through programs like CalAIM (California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal). Eligibility varies, so please contact us—we’ll be happy to help you understand your options and determine whether you may qualify for assistance through the CalAIM program.
We bill our private pay clients on a weekly basis and offer an automatic payment feature that processes payments each Wednesday, following the end of the weekly billing cycle. This convenient option eliminates the hassle of managing payments and helps keep accounts current with minimal effort.
Invoices are typically emailed for quick delivery, but we’re happy to mail paper copies if you prefer. We also provide access to a secure online client portal, where you can view all invoices, track payment status, and manage your account at any time.
While we do not offer sliding scale fees, we’re committed to helping families find affordable care solutions. Our team can assist you in exploring funding options, including long-term care insurance and state benefit programs.
One key way we help reduce costs is by not charging overtime for shifts longer than eight hours. For clients who need extended or around-the-clock care, this can result in significant savings over time.
6. Safety and Oversight
Our Care Managers actively monitor care through regular supervisory visits, client check-ins, and ongoing caregiver training. We encourage open communication and welcome feedback so we can make adjustments quickly when needed.
Each client receives a personalized care plan tailored to their unique needs and preferences. We also use a proprietary internal application that helps us track care quality, ensure follow-through, and uphold our commitment to being the brightest light in the lives of the clients we serve.
Yes. ApexCare is fully licensed, bonded, and insured to operate in the state of California. We are regulated by the Home Care Services Bureau and our Home Care Organization number is 344700006.
We have 24/7 on-call support. In an emergency, caregivers follow established protocols and contact family members, emergency services, and our office immediately.
Experienced Care Managers supervise all caregivers, conduct regular quality checks, and are available to families for ongoing support.
We check in regularly via calls and home visits to ensure care is meeting expectations. You’ll always have a point of contact to share updates or concerns.
Our care team develops a client specific care plan for each client to ensure that we uphold our mission to be the brightest light in the lives of our clients.
7. Family Communication
Yes, communication is a top priority. We provide regular updates, and you can always reach out to our Care Managers with questions or concerns.
Yes, we offer a family portal where you can view caregiver schedules, care logs, and communicate with our team.
We absolutely value open communication between families and caregivers. However, to ensure the highest level of care coordination and oversight, your primary point of contact should always be your Client Success Manager.
If you have any questions, concerns, or updates, please reach out to your Client Success Manager directly. To maintain clear boundaries and protect client privacy, our Care Partners do not share their personal phone numbers and are not permitted to contact clients outside of scheduled visits.
By routing all communication through our Care Management team, we can ensure that your loved one’s care is well-managed, consistent, and responsive to any changes in needs.
If you have any questions, concerns, or updates, please reach out to your Client Success Manager directly. To maintain clear boundaries and protect client privacy, our Care Partners do not share their personal phone numbers and are not permitted to contact clients outside of scheduled visits.
By routing all communication through our Care Management team, we can ensure that your loved one’s care is well-managed, consistent, and responsive to any changes in needs.
8. Specialized Needs
Yes, we specialize in memory care. Our caregivers are trained to provide compassionate, safe, and structured support for individuals with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.
Yes. We work closely with hospice providers to offer compassionate support during end-of-life care. Our focus is on providing comfort, companionship, and personal care to both the client and their family during this deeply important time.
Our Care Partners receive specialized training in hospice and end-of-life care, ensuring they are prepared to meet the unique emotional and physical needs of clients in these settings with dignity, sensitivity, and respect.
Yes. As a non-medical home care agency, our caregivers can provide medication reminders and assist clients in taking medications that have been pre-dispensed or prepared by a family member or licensed professional. However, we are not permitted to administer medications or manage pill boxes, dosing, or prescription changes.
Regarding medical equipment, our caregivers can assist with non-clinical tasks, such as helping clients use mobility aids or ensuring equipment is positioned safely. We are not authorized to handle or operate equipment that requires a medical or clinical license.
If you’re unsure whether a specific task falls within our scope, we’re happy to clarify and help coordinate with the appropriate medical professionals if needed.
We do our best to match clients with caregivers who speak their preferred language. Let us know your needs and we’ll do our best to accommodate.
9. COVID-19 and Infection Control
In the case of a COVID-19 or related outbreak, our Care Partners would follow strict hygiene, mask, and sanitization protocols.
We update our procedures based on CDC and local health guidance.
The majority of our caregivers are or have been vaccinated. At this time, there is no longer any COVID-19 vaccination requirement. As a result, we are no longer requiring this vaccination from our Care Partners.
If needed, we can accommodate specific requests regarding vaccination status whenever possible.
We have contingency plans in place and stay informed on the latest public health guidelines to ensure uninterrupted and safe care.
10. About the Company
ApexCare has been in operation since 1992 and has served thousands of individuals and families throughout Northern California.
We’re known for our highly personalized care, experienced team, quick responsiveness, and commitment to treating every client like family. We don’t just provide care—we create relationships.
Yes, ApexCare is proudly locally owned and operated. We’re deeply invested in the communities we serve.
We serve clients throughout Northern and Central California. We have five (5) offices to serve you:
- Sacramento, – Serving Sacramento and Placer counties.
- Stockton – Serving San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.
- Vacaville – Serving Yolo and Solano counties.
- Napa – Serving Napa and Sonoma counties.
- Concord – Serving Contra Costa and Alameda counties.
