When a family begins looking for in-home care, the search often starts with practical questions: How many hours do we need? What does it cost? Is the agency licensed? But according to Malaika Boschin, founder of Solivara In-Home Care, the most important questions go deeper—about how a provider truly understands the person receiving care.
In a recent interview, Boschin shared how Solivara approaches care planning, what families should look for in a provider, and why being family-run makes a difference.
Care Plans That Start with the Person, Not the Task List
Boschin says the foundation of Solivara’s approach is learning who the client is before any care begins. "At Solivara, we believe the best care begins with understanding the person—not simply completing a list of tasks." That means taking time to understand personality, routines, preferences, communication style, cultural background, and how they like their home managed.
Two clients may need the same physical assistance, but their care looks entirely different. "One person may enjoy conversation and structured activities, while another may value privacy, quiet companionship, and independence." The goal, she says, is to design care around the life the client already knows—not require the client to adjust their life around the agency.
Care plans are also meant to evolve. As needs or conditions change, ongoing communication among the client, family, caregiver, and care team keeps the plan appropriate and personal.
What Families Should Look for in a Provider
Boschin advises families to look beyond whether an agency can fill the requested hours. "Families should look beyond whether an agency can simply fill the requested hours," she says. Instead, ask how the agency selects and matches caregivers, responds to changes in condition, supervises staff, and communicates concerns.
Compatibility is just as important as qualifications. "This person will be entering the client’s private space and becoming part of their everyday life," she notes. Families should feel confident the provider respects the home, protects dignity and privacy, and treats communication as a responsibility.
She also encourages families to ask about backup coverage, how concerns are escalated, and whether the agency stays involved after services begin. "A strong provider should offer both compassionate caregivers and dependable systems behind them."
The Family-Run Difference
Solivara is a family-run business, and Boschin sees that as a distinct advantage. "Families are not meant to feel like account numbers, and caregivers are not treated as interchangeable bodies assigned to open shifts." Instead, the model emphasizes thoughtful matching, personalized onboarding, and continued involvement from leadership.
Larger agencies may offer more resources, but they can also have multiple layers between a family and the person who can resolve a concern. Solivara is designed to be more responsive and personal while maintaining professional standards and oversight.
Easing the Transition to Home Care
The most common concern families have, Boschin says, is whether their loved one will accept someone new in the home. "For many clients, accepting care can feel like losing independence, privacy, or control." Families may also feel guilt or anxiety about trusting another person with someone they love.
Solivara approaches the transition gradually and respectfully. "We explain that care is not about taking control away—it is about providing the right support so the client can remain safe, comfortable, and independent for as long as possible." The initial caregiver match is critical, looking at temperament and communication style as much as experience. Trust, she says, should be earned through consistency, respect, and follow-through.
A Typical Day and Maintaining Quality
A caregiver’s day is guided by the client’s individualized plan and natural routine. That may include assistance with bathing, grooming, dressing, mobility, meals, medication-related support within the authorized scope, companionship, appointments, and maintaining a safe home environment.
But quality care is also found in the details that don’t appear on a checklist. "Noticing that the client is quieter than usual, recognizing a change in appetite or mobility, remembering how they prefer their breakfast, preserving familiar routines, and communicating concerns promptly."
Quality is maintained through careful caregiver selection, documented training, clear care plans, ongoing communication, supervisory monitoring, and regular review of the client’s experience. "Families should not have to manage the caregiver or repeatedly remind the agency what their loved one needs," Boschin says.
Practical Takeaways for Families
For families exploring in-home care, Boschin’s advice is clear: ask about the systems behind the caregiver, prioritize compatibility, and choose a provider that stays actively involved. As she puts it, "Exceptional in-home care should feel personal, dependable, discreet, and deeply respectful of both the individual and the home they have entrusted to us."
To learn more about Solivara In-Home Care, visit their website. For additional guidance on choosing a provider, see the National Institute on Aging’s overview of home care options and AARP’s checklist for hiring in-home care.