The questions families ask us most.

No. The caregivers we refer work directly for you, not us — you engage the caregiver directly as an independent professional. As a referral agency, we recruit, screen, and present candidates for you to choose from, and we help coordinate scheduling, billing and paperwork so it's simple for you.

Home health is short-term, physician-ordered, intermittent skilled care, usually paid by Medicare after a hospital stay. Home care is ongoing, private-pay help with daily life — bathing, meals, companionship, supervision, transportation. The caregivers we refer can also work to their own level of competency under the direction of your care manager or nurse when the situation calls for it.

You will agree on one hourly rate — the rate you're quoted is all you pay, with our fee already included. Each Tuesday you're billed for the prior week through a secure third-party billing platform. The platform pays the caregiver their agreed rate and the remainder goes to Hallmark, up to the amount in your agreement; Hallmark covers the platform and processing fees from that. You do nothing at tax time — the caregiver's year-end 1099 is issued for you.

Often, yes. Hallmark Homecare is an Approved Provider with John Hancock for long-term care insurance, and many other long-term care policies reimburse care from a caregiver you engage through Hallmark. We often work with families to help them arrange for their policy to pay — from telling the carrier who the provider is, to completing the forms the carrier asks us for, to the invoices your carrier needs. Call us and we will walk through your policy with you.

Often the same day. Families reaching us after a hospital discharge or a sudden change have had experienced caregivers in place within hours. Call and tell us the situation — we'll be straight with you about what's possible.

Because you choose the caregiver, you're always in control. If someone isn't the right match, tell us and we'll present other candidates. You can end service at any time and for any reason; we simply ask for as much notice as you can give, as a courtesy to the caregivers.

Companionship, meals, light housekeeping, errands and transportation, bathing, dressing, mobility and personal care, medication reminders, and dementia support. Many caregivers can also support higher-acuity needs, to their level of competency and under the direction of your care manager or nurse. Tell us what you need and we'll present candidates qualified for it.

Yes. Many families use us for one-to-one supplemental care inside an assisted living, memory care or rehab setting, where staff can't provide the constant, personal attention a loved one may need.

Louisville and the East End, Southern Indiana (Clark and Floyd counties), and Central Kentucky including Frankfort. If you're nearby and don't see your town, call — we'll tell you honestly whether we can help.