CompassCare is a private duty homemaker companion company serving Fairfield and Westchester Counties, and Manhattan. Co-Founded by a world-renowned specialist in Geriatric Medicine, our unique approach is grounded in the principles of evidenced-based elder services. We are dedicated to providing our clients with a level of service, attention to detail, and partnership that is above and beyond what other homemaker companion companies can provide. CompassCare’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for our clients by elevating the level of in-home services so that they can thrive and live as independently as possible.

In an industry characterized by high employee turnover and unpredictable quality, we have successfully elevated expectations of in-home services. We take great pride in our CompassCare Assistants (CCAs), the service providers we hire; we have rigorous selection criteria and offer specialized training in hospitality and client support services. As a result, we have high employee morale and low turnover, which enables us to provide a more consistent level of service and quality for our clients.

CompassCare’s ongoing training program is overseen by Cornell faculty members, which ensures that our CCAs are equipped to provide top-level service as our clients' needs change and as well as ensuring that our CCAs are well supported in their individual growth and development.

CompassCare is unlike any other homemaker companion provider. We’re built differently.

CompassCare was co-founded by geriatrician, Dr. Mark Lachs, with contributing leadership from Cornell University Gerontologists and Professors. Our team of experts have contributed directly to the scientific literature on optimal well-being and support for older people. Our thought-leaders formed CompassCare to bring best practices in elder services and hospitality to the provision of homemaker companion services for the elderly and older adults. Our service plans are built on researched best practices in aging to keep your loved ones safe, engaged, and as active and independent as possible in the comfort of their own home.

CompassCare brings coordinated assistance and services to older adults and their families. It is our one-of-a-kind TEAM BASED APPROACH that offers clients and families peace of mind and confidence. Every client is supported by a team that includes: 1. A dedicated Client Services Manager to manage logistics, service coordination, concierge services and communications, 2. A Quality Assurance/Quality Control Associate to provide oversight and coordination with our client’s physician(s), and 3. A team of well qualified and trained CCAs. This team of professionals works together to develop and manage each and every situation. Together, we offer peace of mind to clients and their loved ones.

The first step usually starts with an exploratory phone conversation with our Director of Client Relations & Development. Typically, this call is initiated by a health care provider, family member, or other personal advisor. We listen carefully to gather information about the prospective client’s needs. Our non-medical services will not meet every prospective individual’s needs; therefore, our first step is to determine whether our services are well suited for the situation.

After the initial phone screening, we conduct a complimentary Home Assessment. The Home Assessment helps us observe and learn about our clients, their home environment, family context – and provides the backdrop for developing a comprehensive customized service plan. The service plan is unique for each client: we consider the physical, social and emotional aspects of the case, as well as the findings of a comprehensive Home Safety Assessment. Service plans are developed by our Director of Quality Assurance & Quality Control (QA/QC), who monitors the ongoing delivery of the plan and our client’s progress toward their individual goals. The Director of QA/QC also oversees modifications to the plan over time, as we observe or are informed of a client’s changing needs.

Coverage hours are customized to the individual case. The minimum is 6 hours a day for 2 weeks. We design individualized coverage up to and including 24/7, round-the-clock care. We work together with our clients, their families, and their physicians to best determine how many hours are required or best suited to meet our client’s needs. We typically provide services for the long term, however we can also provide services for shorter term cases with a minimum of 2 weeks, such as in the case with a hospital discharge.

We believe that top quality homemaker companion service requires much more than placing a service provider in the home. At CompassCare we bring a new dimension to homemaker companion services by going the extra mile to guide our clients through all of the complications of no longer being fully independent. Our Concierge Services go way beyond providing a team of highly qualified and trained professionals. Our aim is to provide older adults with engaging, positive services to help them achieve a more independent and fulfilling life. Our unique approach is based on the belief that everyone deserves a personalized service plan that is crafted to suit their specific needs and interests. To make this possible, each of our clients has a Client Service Manager who is their single point of contact with whom they build a trusted relationship. We believe our person-centered service, which enables clients to make their own decisions, and innovative model of homemaker companion services has the power to transform the lives of older adults and their families.

Concierge Services include, but is not limited to, Tailored Activities and Outings, Household Management which includes tasks such as home organization, arranging appointments (beauty, medical, etc.), and developing weekly meal plans, plus Technology (facilitation of telehealth, zoom, facetime calls), and Travel (we have the ability to assist with travel arrangements and also for CCAs to travel with clients).

We refer to our service providers as CompassCare Assistants (CCAs). Our CCAs are the face of CompassCare to our clients, therefore, we must build and retain a superior workforce so that we can deliver a better service to our clients. Our employees are CompassCare’s greatest assets and the key to elevating the way in-home services are provided.

