Home care has proven to be an effective, safe alternative for eniors and their families. Instead of receiving care in a nursing home, assisted living or other care facility, seniors receive help with their activities of daily living (ADLs) in the familiar surroundings of their own home
Home care, which is also called in home care, is commonly provided by family members if they are local. The ideal situation is when they partner with a professional caregiving agency, who send staff into the home to give family members a rest or to enable them to work and take care of other responsibilities.
These types of agencies are called Private Duty because these services are not paid for by Medicare. Medicare only pays for short skilled and doctor ordered services. Typically Nursing and Therapies are covered under Medicare. Private Agencies send professional caregivers who can provide family caregivers the peace of mind that their loved one is in good hands and well cared for, when they cannot be with there or simply need a break from caregiving. Having a break from round the clock responsibilities for caring for a loved one is critical for the health of the caregiver and enables them to be a better caregiver.
Private Duty home care agencies can provide non medical services, such as light housekeeping, healthy meal preparation, shopping, transportation and medication oversight. The next level of care requires the skills of a Home Health Aide who can provide help with hands on care for assistance. Skills such as help in the bathroom, dressing, transferring, and feeding, are called activities of daily living. An important component in all levels of care is providing Companionship which is critical to well their being. Interactive care is a unique process Comfort Keepers provides that keeps our clients mentally and physically active and socially engaged.
Private Duty often partner with home health care agencies (Medicare) that can provide skilled care, such as nursing, wound care, physical, occupational and speech therapy, pain management and disease education. This type of care is often needed following a hospital stay.
Providers of home care partner with families to schedule the optimal amount of care to meet a senior’s specific needs, from just a few hours of care a week to full time, 24 hour care, assuring the senior’s safety and well being. The amount of service can vary depending on the senior’s need for assistance and the availability of family members to provide care.
The agencies case managers will help determine each individual’s capability for self care and put together a plan to meet their need for assistance with ADLs.
The plan should also address helping with what are referred to as incidental activities of daily living (IADL). These include such things as light housekeeping and meal preparation, remembering to take medications, shopping and running other errands, transportation, managing money and other factors that impact a senior’s ability to continue living independently.
In addition to providing caregivers, some home care providers also offer technology solutions that supplement home care, providing security for seniors at times when family or professional caregivers are not present. These solutions include devices such as an emergency alert system that can summon help with the push of a button when a senior becomes ill or falls at home. Other devices include fall detectors and medication management systems that remind seniors to take their pills. These technology solutions serve as a virtual caregiver when a senior is reluctant to ave in home care. Our latest technology is called Grand Pad which enables clients to connect with the agency and family by video call at the touch of a button. Give us a call to see a free demonstration of any of this equipment or to schedule a visit for a Free in Home Care Assessment.
You won’t believe what a difference a little help can make in your life. We guarantee it.
Comfort Keepers – 941-921-4747
