Hospital-to-Home Care
Non-medical support at home after a hospital or rehabilitation stay, for families in Ocean and Monmouth Counties. A call before discharge gives our team time to plan.
- New Jersey License #HP0314200
- CHAP accredited
- BBB accredited, A+ rating
- Registered nurse oversees every care plan
- Free in-home assessment
Hospital-to-Home Care in Ocean and Monmouth Counties
Hospital-to-Home Care from Award Homecare is non-medical support for the first days and weeks after a hospital or rehab stay. Our caregivers help with bathing, dressing, meals, housework and rides to follow-up appointments. We do not provide skilled nursing or medical care, and our services can work alongside any home health nurse or therapist a doctor orders.
Family members cannot always be present throughout the first days after discharge, and a caregiver provides everyday help in the meantime. A registered nurse oversees every care plan, and each family works with a dedicated case manager.
How Our Caregivers Help in the First Weeks at Home
Our caregivers assist with the daily activities described on our services page, and the free in-home assessment establishes what your loved one needs.
Personal Care
Help with bathing, dressing, grooming, oral care, skin care and incontinence care, plus mobility and transfer assistance.
Meals and Household Tasks
Meal planning and preparation, grocery shopping, light housekeeping, laundry, bed-making and fresh linens.
Appointments and Errands
Accompanied rides to follow-up visits, along with shopping and errands.
Companionship and Safety
Companionship, safety supervision and medication reminders. A reminder is a prompt only, and decisions about medication remain with the doctor.
Nursing tasks such as wound care are medical care, which we do not provide. When a wound needs treatment, our team can help the family reach a wound care doctor or other providers. Where memory loss is also a concern, see our Dementia and Alzheimer's Care.
Hospital-to-Home Care and Medicare Home Health
Medicare home health is skilled care ordered by a doctor. Our hospital-to-home care is non-medical help with daily life, and some families use both.
| Hospital-to-home care (Award Homecare) | Medicare home health | |
|---|---|---|
| How it starts | You or a family member contact us, and we arrange a free in-home assessment. | A doctor or other provider sees the patient in person, confirms the need and orders the care. |
| Who provides it | Our caregivers, with a registered nurse overseeing every care plan. | A Medicare-certified home health agency. |
| What it covers | Daily tasks, meals, housekeeping, rides and companionship. No skilled nursing or medical care. | Part-time or intermittent skilled nursing and therapy, with aide help only alongside skilled care. It does not include round-the-clock care at home or homemaker services unrelated to the care plan. |
| Who usually pays | Private pay, long-term care insurance or VA benefits. CareScout lists us as in-network. | Medicare, for covered services, when the patient qualifies. |
Medicare also requires that the patient be "homebound" and need skilled care. The Medicare home health page sets out the rules, and the doctor can confirm eligibility. Because home health visits are part-time, a caregiver can help in between while the nurse or therapist handles anything medical.
Questions to Ask Before Hospital Discharge
Based on the National Library of Medicine's discharge plan guidance, these questions are worth reviewing with the nurse or discharge planner before your loved one leaves.
- Is my parent going straight home, or to a rehab center first?
- Will they need help with personal care, housework or getting to appointments? If so, can you recommend home care services?
- Do they need equipment at home, such as a hospital bed, walker, wheelchair or shower chair? Who arranges it?
- Can we have a written list of all medicines, with any new, stopped or changed ones marked?
- When are the follow-up appointments, and whom do we call for each?
- Whom do we call with questions or in an emergency?
- What can my parent eat, how active can they be, and can they manage stairs?
Arranging Care After Discharge
Families are encouraged to call before the discharge date, which gives our team more time to plan.
Call Our Office
Call 732-994-0309 as soon as you know the approximate discharge date.
Share the Discharge Plan
Let us know the date and the help the hospital team expects your loved one to need.
Complimentary In-Home Assessment and Quote
We visit the home to review the schedule, the help needed and the type of care, including overnight care and shift details. We provide a quote by phone or after the assessment, based on the hours and help you choose.
Care Begins
A caregiver begins on the schedule you arrange with us.
We serve families in Ocean and Monmouth Counties, including Toms River, Brick, Lakewood, Freehold and Middletown. Learn more about home care in Toms River and home care in Ocean County.
Care Schedules After a Hospital Stay
The length and schedule of care depend on the help your loved one needs and the arrangement your family prefers.
- Hourly Care. Booked in four-hour shifts, with a 20-hour weekly minimum.
- Overnight Care. Support through the night.
- Live-in Full-time Care and 24-hour shifts. For families who need a caregiver in the home for longer stretches.
At the in-home assessment, we review which arrangement suits your loved one.
Paying for Hospital-to-Home Care
Families can pay for Hospital-to-Home Care privately, with long-term care insurance or through VA benefits. Award Homecare is also in-network with CareScout, and Medicaid and JACC are not accepted. Your quote, given by phone or after the free assessment, reflects the hours and help you choose.
According to Medicare.gov, the home health benefit does not cover round-the-clock care at home, or help with bathing and dressing when that is the only care needed. If your loved one has a long-term care policy, the insurer can explain what it covers. Our guide to home care costs in New Jersey offers general cost information.
Medical decisions after discharge rest with your loved one's physician and hospital team. The coverage details above are general information, and Medicare or the insurer concerned can confirm how they apply.
Questions About Hospital-to-Home Care
Does Medicare pay for hospital-to-home care?
Our non-medical care is not part of Medicare's home health benefit, a separate program for skilled care ordered by a doctor and provided by a Medicare-certified agency. Families pay for our care privately, through long-term care insurance or with VA benefits. The doctor can advise whether your loved one qualifies for home health.
Can we use your caregivers and a home health nurse at the same time?
Our caregivers can work alongside a home health nurse or therapist. The caregiver provides daily support, while the nurse or therapist a doctor orders handles anything medical. We do not replace those services or provide skilled nursing.
Can your caregivers give medicine or change bandages?
Our caregivers do not give medicine or change bandages, because we do not provide skilled nursing or medical care. They can give medication reminders. For wound treatment, we can put families in touch with a wound care doctor or other providers.
How fast can care start after discharge?
Following discharge, we can often have a caregiver in the home within 24 hours, and at times the same day. Calling before the discharge date, when possible, gives us time to plan.
Is there a minimum number of hours?
Hourly care is booked in four-hour shifts, with a 20-hour weekly minimum. Overnight, live-in and 24-hour schedules are reviewed at the free in-home assessment.
Arrange a Free In-Home Assessment
Speak with our care team about your loved one's needs. We will review the options with you and schedule a free in-home assessment.
Award Homecare LLC, 2214 Route 37 East, Suite 9, Toms River, NJ 08753. New Jersey License #HP0314200.
