A-Abiding Care is a privately-owned family-operated home care company.
Is your agency licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health?
Yes, we have been continuously licensed by the IDPH since 1995.
How many years has your agency been in business?
A-Abiding Care, Inc. was founded in 1983 by Joyce Kernan, an RN and pioneer in the field of home care. The Board of Trustees – Joyce’s family – and our loyal staff continue her legacy and mission to provide quality home health care services and provide employment for many caregivers, nurses and administrative staff.
Is there an office where I can stop by and meet the office staff?
Yes, we would love to meet you and answer any home care questions you have! No appointment is necessary, just call and let us know you are on your way. Our address is: 233 N Northwest Highway in Park Ridge, IL, two blocks west of the downtown intersection of Prospect, Touhy and Northwest Highway. Our office is open M-F 8:30 am – 5 pm. Parking is available along Northwest Highway in front of our office. Appointments are available after hours and on weekends by request.
Available Senior Home Care Services
What services do you offer?
At A-Abiding Care, we provide help for seniors who have a variety of needs. We offer a variety of personalized senior home care solutions to accommodate our clients’ and their families’ needs and schedules. Please view our Services page to learn more about our in-home care, specialized care, and assistance services.
What are your rates?
We are pleased to share our rates with you when you call 847-698-1400. Our rate structure is very competitive with other full-service agencies, and even more so when you consider the value-added services we offer FREE of charge (initial RN assessment visits, follow-up assessment/supervisory visits, RN and on-call staff, RN case management, etc.).
Do you require a minimum number of hours for your senior home care services?
Yes, for hourly senior home care, we require a 4-hour minimum. We can do a lot for our clients in as little as 4 hours (refer to the 4-hour minimum, maximum benefit info graphic). Live-in services have a minimum of three (3) days per week.
Hospital to Home Transition Care and Assistance Services are evaluated individually based on needs and services requested.
What community areas do you cover?
We provide help for seniors in Chicago and Chicago North and Northwest Suburban Communities. See our Service Area page for a broader view of our service area.
Do you accept insurance?
Yes, we work with many long-term care and worker’s compensation insurance providers. Please verify your benefits with your provider regarding the elimination period and daily benefit. We work with families to maximize the amount of care provided by your policy and your daily benefit dollars. Most long-term care policies work on a reimbursement based system. A-Abiding Care will provide all of the necessary documentation to the insurance company to reimburse the insured/claimant.
Does your agency provide an in-home assessment prior to starting services?
Yes, we provide an in-person assessment visit by an RN prior to starting any care. Some home care agencies conduct their assessments over the phone. Our approach provides the client and family an opportunity to interact with our professional staff. Our nurse assesses the client care needs and the environment for comfort and safety issues. The Service Agreement and Plan of Care are reviewed with the client and family. The RN assessment is a value-added service we offer free of charge and adds to our clients’ successful recovery or aging in place.
Chicago Senior Caregivers
Do you check references?
Absolutely. We require multiple personal and professional references. Our screening and orientation process is thorough; we hire only 12% of all applicants we interview.
Do you supervise the caregiver?
Yes, the caregivers are supervised by our nursing staff onsite in the client’s home every 45 days and supported telephonically on a regular basis as deemed necessary.
Do you check criminal backgrounds?
Yes, we conduct criminal background checks as required by the IL Healthcare Worker Background Check Act.
Do your caregivers speak English?
Yes, we require our caregivers to read, write and speak English so they can communicate effectively in writing and verbally with the client, client’s family, emergency first-responders and A-Abiding Care staff. We are unique in requiring candidates to complete their application in person in our office so we can observe that they are actually able to read and write English.
Is your staff trained?
Illinois Department of Public Health requires we provide a minimum of 8 hours of training annually. A-Abiding Care offers 12 hours of training in a variety of topics to benefit our clients’ care needs.
Operations
If my caregiver doesn’t show up, what happens?
We know client coverage and continuity of care are vital. As a 24-hour agency, if a caregiver is ill, we make every reasonable effort to replace a caregiver with the required skills as quickly as possible.
Is your agency available 24/7?
Yes, there is a voice at the end of the phone and we are available 24/7. Our office is open M-F from 8:30 am to 5 pm. After hours and on weekends, A-Abiding Care on-call staff as well as on-call RN staff are available to answer questions and provide support to clients/families and our caregivers. Inquiries about home care can arise at any time and often it’s on a Friday after 5 pm. Our staff can assist individuals who are looking for information and resources for their loved ones.
What happens if I need help and your office is closed?
Our A-Abiding Care on-call staff will respond to your needs after hours, weekends and on holidays. An RN is also on-call for medical questions, caregiver and client/family support during those times.
How do you bill?
We bill weekly, outlining the dates of service, hours/shifts worked, caregiver name(s) and charges.
Do you provide information for my insurance company or physician?
Yes, we can provide information as requested.
Does your agency make surprise visits to the home?
Yes, we conduct scheduled, unannounced supervisory visits on all our clients. These visits are performed by an RN. During these visits, the nurse reviews and updates the care plan, discusses with the client how he or she is progressing and how home care is working for him or her. The caregiver is also observed in the home as he or she provides personal care, housekeeping, meal preparation, and interacting with the client.
The Marketing/Community Liaison also conducts surprise visits to the home. She visits clients within the first few weeks of care to provide support to the client and help resolve any transition issues in the initial period of our home care relationship. Communication is very important and we encourage our clients and their families to talk openly and honestly to us; tell us what’s working well and how we can enrich their life at home and make our home care relationship a success.
How soon can you start care?
We will make every reasonable effort to respond to your needs. We know home care needs can be immediate as hospitals and rehab centers try to discharge patients quickly. On occasion, we have been able to initiate the assessment visit and care within 2 hours. Generally the longer the lead time, the better as we want to secure the most appropriate caregivers for the skills required. Generally speaking, we can respond to most requests within 12-24 hours.
Do I have to sign a contract?
Yes, this is a requirement from the Illinois Department of Public Health. We have a service agreement outlining the services provided, service requirements, fees, overtime and holiday coverage, financial responsibility, billing, time slip compliance, supervisory/assessment nurse visit, scheduling and scheduling changes, and more.
Do you work with hospice?
Yes, we work with all hospice and palliative support providers. Our services complement their services, assisting clients with their personal care needs and activities of daily living.
License Questions
Is your agency licensed by IDPH?
We currently hold dual licenses in Home Services License #3000237 and Home Nursing License #4000140. A copy of our license is available upon request or for Long Term Care Insurance.
Affiliations
Home Care Association of America-Illinois Chapter (Charter Member)
Alzheimer’s Foundation of America
Illinois Continuity of Care
Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce
Home Care Pulse Vantage Satisfaction Management
Best Practices Home Care Alliance
A-Abiding Care provides expert care for seniors at home. If you have any further questions, contact us at any time.
