Meet the Team Behind Preferred Care at Home of Chattanooga
About Preferred Care at Home
About Preferred Care at Home
Celebrating life, dignity and independence® since 1984, Preferred Care at Home was founded by Lois Whitesell, a registered nurse, along with her daughter Jody Guerrieri and son-in-law Frank Guerrieri, in response to something they saw clearly: older people simply wanted to stay home.
Our Growth
What started as a small operation in central Florida has grown into a national franchise now serving families across 18 states. But it has never stopped feeling like a family business. The founders are still actively involved today, alongside the third generation of their family working in home care.
Local Ownership
Preferred Care at Home of Chattanooga is locally owned and operated. When you call or write to this office, you reach Bill and his team directly.
How We Select Our Caregivers
Every caregiver who comes into your home has passed our 7-step screening process. Background checks, reference verification, skills assessments, and a personality evaluation designed to match each caregiver to the specific person they will be caring for. Not just availability. Fit.
We refer only experienced and trained caregivers, including CNA and HHA professionals. If a match isn’t working, we find another. That is the standard this office holds itself to.
Why Choose Us?
- Singular focus: private home care
- No sales gimmicks or hidden fees
- 24/7 availability and support
- Expertly matched caregivers
- Committed to dignity and independence
- Quality services at affordable prices
Meet Our Owners
Driven by Passion, Committed to Compassion
Bill Tobin
Bill Tobin leads Preferred Care at Home of Chattanooga with a straightforward belief: the families of southeast Tennessee deserve care that shows up, stays consistent, and treats every person with dignity. That belief shapes how this office is run, from the way caregivers are selected to the way families are kept informed.
Under Bill’s leadership, the Chattanooga office has become one of the highest performing Preferred Care at Home franchises in the country, recognized with the Preferred Care at Home Pinnacle Award for production milestones and commitment to care. That recognition matters, but what matters more is what it reflects: a team that takes this work seriously, every day.
Bill has built the Chattanooga office around relationships, not transactions. When you call this number, you reach people who know southeast Tennessee, who understand the communities here, and who have spent their careers learning how to help families navigate some of the hardest decisions they will ever face.
Our Team
What sets the Chattanooga office apart is not just the owner. It is the team around him.
Six administrative staff support every client family in this office. Together, they bring more than 110 years of combined experience caring for older adults in southeast Tennessee. That is not a number pulled from a marketing document. It is the reality of what walks into the office every morning: people who have done this work long enough to have seen nearly every situation a family can face.
That depth means families are rarely caught off guard. When your parent is discharged from Erlanger and the discharge planner hands you a stack of instructions, we’ve seen that before. When a TennCare CHOICES application is pending and you need a provider who understands how to coordinate care during that window, we’ve done that before. When a family in Signal Mountain is managing everything from out of state and needs real-time updates from a caregiver in the home, that is exactly what the Transparency Room is built for.
Award Winning Senior Home Care
Local Care Throughout the Greater Chattanooga Area
Our team lives and works in Chattanooga and southeast Tennessee communities alongside the families we serve. When you call, you reach neighbors who understand Chattanooga.
We Serve:
- Apison
- Athens
- Cleveland
- Collegedale
- East Ridge
- Georgetown
- Harrison
- Lookout Mountain
- Lookout Valley
- Middle Valley
- Ooltewah
- Signal Mountain
- Snow Hill
- Soddy Daisy
- Walden
Communities We Serve
Where in Chattanooga do you provide care?
We serve Chattanooga, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News, Portsmouth, and communities throughout the southeast Tennessee region, including Poquoson and York County. Within Chattanooga, we cover neighborhoods from Alanton and Bay Colony to Kempsville, Oceanfront, Pungo, Sandbridge, Thoroughgood, and beyond. Whether your loved one lives near the oceanfront, in a quiet Chesapeake neighborhood, or in a more rural area of Suffolk, we are here to help.
What kind of help can caregivers provide?
Everything from companionship and conversation to hands-on assistance with bathing, dressing, and grooming. Caregivers help with meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, and transportation to appointments. We build care plans around each individual’s needs, from light help with errands a few hours a week to comprehensive daily support.
