As your loved one ages, you might notice that they have difficulty completing tasks that were once second nature to them.Assisting an aging parent can be both stressful and time consuming. However, when looking for professional assistance, it can be difficult to know where to begin. What is home care? Home care is typically the first step on the senior care journey. Senior home care is for families who are committed to keeping an aging loved one at home. Home care can be both medical and non-medical. Traditionally, medical home care is provided after a hospital stay, and is provided by a nurse. Non-medical home care assists with activities of daily living and is generally long term. What does home care cost? Medical home care is typically covered by insurance and is relatively short term. Medical home care can be provided by agencies out of pocket for $35-$40 an hour. Non-medical home care can be covered by long term care insurance policies, Veterans benefits, or the Medicaid program (Community Health Choices). When provided by agencies non-medical home care is traditionally $25-$30 an hour, out of pocket. However, new resources, like Caregogi.com, are providing families with independent caregivers for a fraction of this cost. Caregivers on Caregogi charge an average of $12.50 an hour. When is the right time for home care? It is a good idea to evaluate your aging loved one constantly once they reach the age of 75. If your loved one is having difficulty in their daily life it is likely time to consider home care. Can you manage all the care need of your aging loved one yourself? If not, it is time to consider professional senior home care. What do I want for my aging loved one? Before you approach an agency or an independent caregiver you should have a plan in place. Have a meeting with your aging loved one and discuss their goals for the future. If it is time for care, you should create a schedule. Include what time you want care, services needed, and what your goals are. Editors Note: This article was submitted by Rachel Stetz. Rachel is the architect and site manager for Caregogi and may be reached at 412-708-1000 or at Rachel@Caregogi.com.

You have reached the point where you know additional care is needed for your loved one, but you also know that traditional home care can be expensive.You also know exactly what type of care that your loved one needs. Caregogi is here to help!What is Caregogi? Caregogi is a powerful online tool that can be used to locate a caregiver in your area, that best matches the needs of your loved one, at a fraction of the cost of traditional home care.With an account at www.caregogi.com, you gain access to browse through a list of caregivers that best fit your loved ones needs.Our user-friendly site provides you with access to:view caregivers profiles and availabilityview caregivers and negotiate hourly ratescommunicate with and interview potential caregiversrun background checksschedule and pay caregivers directly through the siteaccess to resources and education blogsYou know what your loved one needs, and you deserve peace of mind. Match with your perfect caregiver today at www.caregogi.com.