A lot of family caregivers reach the point where they realize their loved one needs more assistance than they can provide. Maybe you’ve been noticing signs that your loved one cannot be left alone without supervision or needs increased help with daily activities, like bathing and dressing. Perhaps the housekeeping and laundry are becoming too much for a single person to handle. While everyone’s situation is unique, there are at home health care options available to lend a helping hand.
Getting dependable home health care can seem daunting because there are a lot of considerations to take into account regarding your loved one’s care. We’ve outlined the basic steps to help you discover how to receive home health care for your loved one.
- Understand What Services Your Loved One Needs
To understand what level of care your loved one might benefit from the most, it’s a good idea to know what services they need. Make a list of services your loved one needs help with to determine which type of care would best suit their health care requirements. Home healthcare companies generally offer two types of services that are covered by Medicare and insurance: skilled care and personal care.
Skilled Care
If your loved one is recovering from an illness, injury, or has a chronic condition, skilled care might be the best choice. When you receive skilled care, a registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, or therapist provides health care services issued by a physician. Services can include, but are not limited to:
- IV treatments
- Skilled nursing care
- Wound care
- Dietary counseling
- Medication
- Speech therapy
- Physical and occupational therapy
Personal Care
Personal care or non-medical care is provided by a home health aide and is not as intensive as skilled care. Personal care can help those who need supervision and assistance with daily activities. Services can include:
- Laundry
- Housekeeping
- Meal preparation
- Transportation
- Bathing, grooming, and dressing
- Conversation
- Choose a Home Healthcare Company
Once you know what services your loved one needs, you can start to look for a home healthcare company that meets your requirements. It’s not enough for a company to just offer the necessary services. They should also be accredited, licensed, and have a history of providing exceptional care (Shanadoa Home Health is all of the above)
Find out who is responsible for patient care, how the provider evaluates a patient’s home care needs, and whether they consult with the patient’s physicians and family members. You should also ask about finances. Find out how care will be paid for, what types of insurance cover the care your loved one needs, and if the provider will bill insurance companies on your behalf.
To help build your checklist for choosing an at home healthcare provider, find out more by reading our blog. To locate Medicare-approved home healthcare providers visit Medicare.gov. If you’re interested in finding care in your area, search for a local caregiver today.
- Select a Caregiver
Once you’ve found a home healthcare company, it’s time to choose a caregiver who you know you can trust. That’s why you should select a home healthcare company that thoroughly screens and background checks their employees. Find a company that goes beyond the basic certification checks and performs criminal background checks, conducts skill tests, and certifies residency and credentials.
If your loved one requires care for a chronic condition like Alzheimer’s, Dementia, or Parkinson’s, you should also make sure the company’s caregivers are certified to meet that level of care. Even if your loved one only requires personal care, having a caregiver who understands the best care practices for chronic ailments is key.
Reputable home healthcare companies will let you meet and interview potential caregivers before starting care. This allows you to see how your loved one will get along with the caregiver. You will also have the opportunity to ask more questions about the caregiver including their availability, transportation, training, and certifications.
- Create a Plan of Care
Before starting care, the home healthcare company should work with you, your loved one, and their physician to create a comprehensive plan for care. This plan should cover what services your loved one needs as well as who will be providing the services and when. All this information should be made readily available to you.
If your loved one requires service around the clock, it’s essential to hire a home health care company that can provide 24/7 service. You should learn prior to starting care who is responsible for finding a replacement caregiver in the event that the usual caregiver cannot arrive. It is also important to find out what resources are available in an emergency situation and if the home care provider has a contingency plan.
Finding dependable home health care can be a long process, but it’s necessary in order to give your loved one the quality of life they deserve. By learning about your loved one’s needs and asking insightful questions, you can begin to find the right at home health care for your loved one.