Elderly Care: Benefits of Home Health Care Provider
With a rapidly increasing elderly population who wishes to remain in their own homes for as long as possible, it’s no wonder the home health care industry is booming. What’s more is that this industry surge is helping to make home health care a cheaper alternative to a nursing home or other care facility — and a much more comfortable and preferred option for your elderly parents.
What is home health care?
The goal of home health care is to help seniors suffering from a debilitating medical condition live independently for as long as possible. The services, which can be provided by a variety of home care professionals depending on your loved one’s needs, aim to help with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as eating, dressing, bathing, etc. Other services may include occupational and physical therapy, speech therapy, administering medication, skilled nursing and more.
It’s worth noting that there is a difference between home health care and home care. Home health care is more medically oriented than home care is and usually involves helping an elderly patient recover from illness and/or injury. Home care provides much less skill-specific services like housekeeping and companionship. Home health care is often provided by people who are licensed practical nurses, therapists or home health aides, commonly working for a senior care agency, hospital or other professional health care provider.
How do I hire a home health care provider?
Finding the right professional caregiver to provide home health care is very important to your loved one’s well being. Not only do you want a licensed professional but someone who is a good personality match as well.
Very little senior care is hired direct like a babysitter, Caregiverlist founder Julie Northcutt told Fox Business. Senior care is more complicated. You’ve got to know how to administer medication, you have to interact with memory loss. It requires training.
Experts and industry veterans alike will say that going through an agency that is licensed in the states it offers services in is your best bet to finding that perfect caregiver or caregiving team. Using an agency also protects families from any liabilities since agencies are responsible for payroll taxes, workers compensation and the conduct of their employees. It’s hard to put a price on peace of mind.
What about Medicare?
Although it varies on a case by case basis, Medicare often covers many of the expenses associated with home health care. An agency can help guide you through this process. Here’s a list of common Medicare offerings for those who qualify via MedicareInteractive.org:
- Skilled nursing and home health services up to seven days a week for no more than eight hours per day and 28 hours per week.
- Skilled therapy services such as physical, speech and occupational therapy services performed by or under the supervision of a licensed therapist.
- Medical social services ordered by a doctor to help with social and emotional concerns related to an illness.
- Medical supplies provided by the Medicare-certified home health agency.
- Medicare often pays up to 80 percent of durable medical equipment such as a wheelchair or walker.
Physicians Choice Private Duty currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here . Or contact us for a free consultation or just to say hello!
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“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the problems families face in finding home health care providers they can trust. Providers who will focus on strategies that keep parents in their homes. To learn more about our health care services, visit http://www.encompass-home-health-care.com.”