Is this only for elderly people, or can younger adults get help too?
While most of our clients are seniors, we also serve younger adults with disabilities and people recovering from surgery who need support living independently at home. Age is not the determining factor. Need is what matters.
Can care happen in an assisted living community, or just a private home?
We provide care wherever someone lives. Many southeast Tennessee families bring us into assisted living communities to provide extra personal attention beyond what the facility offers. We go where you need us, whether that is a private home, retirement community, or assisted living residence.
My parent was just discharged from a local hospital. Can you help with recovery?
Hospital-to-home transitions are among our most important services here in Chattanooga. Coming home after a stay at Sentara Chattanooga General Hospital, Sentara Leigh Hospital, Sentara Norfolk General, or any area facility can be completely overwhelming. Medications, follow-up appointments, rehabilitation exercises, diet changes. Our transition care program guides recovery and helps prevent the kind of readmission that sends so many elderly people back through those hospital doors. We make that transition smoother, step by step. Learn more about our Smooth-Transition Care program.
What should I budget for home care in Chattanooga?
Costs depend on how many hours of care you need and what type of care makes sense. We start with clear, affordable rates and no long-term commitments. We will walk you through pricing so you can plan without surprises. Here is helpful information about paying for home care.
Does Medicare cover any of this?
Medicare typically does not cover non-medical home care like companionship, homemaker services, or personal care assistance. It may cover skilled nursing if a physician orders it after a qualifying hospital stay. We will help you understand what Medicare does and does not pay for so you can explore your options clearly.
We have long-term care insurance. Can you help with that?
Yes, and this is one of the things we do especially well. We are Long Term Care insurance experts. We can help you understand your policy, work with you to eliminate the elimination period on most plans, and assist with filing claims on your family’s behalf. Navigating an insurance policy in the middle of a care crisis is stressful. We take that burden off your plate. Contact us at (757) 355-5080 and we will walk through the process with you.
What about veteran benefits?
We are contracted directly with the VA and serve veterans throughout southeast Tennessee. With one of the largest veteran populations in the country right here in our community, this is something we take seriously. VA benefits can cover a meaningful portion of home care costs, and Aid and Attendance benefits offer additional financial support for qualifying veterans and their surviving spouses. Learn about Aid and Attendance benefits here. We know this process well, and we will help your family navigate it.
Are there free programs or services we should know about?
Yes. The Chattanooga Department of Human Services and the southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging connect families with local resources, including meal delivery programs, transportation assistance, and senior center programming. Explore free services for seniors to discover what may be available in your community. These programs can work alongside the care we provide.
How do I know caregivers are trustworthy?
We only refer caregivers with experience. Every caregiver goes through our rigorous 7-step screening process that includes background checks, reference verification, skills assessment, and personality evaluation. We do not place anyone in your loved one’s home that we would not trust in our own. Our commitment to quality starts before the first day of care.
Will my parent have the same caregiver, or will it be someone different each time?
The same caregiver. We match based on personality and care needs, then maintain that relationship. Consistency builds trust and genuine connection. Your loved one will not face a rotating door of strangers. If your regular caregiver needs a day off, we arrange qualified backup, but constant turnover is simply not how we work.
What if the personality match does not work?
Tell us immediately. We will find someone different. Personal chemistry matters enormously, especially when someone is helping with intimate daily tasks. We want your loved one comfortable, respected, and happy with their caregiver.
Are caregivers available 24/7, or only during business hours?
We provide access to non-medical senior home care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is no minimum hours requirement. We work around your schedule, not the other way around.
Can you work with someone who has Alzheimer's or dementia?
Yes. Alzheimer’s and Dementia care is a specialty for us. Our caregivers are trained to communicate with compassion when memory fails, to create calm and familiar environments, and to maintain dignity as abilities change. southeast Tennessee families facing a dementia diagnosis trust us with their most vulnerable loved ones, and we treat that trust with the utmost care. Learn more about our dementia and Alzheimer’s care.
What about end-of-life care at home?
We provide compassionate support during life’s final chapter, working alongside hospice providers to help clients remain comfortable and cared for at home. We help with personal care, offer companionship, and give exhausted family members the respite they need. These are precious moments. We treat them with deep respect. Learn more about our end-of-life care services.
