Edison Home Care Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions

How quickly can home care start in Edison after I call?

For most Edison families, the first visit is arranged within 24 to 48 hours of the first phone call. When a discharge planner at JFK Medical Center calls before the patient leaves the hospital, the window often shrinks to the same day. The first visit is a free in-home assessment that takes about an hour and produces a written care plan.

Do you work weekends and overnight?

Yes. Many of our plans include weekend visits and overnight or 24-hour coverage. Most North Edison cases involve some overnight time, and post-discharge plans across the township often include weekend nursing visits during the first two weeks home. The schedule is built around the household's actual day, not a 9-to-5 office calendar.

Will the same caregiver come every visit?

We try hard to keep the primary caregiver consistent because routine matters — especially for households with memory loss, chronic illness, or post-discharge recovery. The same caregiver coming on the same day at the same time builds the kind of rhythm that does more for an older adult than any clinical intervention by itself. When the regular caregiver is sick or on vacation, a backup who has been briefed on the household and care plan steps in.

Does Medicare cover the home care you provide?

Medicare may cover skilled home health (nursing visits, physical therapy, wound care) for someone who is homebound and needs intermittent skilled care ordered by a physician. Coverage details and eligibility live at Medicare.gov. The non-medical home help that makes up most of a typical care plan (companion care, personal care, light housekeeping) is generally paid privately, through long-term care insurance, or in some cases through New Jersey Medicaid programs.

How much does home care cost in Edison?

Hourly rates for non-medical home help in Middlesex County typically run in line with the New Jersey state averages reported by the Genworth Cost of Care Survey and Bureau of Labor Statistics — currently around $30 to $40 per hour depending on the service. Our [cost of home care](/cost) page carries the cited NJ market averages with sources. Skilled nursing visits are billed differently and may be partially covered by Medicare or insurance.

What if my parent does not want outside help in the house?

This is one of the most common situations Edison families describe. The first step is rarely a long-term schedule. A short, low-pressure introduction — a one-time home assessment, a single afternoon of company, a single trip to the pharmacy — often gives the older adult a chance to meet a caregiver on their own terms. Once a relationship forms, the schedule can grow. A coordinator who has done this many times can talk a family through how to introduce the idea.