Who Provides Home Care

Who Provides Home Care

Not all home care services offer the same peace of mind, and there are some important, but often unrecognized, issues to consider when hiring a caregiver. Home care services are best when provided through an agency that employs, trains, bonds and insures, and background checks its caregivers. This allows to you have peace of mind knowing that you are bringing someone into your home that you can trust. In addition, the agency will take care of any legal issues that occur should the caregiver or client be injured on the job.
On the other hand, a home care registry is an organization that helps you locate a caregiver and places one in your home on an independent contractor basis. Registries do not employ caregivers, nor do they take responsibility for their training and supervision. A private caregiver or an independent contractor with a home care registry may be highly compassionate, lower in cost, and an overall good fit with the client, but remember you will be liable for the payroll taxes and possible work related injuries of the caregiver.
Hiring a caregiver that is not background checked on a yearly basis and continuously trained by an agency that employs him or her creates a situation where you don't know if the caregiver has the skills to perform the needed tasks, and potentially exposes you to the risks of using a caregiver with an unknown background. So, it is vital to check a private caregiver's criminal and sexual abuse records at least annually.
"The first and most important thing consumers need to know is if they are dealing with an agency that employs its own caregivers," says Leann Reynolds, President of Homewatch CareGivers, a home care company with over 170 locations worldwide. "And find out if the agency or provider performs unannounced quality assurance visits to the client's home. These are two of the most important activities that home care agencies should be performing."
According to Kim Stoneking, President of the National Private Duty Association, "Employment of the caregiver is extremely important. As the voice of the private pay home care industry, the National Private Duty Association has removed the guesswork for the consumer. Every member agency of the National Private Duty Association must have evidence of employing at least 90% of its workers. We also know that NPDA members take care of all insurance and taxes for their caregivers and that training and background checks are completed."
Long-term care insurance will reimburse you for whatever home care you choose, and of course you want your benefits to last as long as possible; just keep in mind the hidden costs of a private caregiver or an independent contractor and remember the benefits of using a trusted, professional caregiver from an agency to keep you safe and independent in your home, who can provide long-term home care, and a continued trustworthy relationship.

Jamie's Home Care Services

3049 Cleveland Ave Suite 276

Fort Myers, FL 33901

239-333-9517

www.jamieshomecare.com

Home Care Defined

Home Care Defined

The majority of people are most comfortable in their own environment where they feel safe and close to the things they love, and home care is the long-term care option that promotes the individual's independence and ability to continue with the normal, daily routine as long as possible. The goal of home care is to provide in-home care for those who need it, and to allow an individual to remain living at home as long as possible, regardless of age or disability.
Home care services cover a wide range of needs, from homemaking and companionship to meal preparation and medication reminders. They may also include personal care services, or those that help with the activities of daily living, including home care services like bathing, dressing, and grooming. To promote a safe and functional lifestyle, a caregiver can help you brush your teeth, secure the buttons on your shirt, or stand-by while you bathe to make sure you do not fall.
Often, skilled services that utilize the expertise of a nurse may also be grouped within the home care category. Services include checking vital signs, coordinating with doctors and other healthcare professionals working with the individual, and performing comprehensive evaluations of health and community needs to keep individuals safe at home.
As a rule, skilled nursing services are provided by home health agencies; often your home care agency will be associated with home health agencies in your area that can provide a higher level of care through nursing in the home when those services become necessary. However, home care can be a highly effective interim solution for individuals who are not sick enough to need nursing services but just need a little help to stay safe and independent in their homes.


Contact Jamie's Home Care services for Quality in home care
Phone : (802) 526-4387/(239) 333-9517 | Fax: (239) 791-8181
3049 Cleveland Avenue, Suite 276
Fort Myers, FL 33901
www.JamiesHomeCare.com

The Ability To Remain In Your Own Home Is One Of The Greatest Benefits Of Owning Long-Term Care Insurance

Most people still mistakenly associate long-term care and long-term care insurance with nursing homes.  In fact, just the opposite is true.
According to the LTCi Sourcebook, published by the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, some 7.6 million individuals currently receive care at home because of acute illnesses, long-term health conditions, permanent disability or terminal illness.  By comparison, there are just over 1.8 million individuals in nursing homes.
Most people buy long-term care insurance just so they can receive care in their own home.  If that's something you'd value, now is the time to start the process.

Click here to complete our simple online questionnaire and be connected with an expert in your area to find out whether you can health qualify for long-term care insurance and what coverage costs.

