Meeting C.
December 2025. My second client visit in my journey to understand home care from the inside. (Names changed for privacy.)
C. is in his twenties. Nonverbal. Sensitive to noise. His dad met me at the door and shared everything—C.'s behaviors, his preferences, what makes him anxious, what helps him feel safe.
As I listened, I thought about the caregivers who would serve C. after me. Would they know all this? Would they remember? Would they actually work on his goals, or just... exist in the same room?
The Uncomfortable Truth
Here's what I realized during that visit:
A caregiver could clock in at C.'s home, sit on the couch for three hours, and clock out. The family would never know.
GPS verification would show presence. The timesheet would be complete. The billing would go through. But C. wouldn't have received care—just company.
Presence isn't the same as engagement.
What C. Needs
C. has specific goals in his care plan:
- Practice communication with his AAC device
- Work on reducing noise sensitivity reactions
- Engage in community activities weekly
- Build daily living skills
These goals require active, intentional work. They require a caregiver who's present not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.
How do you ensure that happens when families can't be in the room?
The Features C. Inspired
That visit sparked several features we're building into CareCade:
Mid-Appointment Check-Ins
During an appointment, the app periodically prompts: "What are you working on?"
The caregiver selects from the client's assigned goals or activities. This creates a record of what happened during the visit—not just that someone was there.
If prompts are consistently ignored, that's a signal. If the same caregiver never logs goal-related activities, that's a pattern worth investigating.
Task Reminders
Based on the client's care plan, caregivers receive reminders during the visit:
"Reminder: C.'s goal—Practice AAC device for 15 minutes"
New caregivers don't have to memorize everything C.'s dad shared. The system guides them. The care plan isn't just documentation—it's active guidance.
Activity Documentation
At the end of each visit, caregivers document:
- Planned: What was supposed to happen
- Actual: What really happened
- Notes: Context, observations, adjustments
Families and case managers can see: "Here's what we planned. Here's what we did. Here's why."
Transparency isn't just knowing that care happened. It's knowing what happened.
The Pattern We're Preventing
Without these systems, a concerning pattern can develop:
- Caregiver arrives, clocks in (verified by GPS)
- Caregiver sits with client but doesn't engage
- Time passes without goal-focused activity
- Caregiver clocks out (verified by GPS)
- Family assumes care happened
- Client makes no progress
The billing looks fine. The compliance boxes are checked. But the client isn't getting what they need.
Over time, families wonder why their loved one isn't progressing. Case managers see no improvement in assessments. The system has failed—not through fraud, but through passive negligence.
Accountability Without Surveillance
Some people hear "check-ins" and think surveillance. That's not the intent.
Good caregivers appreciate these features because:
- It helps them remember the care plan
- It documents their quality work
- It protects them from unfair accusations
- It shows they're doing more than just showing up
The goal isn't to police caregivers. It's to ensure the care plan is followed. It's to give families visibility into what's actually happening. It's to create accountability that benefits everyone.
What C.'s Dad Wants
When I listened to C.'s dad share all those details about his son, I heard something deeper than instructions.
He wants to know C. is being cared for—not just watched. He wants confidence that the goals they've set are being worked on. He wants peace of mind that the person entering his home is engaged, not just present.
Every family with a loved one receiving home care wants the same thing.
Building Different
Before I started providing care myself, I built software like a technician. Features, functions, requirements.
After visiting C., I build different.
Every feature question now has a follow-up: What would this mean for C.? For his dad?
The check-in prompts aren't about data collection—they're about ensuring C. gets the engagement he deserves.
The task reminders aren't about micromanagement—they're about helping caregivers do right by their clients.
The activity documentation isn't about paperwork—they're about transparency that builds trust.
Being There, Fully
"Be There" isn't just about physical presence. It's about:
- Being mentally present during the visit
- Being engaged with the client's goals
- Being accountable for what happens
- Being transparent with families
Technology can't make a caregiver care more. But it can create systems where good care is recognized, documented, and visible.
For C. For his dad. For every family who wonders what really happens behind closed doors.