What we do

Care for every stage of thejourney

From a few hours of friendly company to the final hours of life, we build support around what your loved one actually needs, and we adjust as life changes.

Every family comes to us at a different point. Some need a little help and companionship a few days a week. Others need someone there overnight, around the clock, or through a final tender season. Wherever your loved one is right now, we meet them there.

We start by listening. Then we build a care plan around real needs and real routines, and when life changes, the plan changes with it. Because we cover the whole road, your family never has to start over with a new agency as needs grow.

Companion Care

Friendship, conversation, and quiet company

Companion care is where our name comes from. A caregiver spends time in the home as a friend, sharing conversation and the small moments that make a day feel good. It is not medical care. It is friendship, attention, and a helping hand around the house.

Who it helps

Companion care fits seniors who live alone, who feel isolated, or whose family lives too far away to check in every day.

What our caregivers help with

Conversation and friendly company
Favorite hobbies, games, and activities
Errands, shopping, and rides to appointments
Light housekeeping and tidying
Meal preparation
Medication management
Walks and staying active
Staying connected with family and friends

Personal Care

Dignified help with the everyday essentials

Personal care helps with the daily tasks that have become harder to manage alone. Our certified nursing assistants handle these private moments with patience, dignity, and respect, so your loved one stays clean, comfortable, and safe at home.

Who it helps

Personal care fits anyone who struggles with daily routines, who is recovering from a hospital stay or surgery, or whose mobility has started to decline.

What our caregivers help with

Bathing and showering
Dressing and grooming
Toileting and incontinence care
Moving safely around the home
Transfers and fall prevention
Help with eating
Repositioning for comfort
Medication management

24/7 Around-the-Clock Care

Always-on care, day or night

Some situations call for a caregiver who is always there. Our team rotates through shifts so a certified nursing assistant is on duty day and night. Your loved one is never alone, and your family can finally rest.

Who it helps

Around-the-clock care fits high-need situations, advanced dementia, recovery after a hospital stay, a high risk of falls, or any time a loved one cannot be left alone.

What our caregivers help with

Overnight care and supervision
Live-in care
Rotating shift coverage, day and night
Full help with daily living
Safety checks and fall prevention through the night
Medication management around the clock

Memory Care

Patient, gentle support for dementia & Alzheimer's

A diagnosis of Alzheimer's or dementia changes daily life for the whole family. Our caregivers provide steady, patient support built on routine and gentle redirection, joining your loved one in their world every single day and keeping them safe at home.

Who it helps

Memory care fits families facing an Alzheimer's or dementia diagnosis, confusion, wandering, or the daily stress that wears a family down.

What our caregivers help with

A calm, steady daily routine
Gentle redirection and reassurance
Wandering prevention and home safety
Help with daily tasks and personal care
Activities that keep the mind engaged
A patient approach to agitation and sundowning
Guidance and relief for the family

Respite Care

A break for family caregivers — guilt-free

Family caregivers need rest too, and there is no guilt in that. Respite care gives you time to step away while we step in. Your loved one gets the same attentive care they always do, and you get to recharge knowing they are in good hands.

Who it helps

Respite care fits worn-out family caregivers who need a break, a vacation or work trip, a caregiver's own illness, or simply a chance to breathe.

What our caregivers help with

Short-term coverage, from a few hours to longer stretches
The same daily care your loved one normally receives
Flexible scheduling around your plans
Short-notice availability when life happens

End-of-Life Care

Steady hands through the final tender season

Hospice is in our name because this is where we started. This is end-of-life transitioning and care, the steady hands and the long hours at the bedside while your hospice team manages the medical side. Our caregivers provide one-on-one care around the clock, working alongside the hospice agencies across the metro who trust us with their patients. Melissa is often at the bedside herself. Somebody holds the hand. Somebody hears the last breath. Somebody is still in the room when the family needs to cry. That is the work.

So family can be family. We do the caregiving.

Who it helps

End-of-life care fits families who want their loved one home and comfortable, and who need more hands and more hours than a visiting schedule can cover.

What our caregivers provide

One-on-one care, 24 hours a day, at home or wherever your loved one is
Comfort-focused personal care and repositioning
A calm, familiar presence through the day and through the night
Overnight vigil so no family sits alone
Support for the whole family, before and after
Close coordination with your hospice nurses and doctors

Coming home with a PICC line

Some clients are ready to leave the hospital except for one thing: IV medication. We partner with MercyOne Home Infusion so PICC line infusions can happen right at home. Their nurses handle the infusion. Our caregivers handle everything else. So clients can go home.

One team, from first visit to last

Care needs change. Who cares for your family should not have to. Friends can walk with you from a few hours of companionship all the way to the final hours of life. One number to call. One team that already knows you. One promise that never changes.

Not sure which level fits?

Many families are not sure where to start, and that is completely normal. You do not have to figure it out alone. Call us and tell us what is going on. We will listen, talk through the options, and help you find the right fit, with no obligation at all.

Schedule a free consultation (515) 230-6691

Frequently asked questions

The answers families ask for most

How do you vet your caregivers?: Every caregiver is a certified nursing assistant with long-term care experience, and every one is background-checked. Friends Home Care and Hospice is bonded and insured.
Do you work with our hospice provider?: Yes, and we do it often. Hospice agencies across the metro refer families to us because we provide the hands-on hours their visiting schedule cannot. Your hospice team keeps managing the medical care. We handle the presence, the personal care, and the long nights.
Do you work with Medicaid?: Yes. For the most vulnerable, families on Iowa Medicaid waivers can hire our caregivers through the Consumer Choices Option, or CCO. Call us and we will walk you through how it works.
Is there a minimum number of hours?: Yes. Visits are a minimum of four hours. Beyond that, care plans are flexible, from a few visits a week to full around-the-clock support, and the right amount is a quick phone call away.
How quickly can care start?: It starts with a free consultation. We listen to what your loved one needs, build a care plan, and match a caregiver. Call us and we will walk you through the next steps.
Do you serve my area?: We care for families across the Des Moines metro and the communities around it. Perry, Huxley, Colfax, Pleasantville, Indianola, Martensdale, Norwalk, Van Meter, and Adel are all home ground for us.

Let’s find the right care together

One free conversation is all it takes to get started. Tell us what is going on, and we will help you find the right next step for your family.

Schedule a free consultation (515) 230-6691