The "Stewardship" Difference

Most home care operates on a "fee-for-service" model—you pay hourly for a worker to fill a shift. The agency’s incentive is to sell more hours.

Cedar & Iron operates on a Professional Retainer.

Much like a specialized attorney or a private wealth manager, you pay a flat monthly fee for professional oversight, strategy, and guidance. My incentive is to keep your life stable, orderly, and independent so you don't need crisis management.

How Visits Work: Core + Custom

Unlike agencies that follow a rigid care plan, our time together is dynamic. Every visit is split between Core Stewardship (what I need to check to ensure safety) and Your Priorities (what you need done to keep life running smoothly).

Core Stewardship Activities (Every Visit)

• Safety & Environment: Checking for trip hazards, home maintenance issues, and security.

• Health & Mood: Assessing changes in cognition, nutrition, gait, and overall spirits.

• Goal Setting: Developing a list of action items for you to accomplish before my next visit.

Client Priorities (Your "To-Do" List)

You and your family define the priorities for the visit. Examples include:

• Tech Support: Fixing the Wi-Fi, setting up a new phone, or troubleshooting the printer.

• Logistics: Calling vendors, organizing mail, or centralizing essential paperwork.

• Legacy: Working on genealogy, documenting family history, or digitizing photos.

• Household: Managing the gardener, checking the car, or organizing a closet.

Service Tiers

Choose the level of oversight that matches your life stage.

1. Peace Plan

The "Eyes On" Approach: Designed for independent adults and long-distance families who need reliable, professional verification that everything is okay. It reduces the "quiet worry" families carry without intruding on your daily life.

Cadence: 1 Stewardship Visit per month + Weekly Check-in Calls (in 12 months). Between visits, we connect by phone to check in on mood, review progress on your goals, celebrate wins, and triage any new issues before they become problems.

Best For: Preventing small issues from spiraling into crises.

2. Care Plan

The "Active Partner" Approach: Designed for seniors who are managing a chronic condition or early memory changes. This plan absorbs the burden of coordination—ensure appointments are prepped for, nutrition is stable, and the home environment adapts to aging needs.

Cadence: Bi-Weekly Stewardship Visits (24 in person in 12 months)

Best For: Seniors who want to avoid assisted living but need a consistent partner to keep life organized.

3. Legacy Plan

The "Chief of Staff" Approach: Our highest level of preventative support. This is for clients who want a weekly executive presence to manage the logistics of their life—from administrative organization to legacy projects—preserving their autonomy while ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.

Cadence: Weekly Stewardship Visits (40 in person, 5 virtual Advocacy Calls in 12 months)

Best For: Clients who value a high-touch relationship and want a "project manager" for their life at home.

Comparing Value, Not Just Costs

Choosing a stewardship retainer is fundamentally different from buying "hours" or paying "rent." While traditional home care agencies often require a $200 minimum for a four-hour visit, and Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs) carry base costs of $6,000–$8,000 per month (excluding "add-on" incident fees of $400–$800), Cedar & Iron offers a predictable, flat-rate model.

Our tiers—Peace ($3,500/mo), Care ($5,000/mo), and Legacy ($10,000/mo)—ensure you remain in the comfort of your own home near friends and family. This choice doesn't just provide care; it protects your investment, allowing your home to appreciate by 3–5% annually while you live safely in familiar surroundings.

If you want to learn more, let’s schedule a call to talk through specifics. Zero pressure, just information, you decide what is next.