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Luminary Living Support
CallFree Assessment

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Short, plain-English answers to the questions families ask most often when they first call.

What is the difference between non-medical home care and home health?
Non-medical home care is help with daily life: bathing, dressing, meals, companionship, transportation, supervision. It is provided by trained caregivers, not licensed clinicians, and it does not require a doctor's order. Home health is short-term skilled medical care at home — nursing, physical therapy, wound care — usually ordered by a doctor after a hospital stay and billed through Medicare. The two often run side by side: home health treats the medical issue, non-medical home care covers the rest of the day.
Are you licensed?
Yes. Luminary Living Support is a California Department of Social Services Home Care Organization (CDSS HCO #334700287). Every caregiver we send into a home is registered as a Home Care Aide on the CDSS public registry, has cleared a Live Scan background check, and has current TB clearance.
How is home care paid for?
There are three common paths in California. Private-pay is straightforward — you pay an hourly rate for the hours you use. IHSS is a state program that may authorize a capped number of hours per month for eligible Medi-Cal members [DRAFT — VERIFY: ihss_eligibility_criteria]. CalAIM Community Supports is a newer set of optional benefits offered through some Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans, which may include personal care or respite for some eligible members [DRAFT — VERIFY: calaim_covered_services]. We do not set eligibility for either program; we help you understand which paths to look into.
How quickly can care start?
About 72 hours from the in-home assessment is typical for routine starts. For urgent cases — usually a hospital discharge — we can often start within 24 hours, sometimes same-day.
What if the caregiver is not a good fit?
Tell us and we change it, at no charge and without an awkward conversation. The match matters more than almost anything else in this work, and you should not feel stuck with a caregiver who is not right for your family.
Do you have a minimum number of hours per visit?
Yes. Our minimum shift is [OWNER_INPUT_NEEDED: minimum_shift_hours] hours. We will explain why during the assessment — short shifts are hard to staff consistently, and consistency is the whole point of home care.
Do caregivers drive clients to appointments?
Yes. Transportation is one of our core services — door-through-door rides to medical appointments, the pharmacy, the grocery store, church, or social events. Caregivers walk your parent in, stay if needed, and bring them home safely.
Are caregivers W-2 employees or contractors?
All of our caregivers are W-2 employees of Luminary Living Support. We carry workers compensation and general liability insurance on every caregiver. This protects your family from the tax and liability exposure that comes with hiring an independent contractor directly.
What areas do you serve?
We serve cities across Riverside, San Diego, Orange, and San Bernardino counties. See /locations for the full service area and ZIP coverage list.