The first home care visit is a chance for the person receiving support, family members, and the caregiver to build a practical routine together. You do not need a perfect house or a complicated binder. You do need accurate information, clear expectations, and a plan for questions.
This checklist can help Nebraska families prepare for non-medical personal care, companionship, and in-home support. It does not replace an assessment, service authorization, provider instructions, medical advice, or an individualized service plan.
First-visit essentials
- Current service plan, authorization, or private-pay agreement.
- Emergency contacts and the provider's office number.
- A short description of routines, preferences, and communication needs.
- An up-to-date medication and equipment list for reference.
- Safe access to the home, bathroom, supplies, and mobility equipment.
- A written list of questions to review with the provider.
1. Confirm the date, time, and purpose of the visit
Before the visit, confirm the caregiver's expected arrival window, visit length, office contact, approved tasks, and how time will be recorded. If the person receives Medicaid-authorized services, keep the current person-centered plan and authorization available. Nebraska DHHS explains that a service coordinator works with eligible Aged and Disabled Waiver participants to develop a person-centered plan based on needs and life goals.
For private-pay care, review the signed agreement, rate, minimum visit length, cancellation terms, and included services. Our payment information page explains questions to ask about Medicaid and private-pay arrangements.
2. Put important information in one place
The CDC recommends a care plan as a way to keep important caregiving information together. A simple folder or secure digital document may include the person's preferred name, emergency contacts, clinicians, pharmacy, allergies, diagnoses the person chooses to share, current medications, equipment, communication needs, and daily routines.
Share only information needed for the planned support. Store sensitive documents securely, and do not leave financial records, account passwords, or unrelated personal information in an open area.
3. Describe the person's routine and preferences
A person-centered visit starts with what matters to the individual. Explain how the person prefers to be addressed, the order of morning or evening routines, food and cultural preferences, communication style, privacy boundaries, and how they like assistance to be offered.
Include the person receiving care in the conversation as much as possible. Nebraska DHHS describes person-centered planning as developing supports with, for, and by the person—not simply around a system's available services.
4. Match each requested task to the service plan
Make a short list of tasks expected during the visit, such as help with bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting, meals, light housekeeping, mobility, companionship, errands, medication reminders, or community participation. The exact tasks must fit the assessment, service plan, authorization or agreement, caregiver training, and provider policy.
If a new need has appeared, contact the office before asking the caregiver to perform it. A caregiver should not improvise a transfer, medical procedure, medication task, or other activity outside the established plan. Changes may require a provider review, new instructions, or contact with the responsible service coordinator or payer.
5. Prepare the home for safe, respectful work
Clear the path from the entrance to the main care areas. Provide adequate lighting, stable furniture, and access to approved mobility equipment. Secure pets if needed, explain parking and entry instructions, and identify any household risks such as loose rugs, cluttered walkways, poor lighting, or difficult stairs.
The CDC's home fall-prevention checklist encourages families to look for and address hazards throughout the home. Do not ask a caregiver to lift or transfer someone without the correct plan, equipment, and training. Report broken equipment or a change in mobility before the visit whenever possible.
6. Organize medications without assigning unapproved duties
Keep an up-to-date medication list with the name, dose, timing, purpose, prescriber, and pharmacy when known. The list can support communication, but it does not authorize the caregiver to administer medications, fill pill organizers, change doses, or make clinical decisions.
Ask the provider exactly what “medication reminders” means in the plan. Contact a licensed clinician or pharmacist about missed doses, side effects, interactions, or medication changes. Call 911 for a medical emergency.
7. Create an emergency and backup contact plan
Post or securely provide the person's full address, emergency contact, preferred hospital if relevant, clinician or nurse line, and provider office number. Explain any established emergency instructions and where authorized documents are kept.
Also decide whom the provider should contact if the caregiver cannot enter the home, the person does not answer, the schedule changes, or the regular family contact is unavailable. Home care is not an emergency response service; call 911 for an immediate threat to life or safety.
