Options for Senior America Review

Established in 1989, Options for Senior America specializes in hourly and live-in nonmedical and skilled nursing services for the elderly. The company has franchised and corporate locations in 10 states, including Pennsylvania, Maryland and North Carolina, that provide service in over 720 cities. 

Caregivers work with clients in a variety of settings, including private homes, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes and hospitals. In most cases, services for new clients start within 24 to 48 hours, and staff is on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Prospective clients can interview caregivers at no cost, and needs assessments are performed by either a community relations manager or registered nurse. 

Caregivers largely deliver services in private homes, although the company also offers adjunct nonmedical and skilled nursing services for private clients in hospitals and long-term care settings. 

Family members of Options for Senior America clients appreciate the caring, professional and honest caregivers as well as the availability of skilled nursing services through the company. 

What Senior Care Services Does Options for Senior America Provide?

Personal Care Services

Options for Senior America’s team of fully screened caregivers provide a wide range of services designed to help seniors stay as independent as possible. Caregivers work in conjunction with the client and their families to develop a personalized care plan that outlines the types of support the senior requires. 

Options for Senior America’s care services are completely flexible and adaptable. Seniors are free to choose the timing and frequency of their services based on their needs and preferences. Some clients opt to have a caregiver visit daily to assist with transferring out of bed and getting dressed, while other clients only require a caregiver once or twice a week to help out with housekeeping and errands. 

Caregivers are also available on a live-in basis for seniors who require around-the-clock nonmedical care. This level of care may be ideal for seniors living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of progressive-degenerative dementia, those who have suffered a stroke, as well as seniors who require the level of care normally provided in a long-term care facility but wish to remain in their own home. Some families opt to use live-in caregivers from Options for Senior America as an alternative to having their elderly loved ones placed in an assisted living community or nursing home. 

Options’ care recipients receive personal care provided by qualified and experienced certified nursing assistants. Personal care tasks include assistance with:

• Bathing/showering
• Dressing and grooming
• Shaving
• Ambulating and wheelchair assistance
• Transferring between bed and chair
• Oral hygiene
• Toileting and incontinence care
• Bedpan, urinal and commode
• Repositioning bedbound patients to help prevent bedsores and skin breakdown
• Range-of-motion activities
• Self-administering medication
• Companionship and homemaking tasks

Clients who require daily care can expect to be assigned at least two caregivers to ensure continuity of service, while live-in service is delivered by a team of rotating caregivers. In all cases, clients have the opportunity to meet with prospective caregivers before commencing service. If a caregiver isn’t the right fit for a client, Options for Senior America’s case manager will work to source another caregiver who is better matched to the client and their family. 

Skilled Nursing Services

Options for Senior America’s team of skilled medical professionals have extensive experience in providing in-home nursing care. This care is delivered by registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who can:

• Monitor and administer over-the-counter and prescription medications
• Administer insulin injections
• Perform in-home medical screenings
• Monitor vital signs
• Provide wound care, including diabetic wound care
• Perform dressing changes on surgical sites 
• Support seniors who require hospice care

Skilled nursing team members also have extensive hands-on experience with seniors who require catheterization, ostomy care and continence care. 

Adjunct Care Services in Long-Term Care Settings

Options for Senior America caregivers provide services in several long-term care settings for seniors who need adjunct care. These services can be used to help seniors whose care needs are no longer being met by the existing services in a long-term care setting, such as an assisted living facility or retirement home, but who would like to remain in that long-term placement. 

Nonmedical caregivers can deliver adjunct care services such as: 

• Assistance with bathing
• Help with oral hygiene 
• Continence care
• Ambulation
• Escort to medical appointments
• One-on-one help at mealtimes
• Overnight supervision for seniors who are prone to wandering

Options for Senior America’s team of skilled nursing professionals also provide adjunct medical services within a variety of settings, including hospitals, group homes and continuing care facilities. These services are customized to meet the unique needs of each senior, and can include: 

• Post-surgical care
• Palliative care
• Hospice care
• Health monitoring and wellness checks
• Medication management 
• Medication administration
  
  

What Are People Saying About Options for Senior America?

Seniors and their loved ones are generally happy with the care they receive through this company. One family member wrote, “My mother-in-law used Options for Senior America for approximately 2 months after her back surgery. She had them 12 hours a day. They were consistent with who they sent out and the office was very helpful in making sure the care providers knew when appointments were and to keep her on track with her therapy. Definitely would recommend this company!”

An adult daughter who cares for her elderly father also expressed satisfaction with Options for Senior America following some issues with the first caregiver the company sent. She expressed that, “The caregiver from Options for Senior America comes in the morning and gets Dad out of the bed, shaves him or whatever he needs, changes linens, cleans his room, and prepares his breakfast. We have been using their services for two months now. The first caretaker they sent was a trial. She came at the wrong hours and had a rough time getting going. Now, I have someone who is fantastic in the hours that I need the care. It has been a rough start, but now it is working great.” 

How Much Does Options for Senior America Charge for Home Care?

Home care costs vary based on several factors, including the type of services required, how often one needs assistance, and the timing of the services (i.e., overnight vs. daytime care). Where you live also has a significant impact on the cost of home care, as national chains scale their local prices to the cost of living in a given area.

When planning for home care costs, keep in mind that the national average cost is about $24 per hour, though prices in your location may be higher or lower. You can contact a Family Advisor at (800) 973-1540 to learn more about home care costs and payment options in your area.

Who Should Consider Options for Senior America?

Options for Senior America offers a comprehensive range of nonmedical and skilled nursing services to seniors who require care in their own homes, as well as in long-term care settings. This company may be a good option for seniors who: 

• Require assistance to maintain their independence. Those who need help with activities of daily living, such as bathing, grooming and eating.
• Need short-term assistance during recovery. Those recovering from surgery, injury or illness. 
• Wish to age in place. Those who meet the criteria for placement in a long-term care setting, such as an assisted living facility or nursing home, but who prefer to remain at home.
• Require skilled nursing care. Those who need skilled assistance to manage catheterization, care for an ostomy, perform dressing changes, or manage medications such as injection insulin.

How to Get Started with Options for Senior America

Contact a Family Advisor at (800) 973-1540 for more information about Senior America’s offerings in your area and to connect with a local home care provider. Our knowledgeable Family Advisors can provide one-on-one guidance to help you find the best home care service for your needs and budget, all at no cost to you. No matter where you are in the process of choosing a home care provider, a Family Advisor can help.