Our mission inspires us to hire the best people we can find, pay the most competitive wages, and provide enrichment training to enhance the way our staff provides service to our clients. We’ve created a company culture that is professional, caring and client-centric while providing an inviting and supportive workplace for our employees.

Our CCAs are Red Cross CPR and First Aid Certified. If a CCA’s certifications lapse, CompassCare provides recertification opportunities in our headquarters office.

We provide additional training beyond the legal requirements for this profession. CompassCare Works™ is our proprietary in-house training program, developed by our affiliated Cornell professors of Gerontology and Hospitality. This specialized training educates our CCAs in the areas of Communication, Empathic Listening, and Customer Service, and other important approaches to hospitality and service that elevate the client experience. We are the first and only company in the industry to provide such training.

We conduct ongoing training focused on providing companionship services for clients with aging-related conditions, such as memory loss. In addition, our CCAs receive training in how to provide thorough reports on their clients and the services provided.

As our goal is for our staff to build a career with CompassCare, we have introduced a unique professional career path to develop, advance and promote CCAs. We also offer rotation opportunities to provide professional development to our CCAs: when a CCA rotates off of a case, or is not fully activated in the field, we offer the opportunity to work additional hours in our headquarters office. Our willingness to keep top CCAs “on the clock” (and learning about the business) has helped us retain our best and brightest talent.

Typical homemaker companion agencies assign service providers from the staff available at the time service is requested. You might make a request for a specific kind of companion, but ultimately it comes down to which companions are available when you want to start.

CompassCare’s takes a different approach. We believe the relationship between companion and client is key to our success and your satisfaction. Rather than staff a case with any available companion, we prefer to find as close to an “ideal match” as we can for you or your loved one. We spend considerable time and energy understanding your lifestyle, preferences, and care needs to find the most suitable companion for you. Our process can take longer because we prioritize fit over fast. Our clients value that we prioritize compatibility. That’s why it can take from 2 to 4 weeks to build your team. Even then, because the process is so highly individualized, it may take a few tries to find just the right fit.

We can usually find a great match from within our team of CCAs. Occasionally, we might need to engage our recruiter to find that special someone with the right mix of skills and personality to fit your needs. We will go the extra mile to hand-select and train a CCA especially for you, when circumstances warrant. This process will take longer, which is one reason why it can take at least 4 weeks lead time before starting a new case.

We make every effort to match client-specific data (personal needs, pets, home location, hours of service, lifestyle factors, and personality) with the CCA’s skills, attributes, personality and availability. Prior to being placed in a client’s home, we begin by sending CCA Bios, and then we follow by introducing the proposed CCA(s) to the client and their loved ones. The interview process allows our clients to meet and approve our pre-screened CCAs to ensure the likelihood of a good fit. Our goal is for our clients to feel confident in their choice. In some cases, and where immediate services are required, the choice may be to start service with the best fit at the time as we work towards seeking a more ideal match.

Depending on the number of hours and days requested, several pre-screened CCAs may be presented for interviews. This process allows the client to meet and approve of the proposed team of CCAs that may be needed to cover more extensive cases.

The first several weeks with a CCA can be a big adjustment, especially if your loved one has never had in-home services before and is relatively independent. A new client may worry about losing their independence or have anxiety about a stranger in their home. New clients may be struggling with a new or worsening health condition. If they have been living alone, just having another person in their home can be unsettling. All of these issues can interfere with building rapport with the CCA. We’ll work with you and your loved one to help navigate the early weeks and months of the relationship.

We encourage our clients to let their Client Services Manager know if something doesn’t feel quite right. We’ll respond promptly if the situation needs immediate attention. Your Client Services Manager is an advocate and support for you and your loved one. Fortunately, most situations sort themselves out after the first month or so, and we will assist by making adjustments as needed. It’s important to set expectations so that there are no surprises: changing CCAs in the first few weeks is not unusual; it’s a natural part of the matchmaking process. Our CCAs understand that it’s not personal -- they are trained to expect that adjustments may be made in the best interest of our client. The bottom line is that if the CCA/client match is not a good fit, we will make a substitution as smoothly and quickly as possible.

It can take several CCAs to round out your team – it all depends on how many hours of service you or your loved one needs. Clients who need less service may require only two CCAs, whereas a client who needs round the clock care seven days a week may need as many as 6 CCAs to provide proper coverage. We understand that people coming into our client’s home at different times can feel disruptive at first. Like any change in the routine, it may even feel uncomfortable. The good news is, after a few weeks, it will become routine and your loved one should feel much more at ease. We pay close attention during this period of time to make everyone feel as comfortable as possible and to build trust in the process.

