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Care at home for
seniors generally falls into two categories:
Medical
and
Non-Medical:
Non-Medical
Homecare
This is exactly what it sounds like - care at home that doesn't involve a skilled nurse or therapist. Caregivers often don't have
formal training, or they are minimally trained. This doesn't mean that many home caregivers are not greatly skilled and
compassionate about what they do.
Non-medical
home caregivers can provide companionship, supervision, light
housekeeping, shopping, meal preparation, assistance with bathing and
personal care, and sometimes transportation. They can remind seniors
to take medication at the proper time and help to make sure
prescriptions are refilled when they need to be.
Most seniors don't need
the services of a nurse. What they do need is someone to help out with
the things they can't reliably or easily do for themselves at home.
Costs vary widely around
the country. You can always expect to pay more for a caregiver who works
through an agency. If there are two people in the home you can
also expect to pay a higher hourly rate. Many agencies have minimum daily
stay requirements, usually three to four hours.
If you decide to hire
privately because it's less expensive, remember that you will still be
responsible for paying the employer's share of Social Security. Depending on your
individual state requirements, you may also be responsible for
disability insurance and unemployment insurance. You'll have income
tax and other financial records to maintain, and you may be left
holding the bag if your caregiver either quits or doesn't come to
work one day as expected.
If you decide to look for
help through an agency you may find several listed under "Home
Care" in your telephone book or on the Internet. However, you
would be wise to ask for a referral from a trustworthy source. Your
local hospital social work department or senior center may maintain a
list of reputable agencies if you don't know anyone to ask and don't
have a care manager in your area.
Medical Home Care
Medical home care provides medical services such as a licensed nurse or therapist who
will come to the patient's home to give treatment ordered by a doctor.
The costs of medical home care is often covered by Medicare if the
patient meets strict criteria, including the requirement that the
patient be "homebound" and not able to get out for regular
medical treatment.
Providers of medical home care
usually come to the house, provide whatever treatment is
necessary, and then leave. Rarely do they stay longer than
an hour or so, and their duties are limited to medical
care. If the doctor has ordered an aide to help with
bathing, the aide will also usually straighten up the patient's
bed and bathroom. He or she won't generally do other
housekeeping or prepare meals.
Medical home care is
usually time-limited. As soon as the medical condition no longer
needs regular attention by a skilled medical professional the
patient will be "discharged," even though there may still be
a need for regular non-medical assistance. If your loved one
needs care and supervision for the long haul, then medical home care
will probably not be the ultimate answer.
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