Top Ten Things To Consider When Choosing HomeHealth Care (NAPSA)—Whatever your age, and insured and by ‘% licensed here’s something you mayfind whom? intriguing: Today, baby boomers comprise about 30 percent of the U.S. population and more than one- third of them are caring for an older parent, according to AARP. In addition, a recent survey showed that two-thirds of boomers have children undertheageof 18 living in their households. As this so-called “sandwich” generation continues to age, private home health care is increasingly important for the health and well-beingof all three generations. What To Expect Home health care is a way for people to enjoy living at home safely rather than end up in residential, long-term or institutionalbased nursing care, while allowing them to maintain their independence and dignity. Care workers may visit the patient’s home to help with daily tasks such as going to bed, dressing, personal hygiene, some household tasks, shopping, cooking, and supervision of medication as well as accompanying their clients to doctors’ appointments. Workerstypically visit the home on a schedule determined in part by a licensed physician and in part by the patient’s needs. Visits range from a few hours per day on a few days per week to round-theclock attendance. What To Look For According to Partners in Care, whenselecting someone to provide care for you or your family at home, look for the following: Credibility, trustworthiness and compassion; e A caregiver that fits the 1 a/ a J Ay ae Home health care can be a vital tool for people who wantto enjoy living at homesafely. patient’s medical needs, personality and interests; Fluency in the patient’s own language. In addition, the home health care agency should measure your satisfaction on a regular basis to ensure that services are upgraded to meet your needs. Health care professionals most often involved are nurses, followed by physical therapists and homecare aides. Other health care providers include respiratory and occupational therapists, medical social workers and mental health workers. In the U.S., home health care is generally paid for by private health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, or directly by the patient or family. What To Ask To ensure the highest level of care, ask the following questions of a prospective home care provider before makinga final decision: 1. What types of services do you provide and how quickly can you provide them? 2. Is the agencyor individual 3. Are the home health aides screened and in what manner? 4. What kind of professional training have youraides received? How many hours? Do theyreceive advanced courses? 5. What kind of health care team support do your aides receive? 6. If my aide calls in sick, needstime off or just doesn’t show up, how quickly can you provide a fully qualified and screened replacement? 7. Do you provide 24/7 live clinical support in case of an emergency? 8. Are your aides trained to be sensitive to the unique cultural, ethnic, personality, personal care and personal interest needs of the patient? 9. What controls and systems do you have in place to monitor and prevent theft and abuse? 10. Will your agency help me navigate payment options and continuity of care, especially in a situation that may involve a mix of Medicare, private insurance andprivate pay? Dealing with declining health is never an easy task but knowing that licensed, skilled health care professionals are caring for your loved ones can bring much-needed peace of mind. What To Do To Learn More For more information and answers to these questions, contact Partners in Care at (888) 943-8435 or on the Web at http://www.partnersincareny.org.
