Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Home Care FAQs in Fort Myers, Florida

What services do Nurizon at Home® offer?

We provide hourly, daily, overnight, and live-in care to help you live your best life at home. Our experienced, certified caregivers are trained to provide personal care services such as showering, hygiene, meal preparation and planning, light house cleaning, laundry and linens, medication reminders, and transportation for errands, doctor’s appointments, shopping and recreational activities.

How is home care different than assisted living or skilled nursing care?

While home care can be used to describe both medical and non-medical care, Nurizon at Home provides non-medical care, which includes companionship, homemaking services and assistance with personal care as well as any activities of everyday daily living.

What kinds of clients do Nurizon at Home® serve?

Each client is unique so we accommodate a wide spectrum of scenarios. Most of our services are provided for older adults and adult couples who could use some assistance to remain as independent as possible and flourish as they age with dignity and purpose. Our services also are available for any person over 21 years of age including the disabled, those recovering from surgery, and individuals who just need some companionship.

Do you have round-the-clock services?

Yes. Our services can be scheduled for as little as a few hours a visit or up to 24-hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We try to work out a regular schedule while remaining flexible to change the schedule as needed. Normally we require a 4-hour minimum shift, except in the case of veterans whose hours are set by the Veterans Choice Program.

What do your services cost?

Nurizon at Home offers the highest quality of care in the industry at market rates in line with other home health agencies in Central Florida. Hourly rates depend on the number of hours scheduled and the client’s individual needs, so we generally discuss our rates with you during the initial assessment meeting.

Are your Care Ambassadors certified, bonded and insured?

Yes. Care Ambassadors who provide personal care are: (1) Certified Nursing Assistants, licensed by the Florida Board of Nursing, or (2) Certified Home Health Aides, certified according to Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration regulations. Nurizon at Home is a Home Health Agency licensed by the state of Florida (License # 299995437). We carry $1 million per claim in commercial and professional liability, non-owned and hired auto. Our employees are covered by workers’ compensation insurance coverage. We carry a crime bond on all employees.

Are your Care Ambassadors employees or contractors?

All Nurizon at Home® caregivers are well-compensated W-2 employees with benefits. We withhold income taxes and pay all employer payroll taxes. We supervise, train, and manage our caregivers.

When selecting a homecare agency in Florida, beware! Many agencies are set up as “nurse registries” rather than licensed home health agencies. These agencies merely act as brokers for homecare workers, who are not employees of the agency, but rather are “independent contractors.” When these agencies send homecare workers to your home (sometimes at below market rates) families often don’t realize they are the ones responsible for managing caregivers, withholding taxes, and providing workers compensation and other insurance.

Will I have the same Care Ambassador all the time?

During our initial conversations and in-home visit, we will document the services required and your preferences for an ideal caregiver. We then match a caregiver with your requirements and preferences. Generally, the next step is an introductory meeting between the client and our selected Care Ambassador. During that introduction, we review the plan of care to be sure everyone understands what services will be provided and they are happy with the caregiver presented. We then strive to keep the same Care Ambassador assigned to each client. Of course, if the caregiver is unavailable for any reason and a substitute is needed, another Care Ambassador will be presented.

Are services covered under private insurance or Medicare?

Most private health insurance does not cover personal care services.  Medicare also does not cover non-Medical care intended to help individuals with basic activities of daily living. Consequently, most often,  you or a family member will need to privately pay for our services. However, some seniors have Long Term Care Insurance, which covers certain home health care services. If you have Long Term Care insurance we would be glad to see if we can help you get the coverage started. Some other specific types of insurance such as workers’ compensation and automobile insurance also may cover our services.

What kinds of Veterans Benefits could be available?

If you are a veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran, you could qualify for up to $2,431 per month that can be used to pay for personal care services! We have helped many of our clients to qualify for this tremendous benefit, in partnership with the Veterans Benefit Group of the Care Partnership Institute. You can find more information on our Veterans’ program here

Helpful Connections

General Resources

  • 211 (866-728-8445 toll-free | 2-1-1)
    • 211 is a free 24-hour, telephone-based service that connects callers with local health and human service agencies offering support with food, housing, employment, health care, crisis counseling and other needs.
  • Elder Helpline: Florida Department of Elder Affairs (800-963-5337)
    • The Florida Department of Elder Affairs operates an array of home- and community-based services that promote the well-being, safety and independence of Florida’s seniors. Information on these services, including the Adult Care Food Program, Community Care for the Elderly, the Senior Companion Program and more can be accessed via the Elder Helpline.
    • FloridaHealthFinder, a service of the Agency for Health Care Administration, compares the quality and cost of different health care providers, including hospitals, nursing homes, hospice programs and physicians.
  • ElderSource (888-242-4464), a national database of resources including transportation, low-income services, support groups and home repair. Available in select Florida counties.

