Home Care Options Explained

Home Care Options Explained

Cargiver in home

There are several options available to those who have an elderly parent being cared for at home. You can find a list of resources that will help explain the language that caregivers use when designing an in home care program. One article in particular is worth digging into further.

Home Care Options Explained: 10 Best Resources for In-Home Care Help from Caring.com:

https://www.caring.com/articles/10-best-resources-for-in-home-care-help

Even though caring.com is a placement service for home health agencies like ours, they have some great information for families on their site. In this article in particular, I want to highlight three of their 10 resources:

  1. Companion care services

This is part of what Physician Choice Private Duty provides and for many families, it’s the first contact they have with us. Their description is accurate:

“Companion care is ideal for someone who would otherwise have to spend part of the day alone and who requires some light assistance. Family members can work or handle other activities knowing their loved one isn’t left alone. Companion care also provides a valuable social benefit, decreasing isolation and improving mood. Warm relationships are often formed when a consistent companion is on the job.”

While it’s the first step in care, it’s rarely the last step.

  1. Personal care assistants

This is the next stage of care that Physician’s Choice Private Duty provides.

“Many families enlist personal care assistants . . . to solve problems in their home care situation, such as a small woman hiring a strong aide who can lift a spouse for bathing, or a son concerned about privacy hiring a woman to bathe his mother. Personal care assistants can arrange for meal preparation, escorts to doctor visits, and any other type of nonmedical assistance your loved one may need in order to live at home longer. If you need to get away for a few hours a week or overnight, in-home care can ease the worry, especially if the in-home caregiver is familiar to your loved one because he or she provides regular services.”

This level of care may require a more qualified provider. We asked our director this question: “How do you assess whether an individual requires the care of a CNA, LPN, LPN-C or RN? How often do you reevaluate the level of care necessary?”

She said, “If the client needs assist with activities of daily living, medication assist or transportation, we would use CNA’s. LPN’s can be used for clients who have more skilled needs like dressing changes, wound care, vital signs, medication set up, or catheter cares. RN’s are used for clients who need skilled care with the additional need for clinical judgements. Clients who have involved wounds, respirators, post hospital surgery that requires assessment from a registered nurse, or clients who have major cardiac or pulmonary problems.”

That brings us to the next type of care we provide.

  1. Home health agencies

When your loved one needs a higher level of care, including minor medical care, this is where Physician’s Choice shines.

From the article:

“If your loved one is going to be discharged from a hospital stay, having someone around the house who can change bandages or check vital signs can provide peace of mind. Home health agencies are sometimes recommended for certain kinds of in-home rehabilitation, such as physical therapy. You may also welcome these services if your loved one needs personal care or health care that the family is uncomfortable providing or is unable to provide, such as colostomy or wound care, incontinence care, insulin management, or other medical services.”

We refer to this escalating care as The Journey, and if you’re in the Omaha area, we’re happy to answer questions and help.

Read the full article here: https://www.caring.com/articles/10-best-resources-for-in-home-care-help