Do you offer specialized care for veterans?
We are contracted directly with the VA and are able to staff veteran care cases quickly when families need help most. We understand the unique needs of veterans and their spouses, and we take tremendous pride in serving this community. If your family member is a veteran seeking home care, call us at (757) 355-5080 and we will help you understand your options right away.
How do I begin the process?
Contact us by phone at (757) 355-5080 or by email at deckh@preferhome.com. We will talk through your situation and schedule a complimentary in-home consultation at your convenience. There is no obligation. We will assess needs, answer questions, and explain clearly how we work. Think of it as getting acquainted before making any decisions.
What happens at that first meeting?
We sit down together and talk through daily routines, current challenges, and goals for care. We explain our services and pricing clearly and answer every question you have. The conversation usually takes about an hour and is relaxed and informative. We are not there to pressure you. We are there to help you think through what is best.
How quickly can care begin once we decide to move forward?
Usually within days. When families reach out, they often need help soon. We understand urgency and move as quickly as possible to get the right caregiver matched and in place.
Is there a contract or long-term commitment required?
No long-term commitments. We believe you should stay with us because the care is exceptional, not because paperwork locks you in. Needs change, and we stay flexible every step of the way.
What if care needs increase or decrease over time?
We adjust the plan. Maybe you start with a few hours of weekly companionship and later need daily personal care. Maybe intensive transition support is needed right after a hospital discharge and then scales back as recovery progresses. We adapt as situations evolve. Take this quiz if you are unsure what level of care makes sense right now.
My father refuses help and insists he is fine. How do I handle this?
Pride runs deep, and the fear of losing independence is powerful. Sometimes starting gently helps, introducing a caregiver through homemaker help or errands before moving to personal care. Once trust builds, acceptance often follows. Our caregivers know how to earn that trust without undermining dignity. These fall prevention strategies may also help you start a conversation about safety without making it feel like an argument about independence.
I live out of state but my parents are in Chattanooga. How will I stay informed?
Many adult children live in other cities or states while parents remain here in southeast Tennessee. We use an online portal called the Family Room where you can access caregiver schedules, visit confirmations, daily notes, and updates from anywhere in the world. Complete transparency is part of our commitment to keeping families connected and at peace. Learn about our Transparency of Care technology.
How does the southeast Tennessee climate affect home care?
We plan ahead for it. southeast Tennessee presents unique seasonal challenges for elderly people. Summers bring intense heat and high humidity that raise the risk of dehydration and heat exhaustion, particularly for seniors who may not feel thirsty or who struggle to manage their home’s air conditioning. Tropical weather systems and hurricane threats require careful planning, especially for elderly people who may need evacuation help or who have medical equipment and medications that must be managed during emergencies. Winter cold snaps, while milder than in other parts of Virginia, still bring frost and ice that make getting to appointments and moving safely around the home difficult. Our caregivers help families prepare for seasonal changes, including maintaining proper hydration, ensuring heating and cooling systems are working, stocking emergency supplies, and managing appointment adjustments during severe weather. Learn more about disaster preparation for seniors.
What makes Preferred Care at Home of Chattanooga different?
We are a third-generation home care company with a proud history going back to 1984, founded by a registered nurse who believed that older people simply wanted to stay home rather than move into nursing facilities. Here in Chattanooga, owner Deck Hankins brings a deeply personal mission to that work. When his father, a World War II veteran and prisoner of war survivor, came home from the hospital in 2001, Deck’s family was left without answers or support. That experience shaped everything about how he runs this office. He is here to answer the questions that no one answered for his own family.
We are also a veteran community, and we serve it that way. We are contracted directly with the VA, we are Long Term Care insurance experts, and we only refer caregivers with real, verified experience. We treat every client as if they were our own family, because that is exactly how this company was built.
What does "celebrating life, dignity and independence" mean?
It means we believe home is everything to a senior. It is a window to their past, a safe haven for the present, and a legacy for the future. Our mission since 1984 has been to give elderly people the option to remain in their homes with dignity and independence intact. That is what drives us every day here in Chattanooga and across southeast Tennessee.