Home- and Community-Based Services

  • Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology (FAAST) (850-487-3278)
    • FAAST provides Floridians free access to information, referral services, education programs and publications on topics related to disability rights, laws and policies and funding opportunities for assistive devices and durable medical equipment that are largely covered under Medicare and Medicaid.
  • Florida Telecommunications Relay Inc. (FTRI) (800-222-3448 | 888-447-5620 toll-free)
    • FTRI administers the Specialized Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program for Floridians who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf/ blind and speech impaired. It offers a variety of telecommunication technologies on loan free of charge.
  • Naples Senior Center at JFCS:
    • The Naples Senior Center at JFCS provides resources and space for senior groups and activities. 239-325-4444
  • Golden Gate Senior Center:
    • The Golden Gate Senior Center is a senior activities group that supports seniors in the community. 239-252-4541
  • Senior Friendship Health Center:
    • The Senior Friendship Health Center makes care and health-related resources available for seniors in the area. 239-566-7425.
  • Alzheimer’s Support Network:
    • The Alzheimer’s Support Network provides social and resource support for anyone with Alzheimer’s Disease. 239-262-8388

Veteran Resources

Legal Resources

  • The Florida Senior Legal Helpline (888-895-7873)
    • The Senior Legal Helpline provides free legal advice and brief services by telephone appointment to eligible Florida residents age 60 and older for civil legal problems. It also helps seniors find legal providers in their communities when court representation is necessary.
  • Florida Bar Association (850-561-5600)
    • The Florida Bar Association is an organization of lawyers licensed to practice law in Florida. It provides lawyer referral services and public information about legal issues, including advance directives, wills, guardianship and probate.
  • Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys (AFELA) (850-296-8089)
    • AFELA is the Florida state chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. AFELA is a professional association of attorneys dedicated to improving the quality of legal services provided to the elderly.

Workplace/Employer Resources

  • Department of Labor Senior Community Service (SCSEP) (877-872-5627 toll-free)
    • SCSEP is an employment training program for Americans 55 and older who are unemployed, have low income and have poor job prospects. Eligible participants are placed in a part-time community-service role to gain job skills and are paid the highest of either federal, state or local minimum wage.
  •  Americorps Seniors (800-942-2677)
    • AmeriCorps Seniors (previously Senior Corps) hosts three programs — Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions and RSVP (the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) — in which Americans who are 55 and older volunteer to help provide a critical community service, including tutoring, mentoring, elderly care and disaster relief support.

Transportation Resources

AARP Resources for Family Caregivers

  • AARP Family Caregiving Website (en español: aarp.org/cuidar)
    • AARP’s Family Caregiving website is your one-stop shop for tips and tools to help you care for a loved one. It has valuable information about handling medical issues, health records and advance directives, home safety, financial and legal issues, caregiver life balance and much more.
  • AARP Family Caregiving Resource Line (877-333-5885 toll-free, en español: 888-971-2013 toll-free)
    • Connect with a real person and learn how to access local resources via our toll-free family caregiving hotline.
  • Community Resource Finder
    • Community Resource Finder, a joint service from the Alzheimer’s Association and AARP, is a database of dementia- and aging-related resources powered by Carelike. The online tool makes it easy to find local programs and services.
  • I Heart Caregivers
    • Join the thousands of family caregivers who have shared their experiences through AARP’s storytelling initiative, I Heart Caregivers. Your story will help AARP continue to fight for more support for family caregivers.
  • AARP HomeFit Guide
    • The AARP HomeFit Guide can help individuals and families make their current or future residence age-friendly. It can also help elected officials, policymakers and local leaders learn about and advocate for the types of housing features and designs that communities need so that their residents can live safely and comfortably and thrive.