Frequently Asked Questions

Are your employees bonded and insured? Independent contractors or employees?
We are bonded and insured. Our caregivers are our employees, never independent contractors. We pay the workers compensation, unemployment taxes, and handle all of their taxes.

How do you select your employees?
We require each applicant to supply verifiable work references (all of which we personally contact).  We require a stable work history and prior experience working with seniors in the health care field. They need to pass a comprehensive test, based on skill knowledge, judgement, and decision-making skills.  Furthermore, they must successfully pass a Criminal Background and Motor Vehicle Record check. Each employee must demonstrate true compassion, as Visiting Angels must be able to say that we would choose them to care for our own parents. 

What is the difference between Companion and Personal Care services?
The State of Minnesota defines Companion services as those that do not require any touching or "hands on" care (such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, companionship, and transportation). Personal Care services are those requiring "hands on" cares (such as help with bathing, toileting, transferring, help getting dressed/undressed). The State of Minnesota also requires a registered nurse to provide supervision for the later services.

How long have you been in business?
Visiting Angels of Hopkins is part of a national franchise of 360 individual offices. We opened our doors August 2002. Being part of a national franchise, with each office being individually owned, allows us to provide personal service while having the resources of a much larger organization.

How quickly can you set up services?
Usually, we are able to start the same day in cases of urgency. However, we prefer one to three days so that we can schedule a time to meet with the care recipient and/or the family, select the best caregiver for the situation, and schedule a time to introduce that caregiver to the client and their family before service begins.

Do you charge more for a couple than for an individual?
We evaluate each couple individually to determine how much extra care the second person would require.  Often, the second person might only need meals, housekeeping, and transportation.  In these cases, we do not charge extra.  At other times, we might charge between 25% and 50% more than for an extra individual, depending on the extent of services required for the second person.

Do your employees do housekeeping or provide transportation?
Our employees are responsible to maintain a safe and clean environment where the care recipient spends their time.  That includes washing dishes, doing laundry, changing bed linens, cleaning the bathroom, vacuuming, and other light housekeeping chores. However, we are not a cleaning service. We provide transportation as part of our plan of care, but not as a primary service. For example, we can transport a care recipient to a doctor's appointment, to the grocery store, and to other errands.  Our primary focus is always on the care recipient.

Do you require a contract?
The State of Minnesota requires that every client be provided with a Service Agreement, which outlines the services to be provided and the cost of these services. However, it does not "lock you in" to a particular term. The Agreement calls for one week's notice to terminate services, except in cases of certain unforeseen circumstances.

What geographical area do you serve?
We service the seven county Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan areas.

What payment options do you offer?
The general source of payment for services is by personal check.  We do accept medical assistance under the PCA program for qualifying clients.  If a private paying client runs out of funds, we can offer help in obtaining a reverse mortgage or help with obtaining medical assistance, all in an effort to have our clients continue living at home.  We also help our clients obtain their long-term care insurance benefits.

Are you licensed?
We are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health as a " class A" Home Care Agency, and we are registered as a Home Management Service with the State of Minnesota.

Do you have a minimum number of service hours?
Our minimum visit is a four hour block one time per week.  Occasionally, we will do a three hour block, depending on caregiver availability.

Does insurance or Medicare / Medicaid pay for any of your services?
Long Term Care Insurance usually covers our services, providing the policyholder meets the qualifications of the policy.  Each long term care policy can be written differently.   Medicare does not cover non-medical/ "custodial" care.  Visiting Angels of Hopkins does accept Medicaid (under the state's PCA Program).

Will we have the same caregiver all the time?
You will have the same caregivers if the schedule allows it. Our goal is caregiver consistency! We recognize the importance of "relationship building" and trust between the client and the caregiver and will always try to staff a case with as few people as possible.

Do I get to select my caregiver?
Yes, you get to select your caregiver. That is why we introduce you to the caregiver we think would be the best match for the situation and let you decide if you agree. If for some reason, it doesn't feel like a good match to you, we will be glad to introduce you to another. We want you to feel perfectly confident and happy about your caregiver.