Finding help at home in Durham is easier when the family separates three questions: What does the older adult want help with? Which type of service is appropriate? Who will keep the plan organized after the first visit?
This guide focuses on non-medical support such as companionship, errands, rides, meal preparation, light housekeeping, respite, and routine help. It also explains where public programs and skilled home health fit, because those options solve different problems.
Define the need in everyday language
Begin with a specific moment in the week:
Groceries are difficult to carry and put away.
A spouse needs two hours of respite on Thursday.
Transportation to a recurring appointment is unreliable.
Meals are becoming repetitive because preparation feels tiring.
An older adult wants company for a walk or community activity.
A clinical condition needs assessment or skilled treatment.
The first five may fit a non-medical plan. The last requires an appropriate healthcare provider. A clear description makes it easier to compare services and prevents a caregiver from being asked to work beyond the agreed scope.
Compare public programs with flexible paid help
Durham County Aging and Adult Services provides information and programs for older adults, adults with disabilities, and their families, including in-home and community supports and referrals.[2]
The county’s Adult In-Home Programs describe in-home aide and home-delivered meal services. The in-home aide program can include assessed help with activities such as cooking, laundry, light cleaning, and personal care, subject to functional assessment, eligibility, and program availability.[3]
A flexible paid marketplace follows a different path. The family can describe a non-medical task, review available independent caregivers, choose a fit, and arrange a one-time or recurring visit. One option is not automatically better. Compare eligibility, lead time, schedule, scope, cost, caregiver choice, and how changes are handled.
Know the home health boundary
Skilled home health is clinical. For eligible patients, Medicare can cover services such as skilled nursing and therapy under defined conditions and a care plan. Medicare does not cover 24-hour home care, meal delivery, homemaker services unrelated to the care plan, or custodial care when that is the only care needed.[4]
Non-medical caregivers should not make diagnoses, change medications, perform clinical procedures, or respond in place of emergency services. If a family is unsure, ask a licensed healthcare professional to define the medical need before assigning tasks.
Choose a caregiver for the real visit
Create a short visit brief containing the purpose, top tasks, timing, transportation details, household preferences, and communication expectations. Then review profile information for those needs.
LoLo Care profiles can display experience, skills, availability, rates, reviews, and specific identity-verification and background-check status.[1]Check what each status means, interview the caregiver, and include the older adult in the decision.
LoLo is a marketplace and coordination platform, not an agency. Caregivers are independent and are not employed by LoLo. Profile information and background-check status can inform a choice, but they cannot guarantee safety or personal fit.
Create one coordination plan
When several relatives help, coordination can become the hidden job. Assign roles before the schedule grows:
Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
Older adult | Set preferences, approve the plan, and give feedback |
Family organizer | Manage bookings, changes, and essential details |
Other relatives | View agreed updates and cover assigned backup tasks |
Caregiver | Complete the agreed visit and submit the expected information |
Healthcare contact | Handle clinical questions and changes in condition |
LoLo brings schedules, messages, payments, shared family visibility, and caregiver-submitted visit information into one platform. It does not continuously track caregivers or automatically transcribe visits. Decide what information is necessary, who should see it, and when a phone call is more appropriate.
Start with a small, measurable visit
A strong first visit has a visible outcome: groceries purchased and stored, two meals prepared, transportation completed, a walk taken, or a family caregiver given a defined break.
Use this first-visit sequence:
Confirm the older adult’s priorities.
Review the two most important tasks.
Clarify what is outside scope.
Agree on the contact and update plan.
Review comfort, timing, and fit afterward.
LoLo supports one-hour, one-time, or recurring visits. In many cases help can be arranged within 24 hours, subject to Durham location, service, timing, and caregiver availability. That is not an instant-service guarantee; plan ahead when the timing or fit is especially important.
Revisit the plan when needs change
An arrangement that begins with errands may later include meal preparation or companionship. It may also reveal a clinical, personal-care, or safety need that requires a different provider. Review the plan regularly rather than assuming the original scope still fits.
Frequently asked questions
Does LoLo Care serve Durham?
Yes. LoLo Care currently serves Durham for flexible, non-medical help, subject to caregiver availability for the requested location, service, and time.
What can a non-medical caregiver help with?
Typical services include companionship, errands, rides, meal preparation, light housekeeping, respite, and routine help. The exact task should be agreed before the visit and must remain within a safe, non-medical scope.
How quickly can a Durham family arrange help?
In many cases LoLo can arrange help within 24 hours, subject to caregiver availability and the request details. A specific caregiver, exact time, transportation need, or specialized fit may require more lead time.
How is pricing structured?
LoLo currently sets the family total at $30 per hour. Of that amount, $27 goes to the independent caregiver and $3 is the platform fee. Confirm current terms before booking.