What to Have Ready Before Your First Home Care Intake Call

Melinda Piechoski, RN · Director of Nursing · May 2026

When a family decides to look into home care, the intake call is usually the first real conversation with an agency. It moves quickly. A coordinator will ask about your loved one’s diagnosis, daily needs, insurance coverage, and living situation. Families who come prepared get more out of it. Families who are caught off guard often have to schedule a second call or wait longer to get services started.

This guide walks you through exactly what to gather before that call so you can spend the time getting answers instead of scrambling for documents.

Why the Intake Call Matters

The intake call is not just an information collection exercise. It is how a home care coordinator determines what services your loved one qualifies for, which funding sources apply, and how quickly care can begin. In Pennsylvania, eligibility for programs like Philadelphia home care through Community HealthChoices depends on specific criteria that the coordinator will walk through with you.

Coming prepared does two things: it speeds up the eligibility review, and it signals to the agency that you are a serious client who has thought through your family’s needs.

Insurance and Benefits Documents to Have Nearby

The funding source for care affects which services are available, how much you pay out of pocket, and which caregivers can be assigned. Before the call, locate the following:

• Medicare card — The red, white, and blue card with your loved one’s Medicare number. Note whether they have Medicare Part A only or both Part A and Part B, as this determines coverage for skilled nursing and therapy visits.
• Medicaid card — If your loved one is enrolled in Pennsylvania Medicaid, have the card handy. Also note whether they are enrolled in a Medicaid Managed Care Organization and which one.
• Community HealthChoices enrollment information — If already enrolled in CHC, the coordinator will need their CHC plan name. If not enrolled, the coordinator can explain the application process.
• Private long-term care insurance card — Some long-term care insurance policies cover home care. If your loved one has a policy, gather the card and policy number.
• VA benefit information — If your loved one is a veteran, note whether they receive VA health care or Aid and Attendance benefits. Our veterans home care team handles these inquiries but the intake coordinator can direct you.

Medical History and Current Medications

The intake coordinator uses medical information to match the right level of care to your loved one’s situation. You do not need every medical record, but a basic summary helps.

• Primary diagnoses — What conditions has your loved one been diagnosed with? Dementia, Parkinson’s, COPD, diabetes, recent stroke, and post-surgical recovery are common starting points.
• Current medications — A printed list, handwritten notes, or a photo of the pill bottles is enough. Include dosage and frequency.
• Recent hospitalizations or rehab stays — Note the facility name and discharge date if your loved one was recently discharged. This affects Medicare home health eligibility.
• Primary care physician contact — Name and phone number for the doctor. Skilled nursing services require a physician’s order, which the agency can help coordinate.
• Allergies — Medication and food allergies the caregiver working in the home needs to know.

Daily Routines and Personal Care Needs

This section is where families sometimes underestimate how specific to get. The more detail you can share, the better the care plan matches real daily life.

Think through a typical day and note the following:

• What time does your loved one wake up and go to bed?
• Do they need help bathing or showering? Can they stand in the shower, or do they use a shower chair?
• Do they need assistance with dressing, grooming, or toileting?
• Are there mobility issues? Do they use a walker, wheelchair, or cane?
• Have they fallen in the past six months?
• Do they need help preparing meals or eating?
• Do they attend adult day programs or have regular medical appointments?

Our companion care and personal care services cover most of these daily tasks. Knowing the specifics upfront means the coordinator can suggest the right mix without multiple follow-up calls.

Emergency Contacts and Home Access Details

The intake coordinator will ask for basic logistical information about the home and who to contact in an emergency.

• Two emergency contacts — Name, relationship, and phone number. Include a contact who is not the primary family caregiver in case an emergency happens when that person is unavailable.
• Home address and access notes — Is there a building entrance code, key lockbox, or elevator the caregiver will need access to?
• Pets — Note any animals in the home and whether they are comfortable with strangers.
• Preferred language — If your loved one is more comfortable in Russian or Spanish, mention this. A-Team Home Care coordinates in English, Spanish, and Russian.

Questions to Bring to the Call

The intake call is your chance to evaluate the agency as much as they are evaluating your situation. Come ready to ask:

• How quickly can care begin once paperwork is complete?
• How does the agency handle caregiver cancellations or no-shows?
• Will we always have the same caregiver?
• What supervision does the agency provide for caregivers in the field?
• How are concerns or complaints escalated and resolved?
• Does the agency have a Director of Nursing overseeing care quality?

You can also call A-Team directly at (215) 490-9994 to go through these questions with a coordinator before the formal intake if that is easier.

What Happens After the Intake Call

After a successful intake call, the agency typically schedules an in-home assessment. A nurse or care coordinator visits the home to review the environment, confirm care needs, and finalize the care plan. If you are applying through Medicaid or Community HealthChoices, there may be additional eligibility steps the coordinator will explain.

Families who show up with documents in hand and a clear picture of what they need move through this process significantly faster. Use this list to get there.