Since 1984, Preferred Care at Home has been a beacon of hope for families seeking reliable and affordable care. It all started with a vision to offer a quality of service that would allow seniors to age in place with dignity and grace. Recognizing the need for compassionate caregivers who could provide assistance without breaking the bank, our founders established the first agency with a commitment to excellence that continues to drive us today.
In 2007, recognizing that the need for quality senior care was not limited to one community, Preferred Care at Home began its nationwide expansion. This growth allowed us to bring our unique philosophy of care to families across the country. By partnering with like-minded individuals who shared our passion for service, we were able to extend our reach while maintaining the personal touch that defined our very first agency.
Today, Preferred Care at Home stands as a testament to the enduring power of compassionate care. We remain dedicated to our founding principles, constantly innovating to meet the evolving needs of our clients. As we look to the future, our mission remains unchanged: to improve the quality of life for those we serve, safeguarding their independence and dignity in the home they love.
“For many older people, home is everything. It’s a window to the past, a safe haven for the present and the legacy they long to leave for the next generation.
Since 1984, the husband-and-wife founders of Preferred Care at Home have been helping seniors stay in their homes, happily and safely. Now a nationally franchised but still family-run business, Preferred Care at Home offers high-quality in-home care at affordable rates.”
When I moved home to Iowa, I realized how much has changed in the five years I was gone. As much as things were changing for me, I saw first-hand how much had changed for my family over that same time. That’s when I started to understand what it meant to grow older. After unpacking my boxes, the work was just getting started.
The first few years after moving home my weekends were spent helping family members run errands, packing boxes, cleaning houses, and helping prepare to move my grandmother and aunt into a senior community. During that process I came to realize how large of a workload my mom had taken on to ensure my grandma and aunt had everything they needed. She silently became their main daily support for household tasks, companionship, appointment transportation, and many more activities of daily living. Even with everyone in our family helping, over time we couldn’t be as present as our family members needed us to be. Eventually, we made the decision to bring a caretaker into their homes. Making that decision was hard, but the benefits were immediate. My grandma and aunt love having people around to visit with and to help around the house, and for the first time in years, I saw my parents were able to relax without worrying. My family is at ease knowing we have dedicated caretakers looking after our loved ones.
Seeing how much time and dedication my mom has put into caring for our aging relatives is what inspired me to bring Preferred Care at Home to families in Central Iowa. Our goal is to provide support to those who need it most, while alleviating the pressure that often gets placed on family members. We are proud to offer top-notch services for your loved one and would be honored to be a part of your family’s story.
Preferred Care at Home has continued this tradition by only referring the most reliable, compassionate, experienced and affordable caregivers to client’s homes or care facilities.
We serve Alleman, Altoona, Ankeny, Berwick, Bondurant, Clive, Elkhart, Grimes, Johnston, Mitchellville, Pleasant Hill, Polk City, Runnells, Sheldahl, Urbandale, and Windsor Heights. Whether your loved one lives near a quiet Ankeny neighborhood, in an established Urbandale community, or in one of the growing suburbs east or north of Des Moines, we are here to help.
Everything from companionship and conversation to 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.
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.
We provide care wherever someone lives. Many Des Moines-area 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.
Hospital-to-home transitions are among our most important services here in the Des Moines area. Coming home after a stay at Iowa Methodist Medical Center, MercyOne Des Moines, 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.
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.
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.
Yes. We accept long-term care insurance and can help you work through the process. Navigating an insurance policy in the middle of a care crisis is stressful. We will help you understand your policy, work through the elimination period requirements, and assist with filing claims on your family’s behalf. Contact us at (515) 444-5520 and we will walk through the process with you.
VA benefits, including Aid and Attendance, VA Community Care, and the Guide Program, can cover a meaningful portion of home care costs for qualifying veterans and their surviving spouses. Learn about Aid and Attendance benefits here. If your family member is a veteran seeking home care, call us and we will help you understand your options.
Yes. The Central Iowa Area Agency on Aging connects 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.
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.
Our team includes experienced and trained caregivers, including CNA and HHA professionals, as well as newly certified caregivers we personally vet and prepare. We are selective because the families we serve deserve nothing less. When you invite one of our caregivers into your home, you can trust that they have been thoroughly screened and prepared.
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.
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.
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.
Yes. Alzheimer’s and dementia care is a priority 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. Des Moines-area 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.
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.
Yes. Caring for a loved one is one of the most meaningful things a person can do, and one of the most exhausting. Our respite care gives family caregivers the break they need without leaving their loved one without support. Whether you need a few hours a week or a longer stretch of relief, we are here to step in.
Contact us by phone at (515) 444-5520 or by email at DesMoines@preferhome.com. We will talk through your situation and schedule a complimentary 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Many adult children live in other cities or states while parents remain here in central Iowa. We use an online portal called the Transparency Room where you can access caregiver schedules, visit confirmations, daily notes, and updates from anywhere in the world. Families can also connect with our team via Zoom or FaceTime when a phone call is not enough. Complete transparency is part of our commitment to keeping families connected and at peace. Learn about our Transparency of Care technology.
We plan ahead for it. Central Iowa presents real seasonal challenges for elderly people throughout the year. Winters in the Des Moines area bring ice storms, heavy snow, and extended stretches of extreme cold that raise serious risks for seniors who may struggle with mobility, home heating, or simply getting to the door safely. Icy walkways and driveways become significant fall hazards, and the isolation that comes with being unable to drive or leave the house can take a real toll on emotional wellbeing. Our caregivers help families stay ahead of seasonal risks, including checking that heating systems are functioning, assisting with safe home entry and exit, building winter emergency supply plans, and maintaining regular social connection during the months when getting out is hardest. Learn more about disaster preparation for seniors.
We are part of 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 the Des Moines area, owner Joseph Peterson brings a personal commitment to that mission and to the community he serves. His team is selected for both skill and character, including experienced and trained caregivers with CNA and HHA backgrounds, because the families of central Iowa deserve nothing less
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 Des Moines, Ankeny, Urbandale, and throughout the surrounding communities we are proud to serve.
