Families in Greater Lafayette are usually handed two options — move a parent into a facility, or leave them home with patchy help. Homecare By Design offers a third path: consistent one-on-one care at home, paired with real community through our Clubhouse.
For a long time, families in Lafayette and West Lafayette have been handed a binary choice. Stay home and accept that care might be patchy, that days can get quiet, that community is mostly whatever you can arrange yourself.
Or move into a facility and trade the house, the neighborhood, and a lifetime of routines for activities, staff on site, and a built-in social calendar.
That trade-off used to feel inevitable. It isn’t anymore.
Why do families feel forced to choose between home and a facility?
Because for decades, those really were the only two doors. Traditional home care solved for tasks — a few hours of help, a rotating schedule, a checklist. Facilities solved for community — programming, meals, people in the hallway.
Neither one solved for both. So families ended up choosing which loss they could live with: the isolation of staying home, or the upheaval of leaving it.
The problem was never the family’s decision-making. It was the menu.
What is the third path for senior care in Greater Lafayette?
Homecare By Design was built around a simple evolution in how senior care can work: personalized, one-on-one care in the home your loved one already knows — paired with genuine access to community, structure, and connection through our event space.
Think of it as the modern alternative to a facility move. Not a half measure. A different design.
On the care side, your loved one keeps their kitchen, their chair by the window, their morning coffee the way they like it. A consistent caregiver comes into that life and supports the parts of the day that have gotten harder:
Bathing, dressing, and personal care
Meal preparation and nutrition
Mobility and fall-risk support
Medication reminders
Companionship that actually feels personal
Learn more about how our in-home care for seniors is structured around the person, not a template.
Why does caregiver consistency matter more than families expect?
Consistency is the piece most families underestimate until they’ve lived without it.
The same person who knows how Dad likes his toast. Who notices when Mom seems a little off before it becomes a hospital visit. Who doesn’t need a new orientation every Tuesday because the schedule changed again.
Not a rotating cast. Not a one-size checklist. A relationship — which is also the thing that makes safety and dignity possible in the first place.
“We don’t run on a national franchise script. We design care plans around the person in front of us — their preferences, their pace, their neighborhood, their story.”
— Kirstin McCarthy
How does the Clubhouse deliver community without a facility move?
Clients have access to our event space at our West Lafayette campus — a Senior Community Without Walls built for exactly the reasons people say they want a facility.
That includes weekly exercise programs, educational seminars and speaking events, group activities, bus trips, and gatherings designed for connection. See what’s on the calendar at the Clubhouse and our upcoming events for seniors.
That’s the best of both worlds. Home stays home. Care is professional and consistent. Social life doesn’t shrink to a quiet living room and a phone that rings less often than it used to.
Is a senior living facility ever still the right answer?
Yes. For some people and some medical situations, a campus is genuinely the better fit, and we’re not here to argue against every tour.
We’re here for the large number of families who want the benefits people associate with community living — structure, engagement, reliable help — without giving up the address on the mailbox.
Families often tell us they assumed “real” senior living meant leaving the house. What they discover is that the outcomes they actually care about — safety, stimulation, dignity, and someone who knows their parent as a person — can be designed around the life already being lived in Greater Tippecanoe County.
What makes a locally owned care team different from a franchise?
We’re locally owned, and we’ve served this community for more than 25 years. That’s not a credential we list for decoration — it’s why our care plans read like people instead of packages.
A national script optimizes for repeatability across hundreds of markets. We optimize for one family at a time, in a county we actually live in. Meet the people behind the care on our leadership team page.
What is the simplest next step for your family?
If you’re standing at that fork in the road — facility or stay home — pause before you treat those as the only two doors. There is a third path, and it’s worth understanding before you decide.
A complimentary in-home assessment is the simplest next step. No pressure. Just a clear picture of what support could look like in the home you already have, and whether our model fits your family.
What is the difference between in-home care and assisted living in Lafayette, IN?
Assisted living moves your loved one into a facility where care and community are on site. In-home care brings professional caregiving into the home they already live in. Homecare By Design combines both: one-on-one care at home plus access to our Clubhouse community and events.
Can my parent stay at home and still have a social life?
Yes. Homecare By Design clients have access to our West Lafayette event space, with weekly activities, exercise classes, educational seminars, group outings, and special events, so community does not depend on moving.
What areas does Homecare By Design serve?
We serve Lafayette, West Lafayette, and the Greater Tippecanoe County area as a locally owned provider with more than 25 years in the home care industry.
What kind of help does an in-home caregiver provide?
Support typically includes bathing and dressing, meal preparation, mobility assistance, medication reminders, light housekeeping, transportation, and companionship, built around your loved one’s routine and preferences.
How do we get started with Homecare By Design?
Start with a complimentary in-home assessment. Call (765) 464-8080 or request one at homecarebydesign.com, and we will walk through your loved one’s needs with no obligation.
Kirstin McCarthy is a marketing and communications professional passionate about helping families find trusted support for their loved ones. She holds a B.A. in Communication and Marketing from Indiana State University and brings experience in advertising, social media strategy, content creation, and community outreach.
Kirstin’s passion for serving older adults began at a young age through a close bond with her great-grandmother. She spent many hours visiting her and other family members in senior care settings, where she saw firsthand both the beauty and the challenges that come with aging. Those experiences instilled a deep respect for seniors and a calling to help ensure they feel valued, seen, and cared for.
Through her work with Homecare By Design, Kirstin helps share stories, resources, and information that support families navigating the aging journey. She is committed to helping families discover compassionate care solutions that allow older adults to live with dignity, independence, and connection.
To further support the community, Kirstin also hosts a podcast featuring conversations with local healthcare professionals and community partners. These discussions highlight valuable resources and timely topics designed to educate, encourage, and connect families caring for aging loved ones.
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