Keep in mind that having a team approach ensures that there is always more than one person familiar with your loved one and their needs. This helps us maintain continuity of service even if one of your CCAs is out sick or on vacation.

We take pride in selecting experienced, trustworthy candidates. We rigorously screen to select candidates who are not only professionally trained and well-qualified, but who also possess a professional demeanor and personal qualities of compassion, empathy and commitment. We conduct thorough criminal background and DMV checks, and drug screening and all CCAs are bonded and insured.

While the length of time varies, we typically require 2-3 weeks lead time to match the best possible CCA to your loved one’s needs. The more time we have to find the right CCA, the greater the likelihood that we’ll have success and find a suitable match.

There are circumstances that warrant a more urgent start of services and we try to accommodate requests for short notice starts when we can. However, because we prioritize fit above all else, we cannot promise to find the ideal CCA on short notice. We try to work within a client’s timeframe, but it is possible that the most immediate CCA placement will not be the same CCA dedicated to your case for the long term. We work with clients to set realistic expectations; it is a delicate balance between staffing for an immediate need versus staffing the ideal candidate.

CompassCare is committed to a Zero No-Show policy. This means we make sure our clients have the care they need, when they need it. Every client has a team of primary CCAs. We make a commitment to our clients that every CCA working with them will be fully trained before entering the home. If it is necessary to place a temporary CCA, that CCA will be fully trained.

CompassCare provides loved ones with easy access to an online portal, called The Family Room, to obtain desired information in real time. We understand how stressful it can be to arrange service to help a loved one, who might have many different needs to coordinate. The Family Room helps reduce family stress and simplifies coordination, by providing direct visibility to your loved one’s records. Clients and loved ones can access records of service online from any device with internet access. This portal tracks financial aspects, status updates in real time, records of current medications, and daily CCA notes and general comments. The Family Room portal allows the whole family to know that their loved one is in good hands.

We refer to this as our Recovery At Home Service Package. This is specially designed for those who require a safe transition home from an institutional setting such as a rehabilitation facility or hospital. Prior to discharge, our Director of QA/QC works with the client’s physician(s) as well as the facility Discharge Planner to properly plan for a safe discharge and coordination of any equipment needed in the home. CCA’s are selected and trained specifically to meet the needs and requirements of our client for a safe recovery. The CCA is present on the day of discharge to help our client get ready and to make the transition home safe and seamless. Our goal is to bring peace of mind to our clients and their families.

For those who prefer or require around-the-clock services, we provide live-in CCAs. CompassCare is committed to providing consistent service by a team which includes a Client Service Manager, Quality Assurance/Quality Control Associate, and a team of CCAs who have been carefully selected and matched to suit the needs and preferences of each client. Live in service is typically provided by a team of 2 CCAs, however there may be periods of time where we staff 1 CCA, or in some cases up to 3. We work closely with our clients to determine best case scenarios.

Hourly service differs from live-in service as the CCAs provide services throughout the day and also overnight. In these cases, we build a team of anywhere from 5 to 6 or 7 CCAs. Again, it depends on the client’s needs and preferences. We make every effort to help our clients feel comfortable with the rotation of CCAs to make the shift transitions seamless and reduce the potential stress caused by CCAs coming in and out of the home. These CompassCare Teams often become like family to our clients. We have frequent Client Service Team Calls to ensure that each and every CCA working with the client is communicating and has a good understanding of the Service Plan.

Yes, we can design a service plan to start with limited hours. If you have never needed assistance before, or you recently stopped driving, you may only need extra help a few days a week. Your CCA can help drive you to appointments, prepare meals, help with light housekeeping, and keep you company and engaged with activities selected just for you. We can provide shifts as short as 6 hours, with a minimum of 2 days a week. While it may take a little longer to find a compatible CCA for limited hours, our goal remains the same – to provide our clients with the service they need to thrive and remain as independent as possible.

Yes. We understand the struggles families face when caring for a loved one with memory challenges. Our CCAs are experienced and specially trained to provide service for those with memory challenges while supporting opportunities for meaningful engagement. We develop a service plan to address the client’s personal needs and in- home safety needs, while also providing appropriate physical and mental stimulation and emotional comfort. Our Client Service Team approach is geared to providing support and education to the family and loved ones to help them navigate memory challenges.

Yes. When a family member is diagnosed with limited life expectancy, he or she often has a strong desire to spend the final days in the comfort of home. However, helping a loved one at the end of life can be emotionally challenging and physically exhausting. CompassCare can support you and your loved one by working with a hospice agency or medical provider to fully meet the family’s service needs. We provide companionship for the client, as well as assisting around the house and providing the family with emotional and moral support. The end of a loved one’s life can be overwhelming, but our team approach to providing home services can lessen stress for everyone involved.

