The 72-hour matching process is how we move a family from a first care request to a confirmed in-home caregiver plan within three days. This page walks through each stage in order so you know what happens, what we ask, and when care can start. The same steps apply whether you need a few visits a week or more continuous help at home.
We match caregivers to daily support needs, household routines, and preferred schedules. We do not diagnose medical conditions or replace advice from a clinician. If Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia is part of your situation, we still focus on the practical help needed at home, such as companionship, personal care, and a calm daily structure.
What the 72-Hour Matching Process Is
The 72-hour matching process is a three-day sequence that takes your family from the first request to a caregiver introduction and a planned start of in-home support. It is designed for families who cannot wait weeks for help, including people coming home from the hospital and families who need relief right away.
Each day has a clear purpose. Day one is about understanding the person who needs care. Day two is about identifying a caregiver whose skills, availability, and working style fit that picture. Day three is about introductions, questions, and locking in the first visits.
The process is the same for a short-term need and for longer-term home care. What changes is the care plan itself, not the matching steps.
Hours 0 to 24: How We Learn What Your Family Needs
In the first 24 hours, we gather the details needed to understand who needs care, what help is required, and when coverage should start. This intake conversation is the foundation of a good match, so we keep it focused and practical.
We typically ask about:
- The person's daily routine, sleep schedule, and preferred language
- Help needed with meals, mobility, bathing, dressing, or medication reminders
- Memory, mood, or safety concerns that affect how care should be delivered
- Pets, other household members, and any access or parking details
- The hours and days you want covered, including overnight or weekend needs
- Whether you need a short burst of help or an ongoing schedule
You do not need a complete medical file to begin. A clear description of a typical day, plus the tasks that are becoming hard to manage, is enough to start matching. If a hospital stay is involved, tell us the expected discharge timing so we can aim the first visits at the right window. Families planning a return home can also review our hospital discharge care option while intake is underway.
Hours 24 to 48: How We Identify a Caregiver Match
Between hour 24 and hour 48, we compare your stated needs with available caregivers and prepare a match for you to review. The goal is not only a free time slot. It is a person who can do the work, fit the household, and show up on the schedule you described.
Matching usually weighs several factors at once:
- Skills for the tasks you listed, including personal care or memory-related support
- Availability for the hours you need, including evenings, weekends, or live-in coverage
- Comfort with the home setting, such as stairs, pets, or more than one person in the household
- Communication style and language preferences
- Continuity, so the same caregiver can return if you want a consistent face
If you need hands-on help with bathing, dressing, or mobility, we look for a caregiver suited to personal care rather than companionship alone. If the main need is presence, conversation, and help with everyday activities, we look at companion care. When memory changes are a central concern, we consider memory care at home so the match is prepared for repetition, pacing, and a familiar routine.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, and many families first seek home support when daily tasks and safety become harder to manage. The CDC provides a public overview of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias that can help families describe symptoms they are seeing, without treating that overview as a diagnosis.
Hours 48 to 72: How Introductions and Start Dates Are Confirmed
In the last 24 hours of the window, we introduce the proposed caregiver, answer remaining questions, and confirm when care will begin. This is the point where a possible match becomes a real start date.
A typical introduction covers:
- Who the caregiver is and the kind of home care they provide
- Which tasks they will handle on the first visits
- Arrival time, visit length, and how to reach us if plans change
- Household notes the caregiver should know on day one
You can ask about experience with similar routines, comfort with overnight hours, or how the caregiver handles a day that does not go as planned. If the introduction does not feel right, say so before the first shift. We would rather adjust the match than start care that does not fit.
Once you agree, we confirm the first visits in writing so everyone has the same schedule. Care can begin at the end of this window, or on the later date you choose if you are planning ahead.
What You Should Have Ready Before You Reach Out
Having a short list of care needs, preferred hours, and household details ready helps the 72-hour process move without extra back-and-forth. You do not need every document on day one, but a few basics make matching faster.
Helpful items include:
- A typical weekday and weekend schedule
- A list of tasks that now require another person
- Any mobility, hearing, vision, or memory notes that affect how someone should offer help
- Preferred start date, including whether you need someone immediately
- Whether family members will share the home during visits
- Backup contacts if the primary decision-maker is hard to reach
If more than one relative is involved, it helps to name one person who can confirm the match. Split decision-making is common, but a single point of contact keeps the 72-hour clock from stalling.