TheKey Home Care Review

TheKey offers in-home care in 110 regions across the country.

SeniorLiving.org Rating:
4 of 5
See Pricing Links to TheKey
24/7 Care
120+ Clients Served
110 Locations
21 Years of Experience

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SeniorLiving.org Rating:
4 of 5
See Pricing Links to TheKey
Jeff Hoyt
Jeff Hoyt, Editor in Chief Read About Our Panel of Experts

When you want to stay at home but need help with daily activities, it may be time to consider a home care agency like TheKey. TheKey, formerly called Home Care Assistance, provides compassionate, professional in-home care for older adults up to 24 hours a day. TheKey has a growing network of offices spread throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia. With over 110 regions served, it’s one of the largest providers of in-home care in the country. You can choose daily care, where caregivers come in shifts and provide care 24 hours a day, or hourly care, to get assistance for a few hours a day.

TheKey also offers specialized care from caregivers who have the experience and training you need. Whether you or a loved one need Parkinson’s care, cancer care, stroke care, or hospice care, there are caregivers from TheKey who are ready to help. Read on to learn more about TheKey, its services, and where care is available.

Pros About Pros about TheKey

  • Home care
  • Trained and experienced caregivers
  • Specialized care for various conditions

Cons About Cons about TheKey

  • Some services are limited by state
  • Geriatric Care Manager available in some states only
  • Website does not mention if pets are allowed
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Types of Care

Every Baby Boomer will be 65 or older by 2030, and even though older Americans are living longer and are overall healthier, most have at least one chronic health condition.1 This means they will need to start exploring their care options. TheKey employs trained caregivers, like Certified Home Health Aides (CHHAs), Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs), and Registered Nurses (RNs), depending on location. So, your loved one will get care from an experienced caregiver. TheKey provides these types of services:

Home Care

Some 75 percent of older adults want to age in place and home care can be a great option.2 Home care can be a few hours a day of help or 24/7 support, including respite care. TheKey uses a team-based approach to care and The Balanced Care Method. The Balanced Care Method focuses on overall wellness, emphasizing nutrition, engagement, and social connection. The types of home care include:

  • Memory care at home
  • Support for chronic conditions
  • 24/7 complex care
  • Post-hospitalization support
  • End-of-life care
  • Frailty or fall risk support
  • Companion care
  • Help around the house
  • Life care planning
  • Adults with disabilities support

Memory Care

About 7.2 million Americans age 65 and older live with Alzheimer’s.3 Memory Care provides support for people living with any type of cognitive decline, from mild memory problems to advanced dementia. Memory care support includes care for:

  • Memory problems and confusion
  • Lewy body dementia
  • Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)
  • Frontotemporal dementia
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Parkinson’s disease dementia
  • Vascular dementia
  • Undiagnosed cognitive decline

Specialized Care

Specialized care supports people living with specific medical conditions and unique needs, so clients can live safely at home. Specialized care includes care for Parkinson’s disease, care for heart problems, care after a stroke, cancer care, end-of-life care, and hospital-to-home care.

Concierge Nursing

Concierge nursing is for more complex care by private duty nurses or other health care support clinicians, or for those who need concierge services beyond traditional home care. Concierge nursing provides help with medication administration, comfort care, preoperative and postoperative care, case management, post-acute care, and end-of-life care. This type of care is only available in California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.

Quality Care

 

One of TheKey's caregivers providing in-home care

One of TheKey's caregivers providing in-home care

 

TheKey works hard to provide highly skilled caregivers for every older adult who needs help at home. Caregivers are carefully screened with thorough background checks and trained extensively to work with clients. Caregivers have training in providing emotional support, helping with basic needs, monitoring medication, and preventing falls.

Specialized care is available for those who have more specific needs. The company’s care has evolved to include innovative technology that can improve the wellness and quality of life for both caregivers and seniors.

TheKey is committed to providing top-notch care providers for every individual. The company is a leader in senior home care services and their caregivers are vetted, licensed, and insured. TheKey offers specialized care services for clients who require help with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart problems, cancer, stroke complications, and end-of-life care, as well as 24-hour care options for those who require continuous assistance. A Geriatric Care Manager is available in a few states and locations within California, Florida, Massachusetts, Oregon, Texas, Wisconsin, and New York to support and guide clients and families to help them make educated choices for care.

Service and Amenities

TheKey helps with daily activities but also the following services and amenities:

  • Companionship
  • Personal care and hygiene
  • Medication reminders
  • Staying active
  • Grocery shopping
  • Light housekeeping
  • Meal prep and nutrition
  • Social activities and connection
  • Transportation and Errands
  • Hobbies and passions
  • Cognitive engagement
  • Meaningful activities
FYI:

FYI: To get started at TheKey, you just need to set up a free phone consultation by filling out a short online contact form. A care adviser will contact you within 24 hours to schedule a free in-home or virtual Care Consultation to learn more about you and your family’s care needs.

Reviews, Ratings, and Complaints

TheKey is an agency that provides in-home care throughout 110 regions in the world. With such a large network of caregivers and at-home clients, the reviews available online are surprisingly minimal. In general, people enjoy the caregivers that are sent to the home to care for a loved one and many Yelp reviews reflect that. Testimonials mention the company’s compassionate, professional care and that TheKey allows older adults to age in place comfortably at home. TheKey is not accredited but does receive an A+ rating by the BBB.

