Frequently Asked Questions

What is home52?

home52 is a wholly owned, nonprofit subsidiary of Council on Aging (COA). For more than 50 years, our community has trusted COA to provide compassionate, cost-effective programs and services that help older adults and people with disabilities remain independent in their homes and communities.

Created in 2017, home52 is Council on Aging’s innovation hub focused on developing innovative services and products to meet the needs of stakeholders and partners. COA and home52 are experts at helping individuals, families and caregivers manage complex medical and long-term care needs.

Learn more about home52.

Who Can be an AddnAide Caregiver?

Anyone 18 or older can register via AddnAide. You must pass a background check (including fingerprinting), but no prior caregiving or home care experience is required. No special training is required; however, caregivers who wish to grow their skills can access training tools within the app. 

If you enjoy helping others, particularly older adults, have at least a few hours available each week, want to control your own schedule and choose the type of care tasks you provide, then AddnAide is for you!

AddnAide is for:

• People with prior caregiving experience. Do you have caregiving skills to share? Were you a caregiver for an older parent, grandparent or friend? Earn extra money, set your own schedule and learn valuable skills on your own terms.
• College students 18 or older who want to earn money while gaining valuable hands-on experience. Students enrolled in a course of study related to healthcare (pre-med, nursing, therapy, behavioral health), social work, sociology, gerontology or public health may be ideal candidates. Non-traditional students who need flexible schedules, such as parents who can work during the day while their children are in school, should also consider AddnAide as an option for flexible, additional income and experiential work.
• People who are driven to serve their community or work with older adults. Is giving back part of what fuels you? Now you can fulfill your passion for helping while earning some extra income on your own schedule.

How Does AddnAide Work?

AddnAide is a secure digital platform where you (the employee) are matched with an older adult (the employer) who needs in-home care services based on user-created profiles. The app makes the employment process seamless and safe, allowing you to:

• Create a profile with information about your skills and availability.
• Work with your employer to create a schedule of care that works for both of you.
• Communicate with your employer (and their caregivers) about schedule changes or any other issues that arise.
• Clock in and out on your scheduled workdays and manage other payroll functions.
• Match with additional older adults (people who need care).
• Utilize optional training tools to help you provide the best possible care.

Who Will I be Working for?

AddnAide matches people who need care with those who want to provide it. When you create a profile in AddnAide and match with an older adult, you ARE NOT an employee of AddnAide, home52, Council on Aging, or the Elderly Services Program. You are employed directly by the client you are serving (or an individual the client has designated on their behalf).

What Services Will I be Expected to Provide?

The individuals in AddnAide who need care are enrolled in the Elderly Services Program. These individuals have a professional care manager who has assessed them and determined which services they need in order to live independently in their homes. Each individual you match with in AddnAide will have a unique, prequalified list of non-medical services needed. 

Services may include:

• Homemaking (vacuuming, dusting, cleaning)
• Grocery shopping and/or meal preparation (cooking)
• Laundry
• Help with personal paperwork
• Personal care (bathing and dressing)
• Companion services (activities including reading, playing games, and providing time off for a family caregiver)

When you create your profile in AddnAide, you will indicate which services you are able to provide depending on your comfort level.

You are not required to receive special training. However, optional training tools are available in the AddnAide app to help you grow and develop your skills to provide the best care possible.

Are There any Special Requirements to be Hired as a Caregiver?

• You must be 18 or older.
• You must be able to provide your own transportation to and from appointments with your employers.
• You must complete the background check process (including fingerprinting) prior to matching with older adults who need care. You will be prompted to begin this process when you create your AddnAide account. There is no cost for the background check. 
• You are not required to have special training. However, optional training tools are available in the AddnAide app to help you grow and develop your skills to provide the best care possible. 
• You are not required to hold any licenses or other credentials.
• You are not required to have special or additional insurance. 

Can I Provide Care to More Than One Person in AddnAide?

Yes! You can match with as many employers as you would like based on your availability. AddnAide lets you work with your employer(s) to create a schedule that works for everyone and makes it easy to have more than one employer because all payroll and tax-related information is processed securely through our financial management services provider, Palco, Inc.

How Much Will I be Paid?

You will be paid a rate your employer and yourself agreed upon within a range set by the Elderly Services Program. You will be paid for the hours you are working with or on behalf of your employer. You will not be reimbursed for mileage.

You are subject to standard payroll deductions, including state and federal taxes, Social Security withholding and workers’ compensation. Council on Aging has partnered with Palco, Inc., to manage all payroll, taxes and insurance requirements.

How Will I Get Paid?

When you create a profile in AddnAide, you will be asked to provide information including your date of birth and Social Security number. You will complete paperwork (such as an I-9, W-4, etc.) provided by Council on Aging’s financial management services provider, Palco, Inc.

How Often Will I be Paid?

Employees are paid for verified hours worked on a biweekly schedule. Council on Aging’s financial management services provider, Palco, Inc., will make this schedule available to you.

You will track your time worked in AddnAide, and your employer or their employer of record must verify your time at the end of each pay period.

How do I get started in AddnAide?

Getting started is easy. Simply download the AddnAide app from the Google Play store or the Apple App Store, and then follow the steps to register in the app. Or, go to addnaide.home52.org and create a profile! Click here to access a guide that walks you through the steps of creating an account in the AddnAide app.

How do I complete the required background check?

You must complete the background check process (including fingerprinting) prior to matching with older adults who need care. You will be prompted to begin this process when you create your AddnAide account. There is no cost for the background check.

Background checks are a two-step process: 1) a database check conducted by Palco, Inc., AddnAide’s financial management service provider, and 2) fingerprinting completed by you. You will not have to pay for these checks. The background check process includes the following steps: 

1. Log in to your AddnAide account to accept the background check consent. This will initiate the database portion of your background check (conducted by Palco). 
2. Palco will contact you at the email address associated with your AddnAide account to begin the background check process.
3. After Palco confirms you have passed the database checks, you will receive additional instructions from Palco regarding how to complete the fingerprint portion of the background check process. 
4. Do not start the fingerprint portion of the background check until you receive additional instructions from Palco. You will need to go to a physical location to complete the fingerprint portion of the background check. Palco will provide more information about where you can go to complete this process. There is no fee for the fingerprinting. 
5. Results of the fingerprint portion of your background check are sent automatically to Palco.  
6. Once Palco confirms the background check process is complete and you have passed all portions of the background check, you will receive a notification through AddnAide. At this time, your profile will be visible in AddnAide and you will be able to match with older adults looking for in-home care.
7. After an older adult sends an offer, you can accept and complete the necessary paperwork. Once that process is complete and you receive a “Good to Go” notification from Palco, you can begin working for your employer. 

Palco will contact you if there are any issues or problems with any portion of the background check process.  

Who Should I Contact If I Have Questions About AddnAide?

Call us at (855) 460-7268 or send us a message at support.addnaide@home52.org.