You’re doing everything you can as a family caregiver in Fort Collins, and wanting a little extra help isn’t weakness. Preferred Care at Home provides short-term in-home respite care so you can rest and focus on your own well-being.
AARP reports 53 million U.S. adults are unpaid family caregivers, yet most Fort Collins families never learn that local respite programs exist right here in Larimer County. Preferred Care at Home has served Northern Colorado’s Front Range for more than 15 years, with direct knowledge of UCHealth discharge pathways, county voucher programs, and the region’s unique caregiving challenges.
Our commitment goes beyond finding a caregiver. We recognize your loved one’s specific needs and develop a personalized respite care plan with flexible scheduling that fits your week. Adult children managing care from a distance gain peace of mind knowing every caregiver visit is tracked through the Transparency Room.
Companion care gives family caregivers in Fort Collins a meaningful break while ensuring elderly people stay engaged and emotionally supported in their own home. Loneliness deepens quickly when daily social activities are disrupted, especially for older adults navigating health challenges or living far from family.
A companion caregiver provides conversation, accompanies your loved one to social activities and medical appointments, and offers a caring presence throughout the day.
Homemaker care lifts the burden of household tasks so Fort Collins family caregivers can step away knowing daily living needs are handled. Meal planning, laundry, errands, and light housekeeping continue without interruption during your respite break.
Our caregivers work closely with each family to learn routines, preferences, and schedules so nothing feels unfamiliar or disrupted while you’re away.
Personal care services give Fort Collins caregivers confidence that hands-on daily living assistance continues with dignity while they rest or handle other responsibilities. Bathing, dressing, grooming, and mobility support are provided by caregivers matched to your loved one’s specific needs.
Our team develops a personalized care plan before the first visit, reviewing routines and health challenges so every caregiver arrives fully prepared.
For families managing dementia care in Fort Collins, arranging respite can feel risky when a loved one becomes anxious with unfamiliar faces. Our Dementia and Alzheimer’s care keeps clients in their own home, where familiar surroundings support calm, routine, and consistent daily life.
Caregivers trained in memory care use cognitive engagement and gentle redirection to enhance safety and dignity throughout every visit.
When a few hours of respite isn’t enough, live-in care gives Fort Collins families a full-time in-home caregiver matched by personality and experience for around-the-clock support. Live-in care is often the most affordable 24-hour option for family caregivers who need extended coverage.
This short-term arrangement works well for caregivers traveling, recovering from illness, or managing their own health challenges for multiple days at a stretch.
After a hospital discharge from UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital or Banner Health, elderly people return home with recovery needs that can overwhelm a family caregiver already managing daily responsibilities. Our Transition care supports post-hospital recovery at home, providing the assistance and structure that reduce stress for the whole family during a vulnerable stretch.
This service is a natural complement to respite for caregivers managing a loved one’s recovery from illness or surgery.
Step 01
Call us at (970) 590-7608. We listen to your schedule, respite needs, and concerns right away.
Step 02
We assess your loved one’s specific needs, health challenges, routines, and care preferences in depth.
Step 03
We develop a respite care plan built around your loved one’s specific routines and your weekly schedule.
Step 04
We match your loved one with a caregiver chosen for personality compatibility, experience, and availability.
Step 05
Respite care starts. Family members track visits and caregiver notes through our online Transparency Room.
Northern Colorado’s climate, geography, and care landscape create specific challenges for family caregivers that generic services rarely address.
Challenge
What It Looks Like
How We Help
Northern Colorado winter storms
What It Looks Like
Snow and ice create dangerous conditions, leaving elderly people isolated and caregivers unable to safely travel
How We Help
We build flexible schedules so planned coverage continues before and through winter storm disruptions
Challenge
Widespread caregiver burnout
What It Looks Like
Family caregivers delay their own medical appointments and rest, accelerating stress without a formal relief plan
How We Help
Short-term respite care services start with a few hours per week, giving caregivers a structured, repeating break
Challenge
Unknown Larimer County funding
What It Looks Like
Local respite vouchers and in-home services vouchers exist in Larimer County, but most families never know to ask
How We Help
We help families explore Larimer County Office on Aging programs, VA benefits, and Medicaid payment options
Challenge
Respite vs. home health confusion
What It Looks Like
Caregivers assume respite requires a diagnosis or medical referral and delay getting help longer than necessary
How We Help
We clarify what in-home care services include and assist each family in selecting the right respite care plan
Challenge
Scheduling and communication gaps
What It Looks Like
Families encounter inconsistent scheduling and poor communication that disrupt carefully planned caregiver breaks
How We Help
Our care plan includes clear scheduling, caregiver notes, and family updates through the online Transparency Room
Challenge
Sudden caregiver absence
What It Looks Like
A caregiver’s illness or travel creates an unplanned gap in a loved one’s coverage without a backup in place
How We Help
We develop respite schedules in advance so short-term gaps have planned coverage, not rushed last-minute handoffs
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:
Colorado’s hourly median for in-home care runs $40 to $42 per hour, giving Fort Collins caregivers a realistic planning benchmark for respite scheduling. Genworth and CareScout’s Cost of Care Survey (July through December 2024) reports Colorado’s hourly median at $40 for homemaker services and $42 for home health aide care. Full-day coverage runs a median of $251 to $263 per day depending on service type. Cost varies by hours needed and payment source, and Preferred Care at Home accepts VA benefits, Medicaid, and long-term care insurance.