Pro Tip:

Pro Tip: Read our guide to in-home care to learn more about the types of services available to you, the average cost of care, and more!

A few reviews mention that it was difficult to get in contact with the company. Just remember, TheKey has offices all over the country, so each will have its own strengths and weaknesses. You can visit our senior living directory to learn more about TheKey and how it compares to other home care companies in your area.

When reading reviews and evaluating home care companies like TheKey, we recommend focusing on the following key decision-making factors:

  • Quality of care
  • Caregiver qualifications and minimum requirements
  • Specific services offered
  • Types of specialized care available
  • Customer reviews
  • Cost and value

Cost and Pricing

Getting started with TheKey

Getting started with TheKey

Similar to other home care companies we’ve reviewed, like Seniors Helping Seniors, TheKey doesn’t list prices online. However, cost is a key decision-making factor when choosing a home care company and will likely impact your decision. Costs will vary depending on your location and the level of care you require. Medicare doesn’t usually pay for home care services, unless the services are medical in nature. For those who want to age at home but need in-home care, Medicaid may cover the cost in specific situations for those who can’t afford it otherwise.

About 8.1 million of veterans, or nearly 50 percent, are 65 years or older.4 Veterans benefits, such as the Aid and Attendance Benefit, may be used to pay for TheKey services, along with reverse mortgages, retirement savings, and more. If you have long-term care insurance, you may also have coverage for home care services that aren’t medical in nature. No matter what type of care you need while at home, it’s important to reach out to TheKey to learn about your options. You may be surprised to learn that you can afford to pay for services, either through your insurance or through an agency set up to help defray the cost of care in your area. Visit our guide to home care costs to learn more.

Did You Know?

Did You Know? TheKey offers long-term care insurance support free of charge for those feeling overwhelmed by the paperwork associated with filing long-term care insurance claims, or those who are not sure when or how to start their claims process.

Locations and Areas Served

TheKey caregivers and Care Team

TheKey caregivers and Care Team

TheKey is a large company that operates in 110 locations throughout the world. Based out of San Francisco, the company has caregivers who can provide hourly or round-the-clock care for individuals. While the company offers services in 32 states, its coverage isn’t as widespread as that of larger home care companies, including Home Instead Senior Care.

TheKey offers care in the following states:

  • Alaska
  • Alabama
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Missouri
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • Wisconsin
FYI:

FYI: TheKey practices a team-based approach, so every Care Team includes dedicated Client Success Managers, Caregiver Managers, and experienced professional caregivers to give you personalized care.

How TheKey Measures Up Against the Competition

TheKey is available in 32 states, compared to Brookdale, which serves 41 states, and Bickford Senior Living, which serves just eight states. Brookdale and Atria Senior Living both allow pets, but TheKey does not mention pets on its website. Like Brookdale, TheKey has an A+ rating by the BBB. Atria has an F rating. TheKey has locations in Canada and Australia and Atria only has locations in Canada. While TheKey provides a variety of services, it does not provide upscale living and luxury amenities, such as pet therapy, like Oakmont Senior Living does. Atria does offer resort-style amenities and activities to keep aging adults engaged.

Our Methodology

Our team spent dozens of hours thoroughly reviewing TheKey Home Care. In our evaluation, we focused on core areas such as pricing, services, amenities, and staff support. The findings below reflect a comprehensive breakdown of our assessment:

  • Financial accessibility: We analyzed whether pricing structures were reasonable, easy to navigate, and if options like installment plans or clear cancellation terms were available.
  • Support and care quality: We closely examined the availability and reliability of both daily living assistance and health care services. We also considered the skill level and training of caregiving personnel.
  • Amenities and lifestyle features: We considered how well the facility supported an active and connected lifestyle, and if they offered perks like dining arrangements and wellness programming. Our evaluation also included safety-focused features, such as emergency response systems and age-friendly infrastructure.
  • Residential environment: We evaluated the design and overall feel of the living spaces, including how adaptable they were to individual preferences.

The Bottom Line on TheKey

TheKey stands out for its more than two decades of experience and has an A+ rating from the BBB. It has locations in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. TheKey offers 24/7 home care by trained and experienced health caregivers and has specialized care for various conditions. They also have concierge nursing, but in a limited number of states. We think TheKey is worth considering if you happen to live in one of the 32 states the company serves.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Do I have to sign a long-term contract?

    No, a contract is not required when setting up care with TheKey and you can cancel at any time. However, cancellation fees may apply.

  • Can I pick my caregiver?

    No. TheKey carefully matches caregivers to clients by carefully considering their needs and preferences and will ensure clients are happy with their selected caregiver.

  • What is respite care?

    Respite care gives a caregiver taking care of a loved one at home a break so they can rest, recharge, and take care of their own health. Respite care can just be for a few hours a day or a few days a week.

  • What if my care needs change?

    If your care needs change, then TheKey will modify your Care Plan. The care team also makes periodic visits to the home to ensure you or your loved one always has the right level of care.

Written By:
Jeff Hoyt
Editor in Chief
Read About Our Panel of Experts
As Editor-in-Chief of the personal finance site MoneyTips.com, Jeff produced hundreds of articles on the subject of retirement, including preventing identity theft, minimizing taxes, investing successfully, preparing for retirement medical costs, protecting your credit score, and making your money last… Learn More About Jeff Hoyt