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Frequently Asked Questions about LifeCare®

Looking for more information on GW's work-life program through LifeCare? Check out the answers to these frequently asked questions.

Who is eligible for LifeCare and what types of issues do employees usually seek assistance for?

How do I access LifeCare?

What type of referrals will I receive?

How long will the initial call take?

How can this program help me find a day care for my child?

Instead of a day care, can this service help me locate a nanny?

My mother had a stroke and needs care during the day while I am at work. Can LifeCare help me find an adult day care for my mother?

How can this service help educate me on the adoption process?

What kind of academic services are available through LifeCare?

Can LifeCare help me find an attorney?

Can LifeCare help with financial issues?

How can LifeCare assist expecting mothers?

How can LifeCare help children with special needs?

What services are available online?

How much does LifeCare cost me?

Are LifeCare services confidential?

Where can I get referrals for counseling?

How do I get LifeCare resources during preboarding?

Where can I find employee discounts?

Who is eligible for LifeCare and what types of issues do employees usually seek assistance for?

LifeCare is a company paid benefit provided to help all George Washington University employees and their household members save time by providing personalized assistance with life’s most important issues, including: child care and parenting; academics and schooling; adult care and aging; financial and legal concerns; health & wellness issues; and daily responsibilities.

LifeCare also saves employees and their household members money by providing access to an online Discount Center that provides discounts on 3.5 million brand-name products and services nationwide.

Plus, LifeCare offers free kits loaded with practical products and useful information for parents and caregivers:

• Adult Care Kit: caregiving products and helpful educational materials to help employees who are caring for an aging loved one.

• Prenatal Kit:  Baby products and information for employees who are expecting a child.
  

• Child Safety Kit: Safety products and information for employees who are raising a toddler.
  

• College Kit:  Information and products for students to help them adjust to the transition of college life.
  

How do I access LifeCare?

LifeCare’s services are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week via a toll-free number 1-888-GWU-1821 (or 800-873-1322 for TTY/TDD service) and online  at www.lifecare.com. If you’re not registered yet, follow the “New User” link: enter Registration Code: GWU and Member ID: your GWID (your GWID is the uppercase letter “G” followed by 8-digit number). If you need assistance logging into the site, contact the Help Desk at 888-604-9565.

What type of referrals will I receive?

LifeCare provides personalized matches to providers nationwide—child and adult care, schools and academic programs, attorneys and financial counselors, health resources and more. LifeCare prescreens every provider before they are referred and provides you with detailed, personalized referrals that contain comprehensive information on licensing and accreditation status, programs and services, availability, hours of operation, costs, discounts, special accommodations, staff credentials, staff to care recipient ratios (if applicable), and any other specific information that you request.

Your LifeCare specialist will also provide helpful educational materials that are practical and easy-to-read—and that contain tips and checklists to help you evaluate and select the most appropriate, high-quality providers and facilities.

How long will the initial call take?

The first time you call for assistance, the personalized needs assessment will probably range from 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the type of services needed—though a specialist will stay on the phone with you as long as necessary to complete the case.

How can this program help me find a day care for my child?

LifeCare saves working parents time and stress by providing information and personal matches to licensed child care providers, including:  

• Child Care Centers
  

• Family Child Care Homes
  

• In-Home Care
  

• Baby-sitting Agencies and Options
  

• Nanny Agencies and Options
  

• Au Pair Agencies and Options
  

• Preschools/Nursery Schools
  

• Before- and After School Programs
  

• Summer Programs
  

• Emergency/Temporary Care
  

• Special Needs Programs

Specialists will refer you to programs that meet your specific care, budget and location needs—and that have confirmed availability. Plus, LifeCare offers helpful educational materials and interactive tools via the web site that help parents make informed child care and parenting decisions.

Instead of a day care, can this service help me locate a nanny?

Yes. LifeCare will match you with information on licensed nanny and baby-sitting agencies in your local area. Plus, LifeCare can help you understand the tax and legal issues involved in employing an in-home caregiver.  If you determine a nanny is not the best choice for you, we will provide you with referrals to other options, such as child care centers and family day care homes.

My mother had a stroke and needs care during the day while I am at work. Can LifeCare help me find an adult day care for my mother?

Yes, LifeCare can refer you to providers that can help care for your mother who is recovering from a stroke. A specialist will speak with you to assess your mother’s specific care needs and refer you to providers who can best help, whether it is an adult day care center or an in-home care provider.  LifeCare can also provide personal referrals and information to assist with a wide variety of adult caregiving issues, including:

• Caregiver issues and concerns
  

• Community services
  

• Discharge planning
  

• Emergency and respite care
  

• Emergency response systems
  

• Health insurance
  

• Home health care
  

• Hospice services
  

• Housing
  

• Legal and financial issues
  

• Long-term care facilities
  

• Long-term care insurance
  

• Meal delivery programs
  

• Medicare and Medicaid
  

• Prescription discount programs
  

• Residential care facilities
  

• Retirement communities
  

• Transportation services
  

• Senior centers
  

• Support groups

LifeCare also provides targeted information and interactive tools—webinars, provider searches, discounts--to further help with caregiving issues. Plus, LifeCare will send you an Adult Caregiver’s Kit containing free products and information to help you care for your mother.

How can this service help educate me on the adoption process?

LifeCare helps employees navigate through the legal, financial and customary guidelines of domestic, international, public and private adoptions by providing information and referrals on:

• State Adoption Specialists
  

• Adoption Agency Overviews
  

• Adoption Support Groups
  

• National Adoption Organizations
  

• Public Adoption
  

• Private Adoption
  

• International Adoption
  

• Step-Parent And Relative Adoption
  

• Adoption Attorney Referral Services
  

• Nontraditional Family Adoptions
  

• Post-Adoption Issues

The Adoption community of the web site also offers self-service information and tools on a wide range of adoption issues.

