Beatrice, Fairbury, Nebraska City (Change Location)

The Home Instead Family Room

​Stay connected and informed with informative care notes about the time with your loved one.

One challenge of delivering care for seniors is providing transparency to those who are involved in their care. This is especially important if family and loved ones don’t live nearby.

The Family Room is an online portal to make communication easier and keep you connected to your loved one’s care. Entrusting your loved one to professional caregivers can be intimidating and emotional. We understand and want you to feel connected and informed. Our Family Room portal makes that easier.

Regardless of your exact role, you are part of your loved one’s caregiving team. There’s no need for you to worry about what’s happening while you aren’t present. We want you in the loop, and our Family Room portal makes that happen.

elderly woman sitting on couch with a younger woman embracing her from behind

Benefits of the Family Room

Array of Icons showing family room portal benefits

Our agency, your family, and caregivers work together to ensure your loved one receives the very best care. The Family Room portal gives you transparency into the care of your loved one and provides greater peace of mind by having all the details of your loved one’s care at your fingertips.



  • Caregiver schedules
  • Tasks and corresponding caregiver notes
  • Meal records
  • Medication reminders
  • Client activity tracking
  • Invoice tracking
  • Bill pay (bills can be split by family members)

How the Family Room works

The Family Room serves as an online hub for everyone involved in the care of your loved one. Everyone with access to the portal can login and keep up with real-time notes made by caregivers. You can stay informed of your loved one’s care as it occurs. You get to decide who has access to the Family Room. Information available on Family Room:

  • Invoices and payments
  • Care Logs
  • Client Schedule
  • Messaging system – these messages are sent to the office staff.
A collage that includes a laptop, a tablet and a smartphone

Examples of Shift Notes from the Family Room!

**Please Note: these are real, authentic examples of what you may see. Typos and all!

"Client let me in. She had toast, scrambled eggs, orange juice and coffee for breakfast. Brought Gladiola flowers inside, they are very beautiful! Put her stockings on. Did word searches in the morning. Had toasted tomato sandwich and potato salad, strawberry shortcake with ice cream for lunch. I baked chocolate chip cookies and dusted while the client rested. I emptied litter boxes, got the mail, watered the flowerpots. Worked on puzzles all afternoon.”


Client was awake reading a notebook. Used the RR then are a blueberry muffin and oatmeal with raisins, coffee, oj and watched TV. Laid down @10:20 lunch was cheeseburger with yams with brown sugar and marshmallows cola and chocolate milk. Used the RR. Prepared meals for the next couple days. Cleaned out the fridge, swept the kitchen, cleaned the counters, took out the trash, checked mail. "


"Arrived and Tim was awake. We sat and talked for awhile and watched TV. Swept the kitchen and the entrance way, washed the dishes that were in the sink, crushed the pop cans, warmed up his mom's meal, med reminder, made coffee, cleaned stovetop and counters, listened to music and talked about the artists who sang the songs he had me guess who sang what songs and he sang along. Assisted him in the shower, put ted hose on.”


“Cient’s neighbor Kristi welcomed me in and introduced me to client. Pleasant gentleman, great sense of humor, sitting in recliner in living room watching Fox News. Visited until around 915p and then began assisting client with bedtime routine. Used gait belt and walker, went to rr, voided, peri cares done. Cleaned dentures and soaked them for the night. The family came by. Visited with them and they shared info regarding the client as well. With assistance, the client walked to bedroom, changed pants, took out his hearing aids (charger for them is on the kitchen counter.) He was lying in bed sleeping around 9:45p. Monitor in bedroom and living room. 11p rr void, 12:45a rr void, 2:30a rr void BM, 4:15a void, 6a rr void then wanted to sit in recliner. He listened to a program on the television."


“When I got here, I put the clean dishes away, swept the kitchen and dining room, and took the trash out. There was not any laundry to do. After the client got up I made his bed. For lunch, the client had leftover beef noodles with water. Put dirty dishes in the dishwasher and wiped down the counter tops. Went outside to feed the chickens, picked a few green peppers, and watered his plants. We went for a long walk today to the park by the high school, baseball fields/park, and a little bit into town. When we got back, I put the rest of the dirty dishes in the dishwasher and started it.”


"Got to clients house, he was awake. He wanted breakfast - the usual Fried eggs breakfast sausage & toast & hash browns homemade with onion & green pepper. He shaved after breakfast, and we visited over breakfast. I changed chair pads. He went back to his chair he watched RFD tv did not want to sit outside or go for a drive. I washed pads & clothes. Crushed cans & took tabs off of them. Cleaned the bathroom and washed shower rugs. Unloaded the dishwasher. Swept the kitchen. Filled ice cube trays & dumped. We visited about people we mutually knew while he watched tv he was very talkative today & awake. Finished up & left at 12. "


"Got to clients and she was in the bathroom when I arrived. We visited for a while stripped the bed washed the sheets. Cleaned the bathroom. Cleaned the shower, toilet & sink. Dusted the living room. Dusted the dining room table. Made the bed with clean sheets wiped down kitchen counters. Went to the store & post office washed a load of clothes. Wilma & I sat on the porch & visited awhile finished up & left at 3:30. "


Did a load of laundry, took a ride in country. Stopped and got ice cream. Did dishes and made bed. I made the grocery list."


“Client in the kitchen upon arrival getting ready to make his lunch. He made a salmon patty and mixed veggies. He said he got his pills taken this morning all right. We then made chocolate chip cookies for fun. I gave Galen a fun Jack-o'-lantern toy that jumps for Halloween it made him smile and giggle. Galen had expressed that he does not like going to the store I had noticed a shopping list. I said that's ok it is an option to just have me go and he can stay if it is too overwhelming for him. I told him to talk to his family about it. We had a great afternoon.”


“Both clients ate all their dinner plus took noon meds. I found an outdoor style walker for Evelyn to have an easier time walking on pavement outside. We took a walk up and down the street 1 1/2 times with walker so she could get the feel of it. Informed clients that per family request, when care pro leaves for end of shift, client is to wear back brace till time for bed. It can come off while care pro is here to assist around the house. Clients resting in recliner at end of my shift. "


"Client was sitting at table upon arrival. Talked about pumpkins and how to cook them for a pie or dessert, etc. He was asking me about this as he bought a pumpkin from the neighbor kid. Got mail and put life alert on the charger. I brought some apples and baked an apple cake. Had milk to use, so made him some baked custard. Dishes done and counters wiped off. Toilet cleaned. Played several games of Kings on the Corner. Feet look good. Sandwich made for evening meal, and potato salad, apple cake. Good afternoon!"


"Got everything to work and client is very thankful that I was able to help her with everything also very happy that I have caught on with her routine in her own words said that I was amazing! Got laundry started when I arrived then helped with shower also went grocery shopping and got her a television. Moved the laundry around then mopped in the bathroom and her room. Also, swept in the kitchen and put the groceries away. Did get the television up and running now we are trying to get the RoKu up and running also waiting for the dryer to be done.”