Aaging Better

When faced with the decision to try and stay at home in spite of declining health, increasing frailty or a disability, many individuals may not yet know about some of the options available.  Just starting the search is half the battle because most elderly individuals or family members are uncertain what services are available for themselves or their loved ones.

There are several different categories of in-home care, as well as differing payment options depending on the type and amount of care an individual requires.   So how do you know what kind of care is right for you or your relative?  Some of the main models of in-home care include:

• Private Duty Care: Companies such as ours (AAging Better) provide private duty services as “non-medical” services which include assistance like companionship, housekeeping, transportation, shopping, meal preparation, laundry and assistance with bathing or dressing, when needed.  It can also include respite care when the family member watching after the disabled person or the elderly family member needs a break from providing that care.  In essence, there are no “medical” services provided by Home Care companies, such as giving shots, catheter care, wound care or suctioning ventilation tubes, etc.  Normally, only companies that employ nurses would be able to offer these kinds of specialized services.  AAging Better is such a company since it also employees RNs and LPNs to provide “skilled nursing” services in addition to its non-medical services.                                                                                           Home Care is usually paid for directly by the client or a family member.  If the client has a long-term care insurance policy, many of these policies will cover “chore or personal care” services in the home but it’s very important that this be determined prior to starting services with a Home Care company in order to avoid being charged for services thought to be covered by the policy.  Also, in rare instances in-home care may be approved for someone on workers’ compensation who has been injured to the point that they are unable to care for themselves in their own home.  And finally, veterans have a special program available called Aid & Attendance that may cover some of the costs of in-home care if the veteran or the surviving spouse qualifies.               A very important fact to be aware of, however, is that private duty services are never covered by Medicare–a very common misconception by the elderly and/or their family members.  However, in many states if an individual qualifies due to low income or disability, they may be able to be approved by the local Medicaid program for a certain number of hours of in-home services each week–paid for by the state.  Local health and welfare offices can answer any questions someone might have regarding how to qualify and what the application process entails.

• Home Health Care: Home Health consists of skilled nursing or “medical” care that is usually required in the home for treatment of an illness or injury – wound care, injections, diabetes or blood pressure monitoring, and other treatments that require nursing skills.  Home Health can also provide physical, respiratory, occupational or speech therapy when ordered by the attending doctor upon discharge from the hospital.  Unlike Home Care, most often Home Health services are covered by Medicare, particularly when the services are ordered by a physician upon discharge from the hospital or when other specific conditions are met.

• Geriatric Care Management: A small but growing phenomenon occurring across the U.S. is an industry called “Geriatric Care Management.”  These companies or individuals handle the details of an infirm or elderly person’s medical needs, life or estate that typically fall outside the realm of financial advisers and estate management.  These “managers” can  coordinate in-home care for an individual, doctor’s appointments, care of the house grounds, mediate family communications, or assist with moving to another living arrangement–and even close up a household when the elderly (or a sick) client moves or passes away.  Geriatric care management is traditionally an out-of-pocket expense.

• Hospice Care: Hospice care is a special type of in-home care, designed to provide comfort and support for patients who are nearing the end of a terminal illness.  It is usually approved by the patient’s doctor when it is expected that the individual has about six months or less to live.  Contrary to popular myth, hospice is a comforting and often-times serene experience for the family and person facing the difficult and uncertain challenges of end-of-life transition.  Depending on the individual/s involved, hospice can provide a range of very important services, including nursing oversight, mental health and spiritual advice. Coverage for hospice care is typically offered by most private insurance providers and  through Medicare.

For more information about the different models of in-home care and what type of care is right for you or your loved one, contact AAging Better In-Home Care online or call us at (208) 777-0308 in the Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls or Hayden areas, (208) 263-7889 in the Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry or Priest River areas, and (208) 784-1505 in the Kellogg, Wallace or Pinehurst areas.  We’ll be happy to assist you in any way we can.