Free Consultation: Call 239-590-0861 or schedule a call with our local teamSchedule a call
Free Consultation: Call 239-590-0861 or schedule a call with our local teamSchedule a call
Proudly serving families in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Bonita Springs, and surrounding Southwest Florida communities.
When someone you love needs help at home, two very different jobs show up. One is daily life at home: meals, bathing, getting safely to the bathroom, company in the afternoon. The other is the healthcare: the doctors, the medication lists, the test results, the insurance calls and the decisions that come with all of it. A private caregiver helps your loved one live well at home. A nurse care manager helps the family navigate the healthcare. Many Southwest Florida families now use both, and together they help keep a loved one safe, supported and at home, while the family stays in charge of every decision.
Looking for a private caregiver at home?
A care manager is a professional, often a registered nurse or social worker, who helps a person and their family plan, coordinate and oversee care. The Aging Life Care Association describes this work as guiding families through the medical, emotional and practical side of aging and chronic illness.
The simplest way to think about it: a caregiver helps your loved one live well at home, and a care manager helps the family navigate the healthcare.
An independent caregiver is in the home helping with the daily routine: companion care, personal care such as bathing and dressing, meal preparation, light housekeeping and transportation. Some families need a few hours a week; others need live-in or 24-hour care.
A care manager is usually not in the home every day. They look at the bigger picture: whether the care plan still fits, whether something a doctor said needs follow-up, and whether the family has the information it needs to make good decisions.
A caregiver without a plan can only react. A plan without a caregiver has no one at home to carry it out.
Abby Services is a Florida-licensed nurse registry and caregiver matching service. We identify and refer independent, self-employed caregivers who have been screened for licensure or certification, background checks and references. Because the caregiver is independent, you stay in control of the care. You direct the daily work, and you decide who else is part of your care team. If you are new to this model, our guide on what a Florida nurse registry is explains how it differs from a home care agency.
That independence is where a care manager can be especially helpful. Families who direct their own care sometimes want a clinical professional on their side to help them do it well. Here is what that partnership can look like:
The care manager meets with the family, reviews health history and current needs, and helps define what the caregiver should focus on. That gives Abby Services a clearer picture when we match your family with caregivers, and gives the caregiver a clear starting point on day one.
The caregiver sees your loved one every day and is often the first to notice a change: a new cough, more confusion in the afternoon, a missed meal, a fall risk. The care manager gives the family and caregiver someone to bring those observations to, and helps decide whether it needs a call to the doctor, a change in routine, or just closer watching.
After a hospital stay, a new diagnosis or a decline in memory, the care manager helps the family update the plan. If the hours or type of help need to change, the family can reach out to Abby Services to discuss a different schedule or additional caregiver referrals.
See our pages on after-surgery home care, hospital and rehab support, and Alzheimer’s and dementia caregiver support for more on those situations.
Many of the families we work with have a parent in Fort Myers, Cape Coral or Naples and children living in other states. A care manager can provide regular updates and be present for appointments when the family cannot, while the caregiver handles the daily support at home.
Not every family needs one. A care manager tends to be most valuable when:
The National Institute on Aging also has practical resources for families sharing caregiving responsibilities, including caring for someone from a distance.
One local resource we are glad to introduce families to is HavenWell, founded by Erin Mitchell, RN. HavenWell offers healthcare guidance and advocacy for aging adults, people facing a new diagnosis, those living with chronic conditions, and healthy adults who want a trusted healthcare partner in place before they need one. Erin brings both clinical nursing experience and personal experience as a family caregiver, and currently serves clients in Lee and Collier Counties.
HavenWell is an independent business, and Abby Services does not receive any compensation for this introduction. Families who work with HavenWell contract with them directly. You can learn more or schedule a free consultation at havenwell.life.
Abby Services has been matching Southwest Florida families with independent caregivers since 1997.
Our phone is answered 24/7.
No. A care manager coordinates and plans care, while a caregiver provides hands-on help at home. Most families who use a care manager still need a caregiver for day-to-day support.
Private care management is generally paid for out of pocket. Some long-term care insurance policies may help with certain services, so it is worth checking your policy. Our page on long-term care insurance has more information.
Yes. Caregivers referred by Abby Services are independent, and you direct the care. You are free to bring a care manager onto your team, and many families find the combination works well.
No. As a nurse registry, Abby Services refers independent caregivers and does not employ or supervise them. A care manager you hire works for you, not for Abby Services. This keeps you in control of decisions about your loved one’s care.
If you need a caregiver, call Abby Services at 239-590-0861. If you would like help coordinating medical care, you can contact a care manager or nurse navigator such as HavenWell directly. Either one can be your first call.
HavenWell · Care Manager / Nurse Navigator
Serving Lee and Collier Counties
“We navigate the healthcare maze, so you can focus on living well.”
HavenWell can help with healthcare guidance and advocacy, care coordination for aging adults, support after a new diagnosis, managing chronic conditions, and proactive wellness planning. A free initial consultation is available.
Call 239-634-3574Email [email protected]Visit havenwell.life
HavenWell is an independent business. Abby Services does not receive any compensation for this introduction.
This article is general information, not medical or legal advice. Talk with your doctor about your loved one’s specific needs.