Help or encourage your loved one to provide the homemaker companion company with personal information. This can include everything from activities your loved one enjoys, favorite foods, and important information about your loved one’s history, including employment, family, travels, and achievements. We share this vital information with our CCAs prior to opening a case and encourage them to personalize their approach. This will help your loved one form a bond with their CCAs and help them feel seen and respected.

Be prepared for bad days. Your loved one might complain or make negative comments or resist the help that we provide. It’s important to listen and advocate for your loved one, but also remember that everyone has bad days, and it is not necessarily a reflection on the quality of service they are receiving.

Remind yourself that you have your loved one’s best interests at heart. Growing older and the loss of independence that can follow are difficult issues. While you may find yourself putting off the decision to hire additional help, consider that having some additional services can mean more freedom, not less, for your loved one and for yourself.

Transitional service is the service that is required for clients after a hospital stay or procedure. Whether someone is moving from a rehabilitation facility or directly from a hospital, there are benefits to aiding recovery at home with a professional homemaker companion company to assist and provide safety and oversight to ensure a safe recovery.

CompassCare provides a custom service plan for transitional non-medical services, including preparation and assistance on the day of discharge, coordination of transportation home from a hospital or facility, and scheduled follow up appointments and therapy sessions as specified.

In addition to the physical challenges of healing after an illness or injury, clients can experience depression or anxiety when they aren’t able to participate in their normal routines and social activities. Our CCAs can provide transportation to engagement activities, support exercise regimens, provide companionship and help families stay connected through Zoom calls and the Family Room portal.

Companion Service usually includes preparing meals, laundry, light housekeeping, grocery shopping and errands, transportation to appointments and social events, light exercise and outdoor activity, reminders for personal needs, medication reminders and communication with a client’s loved ones. CompassCare’s CCAs will also focus on activities that bring joy, provide mental stimulation and encourage physical and emotional wellbeing. Our specialized service plans include personalized activities to keep our client as engaged and as active as possible, such as listening to music, taking walks, conversation and companionship, watching movies, gentle exercise, and a host of client specific craft or other projects.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) describe basic tasks essential for day-to-day functioning. These include bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, mobility and toileting. Many seniors who require help with such activities are largely independent but may require help with one or two ADLs.

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) are those activities that are important in enhancing a client’s quality of life. IADLs include shopping, paying bills, household chores (cleaning, laundry), and meal preparation.

Elderly clients who need assistance at home may require assistance with ADLs and/or IADLs. We offer companionship and in-home services, and specific tasks are laid out in the customized Service Plan for each client.

Light housekeeping includes tasks to keep our client’s home tidy, clean, and safe. This can include disinfecting surfaces, cleaning counters and floors in the kitchen and bathroom, light dusting, de-cluttering, vacuuming, laundry, ironing, taking out the trash and other household tasks. Tasks such as washing windows, polishing silver, deep cleaning the oven and other deep cleaning tasks are not considered light housekeeping. Many people have professional housecleaners in addition to the daily housekeeping tasks provided by the CCAs. Many people are capable and willing to maintain their own spaces, and our individualized service plans for clients are customized to consider the physical ability of the client and the level of assistance they need and want. Many of our clients enjoy the activity of cleaning their house and find that working side-by-side with a CCA can help build their relationship.

A Service Plan includes the tasks and goals to help CCAs provide the best physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of their client. At CompassCare, the client’s QA/QC Associate and Client Service Manager work together to develop a custom and confidential Service Plan for each client.

Service Plans are reviewed with the client and family at least every six months, but reviews may be more frequent based on client need. The review ensures that new goals and needs are addressed and gives Compass Care the opportunity to ensure that the client and their family are pleased with the services being provided.

The focus of Interactive Companionship is doing things WITH our clients instead of just doing things for them. While our CCAs provide assistance with daily needs, they encourage participation and engagement as much as possible. This allows our CCAs to develop a relationship with clients and keep them physically and mentally active. We believe in-home service is about more than completing tasks on a list — we offer personalized service that helps clients enjoy their time and improves quality of life. By focusing on interactive companionship, we can elevate the spirits of clients and their families.

The difference between skilled and non-skilled services comes down to one factor – medical need. Skilled nurses provide medical assistance with medication, wound care, and other recovery and medical needs. Non-skilled services, such as services provided by CompassCare, provides assistance with the everyday needs of older adults.

If skilled nursing is needed, CompassCare can work with or recommend private nurses or skilled home health care companies. Often however, people need more than just home medical care, especially if they are recovering from surgery or managing a chronic illness. Our concierge homemaker companion services range from medication reminders to meal preparation and everything in between that is needed to be safe, engaged and comfortable at home.