Backup Adult and Elder Care

Any adult or elder relative for whom you have care responsibilities is covered. This could be a parent, grandparent, spouse/domestic partner, in-law, or adult child.

Yes. Reservations allow Bright Horizons care consultants to secure the type of care you need, on the day(s) that you need care, and alert the care provider to the specific needs of your family so they are prepared. You can make reservations for backup care up to 90 days in advance.

You are required to use in-home caregivers that are contracted with Bright Horizons Backup Care. If Bright Horizons is unable to fill your backup care request, you may source a caregiver from your personal network and receive reimbursement up to $100 per day. You are responsible for hiring, vetting, and negotiating rates.

This Out of Network Reimbursement Care (OONRC) is available only in the event that Bright Horizons is unable to fill your request for In-Home Backup Care.

No, any unused days will be forfeited.   

You must cancel by 5:00 p.m. local time at least two (2) business days before the date of care. For example, care requested for a Friday must be canceled by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. If care is canceled after 5:00 p.m. local time two (2) business days before the date of care, you will be charged the use against your allotted number of days, and any applicable copayment will be collected.

Call 877-242-2737 to speak with a Bright Horizons care consultant (available 24/7).

In-home care is designed to provide comforting, individualized care for your adult or elder relative in the familiar surroundings of home. In-home caregivers are all employed by Bright Horizons—or the agencies with which Bright Horizons has contracted—and are professionally screened, trained, and credentialed. Experienced in geriatric care, caregivers are carefully selected, pass extensive background checks and screening processes, meet stringent credentialing requirements, and are trained in CPR/first aid.

Yes, this is encouraged. Once your backup care reservation is confirmed, you will receive notification via your preferred method of communication. Your in-home caregiver will contact you 24-48 hours before the date of care to make an introduction. (This timeframe may differ for last-minute care requests.)

In-home caregivers may not dispense prescription or over-the-counter medication directly to any care recipient. Caregivers may apply non-prescription topical ointments to a care recipient. Caregivers are only allowed to remind the adult/elder care recipient to take his or her pre-measured medication at an assigned time where authorized by the employee. You may make other arrangements for third parties to dispense medications (such as a neighbor), provided the caregiver is notified in advance.

Caregivers may not transport any care recipient in a private vehicle. Caregivers are only allowed to accompany a care recipient using public transportation (i.e., taxi, bus, train, or special transit) when required in connection with the care provided, and only with prior authorization from the MIT employee and notification to Bright Horizons.

Yes. Bright Horizons will work to secure care with your preferred in-home caregiver. However, the caregiver may not always be available if they are confirmed for another family’s backup care request.