What kind of academic services are available through LifeCare?

LifeCare specialists will match you with academic programs, and educational resources and schools nationwide, including:

• Before- and after-school programs
  

• Day and residential programs
  

• Pre-K and Kindergarten
  

• Elementary and secondary schools
  

• Colleges and universities
  

• Military schools
  

• Private schools
  

• Public schools
  

• Religiously affiliated schools
  

• School district profiles
  

• Schools for students with special needs
  

• Tutoring and enrichment programs
  

• Vocational schools

Specialists are available to speak to you and your child about your options and help you find the schools and programs that best meet your family’s needs and budget. They’ll also help you locate scholarships, grants and financial aid opportunities to help you pay for schooling. The web site also offers rich content and interactive tools to help students succeed at school. Finally, if you have a child entering college, LifeCare will send a College Kit containing free products and information to help your child successfully transition to college life.

Can LifeCare help me find an attorney?

Yes, LifeCare will connect you with local attorneys who will provide free 30-minute face-to-face or telephonic consultations on up to three new legal topics per year.

Can LifeCare help with financial issues?

LifeCare provides a variety of resources to save you money and help with financial issues.

For example, LifeCare will connect you with financial counselors who will provide you with up to three free 30-minute telephonic consultations per year to assist with budgeting, credit/debt counseling, dispute with creditors, collections, repossession, liens, foreclosure, bankruptcy, credit repair, and debt consolidation.

Plus, the LifeCare web site provides financial content, webinars, and interactive calculators to help you budget and save for everyday expenses and major life events.

Employees can also log on to the web site to access discounts on brand-name products and services nationwide via the Discount Center.

How can LifeCare assist expecting mothers?

Having a baby is one of life’s most wonderful milestones—but it also requires careful thought and planning. If you’re expecting a baby, LifeCare provides counseling, education, and referrals to assist with the following issues:

• Prenatal Care—health, exercise, managing work and life, etc.
  

• Breastfeeding—proper technique, troubleshooting, pumping, transitioning back to work, etc.
  

• Child Care—child care centers, in-home care, family child care, etc. 
  

• Parenting—infant care, transitions, sleeping habits, eating habits, etc.
  

• Financial/Legal Concerns—budgeting, saving for college, legal concerns, etc.

LifeCare also offers a Prenatal Kit containing free products and information designed to promote a healthy pregnancy and baby—as well as discounts to essential baby products and services.

How can LifeCare help children with special needs?

LifeCare’s specialists, who are trained and educated in the field of special education, are available night and day to provide counseling, information and referrals on such issues as:

• Advocacy
  

• Early Intervention Programs
  

• Child Care Services
  

• Learning Disabilities
  

• Condition Specific Resources
  

• Serious Emotional Disturbances
  

• Legal Issues (Individualized Education Plans, Student’s Rights, etc.)
  

• Financial Issues (Insurance, Disability, etc)
  

• Support Groups
  

• Respite Care
  

• And More

The web site also offers self-services tools and content to help parents advocate and care for a child with special needs.

What services are available online?

You can log on to LifeCare’s interactive web site 24 hours a day to access:
Featured articles, webinars, audio tips, podcasts, calculators, assessments and other interactive tools to help you with work/life issues.
Provider search features that enable you to instantly locate information on providers (child care, adult care, schools, adoption agencies, etc.) in your local area and nationwide

The ability to request referrals from a specialist online via easy-to-use forms.
A Discount Center featuring discounts on brand-name products and services nationwide.

How much does LifeCare cost me?

LifeCare is a free service available to all employees and your household members, compliments of George Washington University. You and your eligible dependents can use the services as often as you wish—there is no limit. The only costs you bear are the fees associated with the providers or resources you select. For example, while you would not be charged for any child care referrals or educational materials you receive, you would be responsible for the fees associated with any child care providers you select.

Are LifeCare services confidential?

Yes, LifeCare is strictly confidential and voluntary.

Where can I get referrals for counseling?

LifeCare will direct you to related benefits offered by your company. For instance, if you or your household members require emotional counseling, LifeCare will refer or connect you to Colonial Community EAP which provides confidential counseling 24 hours a day, seven days a week via a toll-free number 1-877-622-4327. Plus, you can access Colonial Community EAP services on the web www.gwu.edu/hr/colonialcommunity/worklife/FEAP.html. Colonial Community EAP is available to all household members, whether a dependent or not and is easily accessible for appointments – within two days.

How do I get LifeCare resources during preboarding?

You may contact LifeCare 24 hours a day, seven days a week via a toll-free number 1-888-GWU-1821 (or 800-873-1322 for TTY/TDD service) and identify yourself as a GW new hire.

If you already have your GWID, you may register on the web site after speaking to a specialist.  Go to www.lifecare.com and follow the “New User” link. Enter Registration Code: GWU and Member ID: your GWID (your GWID is the uppercase letter “G” followed by 8-digit number).

If you have not been issued a GWID, you may not register for the web site until you have received your GWID.  Instead you may access the web site by entering Screen Name: gwu and Password: gwu.  Do not click on the “New Users” link.

If you have difficulty accessing the site, contact the LifeCare help desk at: 1-888-604-9565.

Where can I find employee discounts?

Employee discounts are conveniently accessible via the LifeCare web site. Log on to access discounts 3.5 million brand-name products and services nationwide—including, electronics, apparel, travel, entertainment, fitness centers and much.  Visit the site regularly for new and changing discounts designed to save you money on everyday purchases.