8. Decide how the family and caregiver will communicate
Agree on the best channel for routine updates and who is authorized to receive information. Keep instructions concise and consistent. If several relatives are involved, choose one primary contact when possible so the caregiver is not receiving conflicting directions.
Family presence can be reassuring during a first visit if the person receiving care wants it. Allow space for the caregiver and individual to begin building trust, while remaining available for questions.
9. Review how visits and concerns will be documented
Ask how arrival and departure times, completed tasks, changes, refusals, incidents, and concerns are recorded. Learn whom to call for scheduling, billing, service-plan questions, or urgent operational concerns.
Documentation should be factual and respectful. Avoid placing passwords, bank information, or unnecessary medical details in a general household notebook. Follow the provider's secure communication process.
10. Plan a short first-week check-in
After the first visits, ask the person receiving care what felt comfortable, what was unclear, and what could be improved. Share specific, respectful feedback with the provider. A routine may need adjustment, but changes to authorized tasks, hours, or support levels may require formal review.
Contact Besqueens promptly about communication, timing, safety, or service concerns. We can explain available next steps, subject to assessment, authorization, staffing, schedule, and service availability.
Questions to ask before the caregiver arrives
- Which tasks are included in this visit?
- What supplies or equipment should the household provide?
- How will the caregiver identify themselves?
- How are arrival, departure, and completed tasks recorded?
- Who should be called if the caregiver is late or cannot come?
- What changes must be reported before the visit?
- How should privacy, keys, pets, and home access be handled?
- How do we request a service-plan or schedule review?
How Besqueens can help
Besqueens provides non-medical personal care, companionship, and home support in Nebraska, subject to assessment, authorization when applicable, staffing, schedule, location, and service availability. An inquiry does not guarantee eligibility, coverage, particular hours, a specific caregiver, or an immediate start date.
Explore our Nebraska home-care services, review our Bellevue and Norfolk locations, or submit a care inquiry. Relatives interested in providing support can also visit our family caregiver page.
Authoritative resources
- CDC: Steps for Creating and Maintaining a Care Plan — guidance for keeping important caregiving information organized and current.
- Nebraska DHHS: Services on the Aged and Disabled Waiver — official service and person-centered planning information.
- Nebraska DHHS: HCBS Participant Planning — resources for person-centered plans and paid and natural supports.
- CDC STEADI: Check for Safety — room-by-room home fall-prevention checklist.
- Administration for Community Living: National Family Caregiver Support Program — federal information about caregiver supports and community resources.
Frequently asked questions
What should I have ready for the first home care visit?
Have the current service plan or written agreement, schedule, emergency contacts, household access instructions, routine and preference notes, and an up-to-date medication list available. Keep documents in one easy-to-find place, but protect private information from unnecessary access.
Should I give the caregiver a medication list?
An accurate list can help the care team understand the person's routine and communicate concerns. It does not authorize a caregiver to administer medication or perform a health-related task. The provider must confirm what is allowed by the service plan, authorization, caregiver training, and applicable rules.
What if we need a task that is not in the service plan?
Do not assume the caregiver can add it during the visit. Contact the provider and, when applicable, the Nebraska DHHS service coordinator or payer to ask whether the plan or authorization must be reviewed before the task can be provided.
Can a family member stay during the first visit?
Often a trusted family member can be present if the person receiving care wants that support and the arrangement respects privacy, safety, and provider policies. Confirm the plan with the provider before the visit.
What if the caregiver does not seem like the right fit?
Share specific concerns promptly with the provider, including communication, schedule, task, safety, or preference issues. The provider can explain available next steps, but a particular replacement or timeline cannot be guaranteed.
Is home care an emergency service?
No. Call 911 for an immediate threat to life or safety. Use the person's clinician, nurse line, urgent care, or other appropriate medical resource for health concerns that require professional evaluation.
This article is educational and does not provide medical, legal, benefits, employment, or individualized care advice. Services, duties, eligibility, authorization, coverage, staffing, schedules, and availability vary. Confirm the current plan with the person receiving care, Besqueens, Nebraska DHHS or the responsible service coordinator when applicable, and qualified health professionals.