Moving a household from one agency to another runs in a fixed order. The family holds the calendar through every step, so that no scheduled visit falls into the space between the two agencies. Work through the steps below in order and keep a copy of each written confirmation.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Step one: lock the new start date

Do not end the current service until the new agency has a confirmed first visit on the calendar. Get the first visit date in writing from the new agency, and the last visit date from the current one. Keep both dates on the same page so that they can be checked against each other.

Step two: pull the current schedule

Ask the current agency for the list of standing visits, the days, the time window for each, and the tasks written for each. Keep that list as the baseline. If the schedule has changed since the last written update, note the difference before the handoff begins.

Step three: send the written plan

Send the new agency the current written plan with the family's changes marked in. Ask the new agency to confirm in writing what it read and what it plans to change. Do not rely on a summary given over the phone.

Step four: book an overlap

Where possible, book one visit where the outgoing aide and the incoming aide share the home for a short window. That overlap is the handoff itself. If the agency cannot offer an overlap, ask for a call from the family to the new aide at the start of the first visit, with the family contact name written down.

Step five: hand over entry and contacts

Confirm who holds keys or entry codes and how the new aide will get into the home on the first day. Write down the name and phone number of the family contact for each visit window. Record which person the agency should call first if the aide is delayed.

Step six: close the old service in writing

Ask the current agency to confirm the end date, the final visit, and any open items in writing. Keep that confirmation with the written plan. Read the ending clause in your agreement before the last visit, since the notice terms decide when service can stop.

Where to look for backup options

Before you switch, check how thin the local supply runs in your area so you know whether a fallback exists if the new agency falls through. The guide on finding help where supply is thinnest explains how to plan when there are few options. Read it before you set the handoff dates: finding help where the supply is thinnest.