Our ownership team knows Larimer County’s care resources, hospital discharge pathways, and rural isolation challenges firsthand after 15 years serving this region. Our ownership team’s direct knowledge of Northern Colorado’s healthcare community means we navigate UCHealth discharges, county programs, and seasonal disruptions with experience, not guesswork. Every caregiver undergoes our 7-step screening process and is matched to your loved one based on personality and experience. We accept VA benefits, long-term care insurance, Medicaid, and private pay, which most Fort Collins families don’t find combined in one place.
Care can often begin within a few days of your initial consultation, depending on scheduling needs and caregiver matching. After your consultation, we develop your respite care plan and complete caregiver matching before the first visit. Scheduling is more reliable when arranged proactively rather than during a crisis, and Fort Collins winter storms make advance planning especially important for caregiver coverage. Contacting us before a gap occurs gives you better options and more consistent caregiver matches.
In-home respite care is tailored to your loved one’s specific needs and can cover daily living assistance, companionship, homemaker tasks, and personal care. Respite care services typically include bathing, dressing, grooming, mobility assistance, meal planning, laundry, errands, and social companionship. A few hours per week is a common starting point, with options scaling to full-day or live-in care for extended coverage. Preferred Care at Home builds a personalized care plan before the first visit so every caregiver arrives prepared.
No diagnosis or referral is required for private-pay in-home respite care in Colorado. Private-pay respite care through Preferred Care at Home does not require a medical diagnosis or referral. Larimer County Office on Aging voucher programs have their own eligibility criteria, which are not income-based per county guidance. Colorado’s Medicaid waiver respite rules received clarifying updates with an effective date of January 1, 2026, so current eligibility is worth reviewing if you rely on a waiver program.
Yes. Larimer County’s Family Caregiver Support Program provides respite vouchers and in-home services vouchers that are not based on income. Larimer County’s Family Caregiver Support Program offers caregiver consultation and respite vouchers to reduce caregiver strain. The county’s In-Home Services Voucher typically covers two hours of homemaker services weekly or every other week for approved individuals. Preferred Care at Home also accepts VA benefits, long-term care insurance, and Medicaid. Contact the Larimer County ADRC to begin the voucher eligibility process. Learn more about your home care payment options.
Start with a consistent, repeating block tied to your own appointments or rest needs, then build the respite care plan around your loved one’s existing routines. Consistent weekly scheduling works better than reactive coverage for most family caregivers. The Larimer County In-Home Services Voucher uses a two-hours-per-week model as a planning baseline, which is practical for caregivers managing medical appointments or regular errands. Preferred Care at Home builds each respite care plan around your schedule and your loved one’s specific routines, not the other way around.
Yes. Overnight and 24-hour respite coverage is available through live-in care, which is often the most affordable around-the-clock option. Overnight respite involves a caregiver staying through the evening and night to provide supervision, personal care assistance, and a reassuring presence. For caregivers needing multiple nights or extended coverage, live-in care places a consistent caregiver in the home around the clock, matched by personality and experience. This short-term arrangement is often more affordable than facility-based short-term respite stays.
Before the first visit, gather your loved one’s daily routine notes, a list of preferences, and any emergency contact information you want the caregiver to have. A prepared caregiver arrives ready to assist without disrupting your loved one’s sense of familiarity. Share the daily schedule, meal preferences, and important contacts, and consider a brief introduction visit if your loved one has memory challenges. In Fort Collins, it’s also worth noting any seasonal safety factors, such as icy walkways or weather-related supply needs, so the caregiver can plan and respond accordingly.
Staying in their own home reduces the disorientation that often comes with unfamiliar environments for people living with dementia. In-home care keeps your loved one in the familiar surroundings that support calm and orientation through each day. Preferred Care at Home matches caregivers based on personality and experience to build familiarity over time, which is especially important in dementia care. Our caregivers use cognitive engagement and gentle routine reinforcement to support dignity, peace, and a consistent daily life at home.