The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance thanks JHCS,LLC and the National Private Duty Association for providing the following information on home care. Links to their websites can be found at the end of this page


Contact Jamie's Home Care services for Quality in home care
Phone : (802) 526-4387/(239) 333-9517 | Fax: (239) 791-8181
3049 Cleveland Avenue, Suite 276
Fort Myers, FL 33901
www.JamiesHomeCare.com

A Caregiver's Guide to Home Health Agencies

A Caregiver's Guide to Home Health Agencies


What they do
Home health agencies provide short-term, skilled medical care at home, delivered or supervised by nurses and therapists (physical, occupational, and speech). Home healthcare is provided while someone is recovering from a serious illness, accident, or surgery. If a home care agency provides medical care, it can also offer a limited amount of help with what's known as the activities of daily living -- such as bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, and other basic tasks.
Home healthcare must be ordered by a physician -- often following a stay in a hospital or skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility. It's intended to ease the transition from inpatient care to home care.
Note: Home healthcare, which is short-term medical care, is different from in-home care, which is short- or long-term personal assistance but not medical care. Sometimes the same agency can provide both types of care.
How they help
Home health agency nurses do some of the work that doctors used to do when they made house calls: They administer medications, change dressings, manage catheters and intravenous lines, give injections, and provide other skilled care. Therapists assist patients with recovery and help them safely regain mobility. The nurses and therapists can also teach patients and family caregivers how to perform many of these tasks. Less skilled workers, such as certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and home health aides, also help with care, under supervision of an agency nurse.
What they cost
Medicare, Medicaid, and most private health insurance policies cover short-term home healthcare prescribed by a physician and provided by a certified agency. If paying out of pocket, expect to spend between $20 and $75 per hour, depending on the location and services provided.
How to get started
The treating physician or the hospital or other facility where you or your loved one is a patient will refer you to a particular certified home healthcare agency. But if you know a different agency you'd prefer, or if you become dissatisfied with the agency your doctor or hospital chooses (or with the particular nurses, therapists, or home health aides the agency sends), you may be able to switch to a different agency. To search for home health agencies in a particular city or zip code -- and to see ratings and reviews of home health agencies.


Contact Jamie's Home Care services for Quality in home care
Phone : (802) 526-4387/(239) 333-9517 | Fax: (239) 791-8181
3049 Cleveland Avenue, Suite 276
Fort Myers, FL 33901
www.JamiesHomeCare.com

Personal Care Assistants

Personal Care Assistants

What Personal Care Assistants Do and How They Help

In addition to providing companion care, personal care assistants can help with the following:

• Light housekeeping
• Grocery shopping
• Preparing meals
• Grooming, including bathing and dressing

They can't provide medical services, such as diabetes care, but can help administer prescribed medications and -- if they have the proper training -- can help move those with mobility limitations.
How they help
Many caregivers enlist personal care assistants to solve problems in their home care situations, such as a small woman hiring a strong aide who can help move a spouse from bed to a chair, or a son concerned about privacy hiring a woman to bathe his mother. The added assistance often enables a person to remain at home rather than move to a facility. And for caregivers, hiring this help can provide peace of mind, especially if the personal care assistant provides regular services and so is familiar to the person receiving care.
What they cost
Costs range from $10 to $40 per hour for intermittent help; $120 to $200 per day or more for live-in care.



How to get started

Contact Jamie's Home Care services for Quality in home care
Phone : (802) 526-4387/(239) 333-9517 | Fax: (239) 791-8181
3049 Cleveland Avenue, Suite 276
Fort Myers, FL 33901
www.JamiesHomeCare.com

Paying for Home Care

The cost of in-home care usually ranges between $10 and $40 an hour, depending on the location (urban areas tend to be more expensive), the type of care needed (simple help around the house is less expensive than skilled help with bathing, toileting, and safely getting in and out of bed, for example), and whether the caregiver comes from a licensed home care agency (more expensive) or is an independent home care worker (less expensive).
Here are some of the options you can explore to help pay for in-home care:

1. Pay for in-home care with public benefit programs.
   If your loved one has very low income and few assets other than the home he or she lives in, some public benefit programs -- including Medicaid, PACE, VA benefits for veterans, and Cash and Counseling -- pay a limited amount for care. See how public benefit programs can help you pay for in-home care.
2. Pay for in-home care with private insurance.
   There are at least two options worth looking into: If your loved one has a long-term care insurance policy, it may include coverage for in-home care. He or she might also consider converting a life insurance policy into cash to help pay for in-home care. Explore options for using private insurance to pay for in-home care.
3. Pay for in-home care with personal and family assets.
   Like most families, you'll probably have to rely on your loved one's and other family members' personal assets to pay most in-home care costs. There are several ways personal and family assets can be used help pay for in-home care, including tapping into the equity in your loved one's home and gathering contributions from those family members who aren't actively helping with daily care. Explore ideas for paying for in-home care with personal assets.
4. Pay for in-home care with creative ways to lower costs.
   To lower the cost of in-home care, you might explore some creative alternatives. Find volunteers at a local church or high school to provide a few hours of coverage each week, or schedule a few hours each week at an adult day program. Find out more about how to lower the cost of in-home care.

Contact Jamie's Home Care services for Quality in home care
Phone : (802) 526-4387/(239) 333-9517 | Fax: (239) 791-8181
3049 Cleveland Avenue, Suite 276
Fort Myers, FL 33901
www.JamiesHomeCare.com

In Home Care

If you imagined your parent (or yourself) growing old in the comfort of your own home, you're not alone. This option, traditionally referred to as aging in place, is the most common scenario that American's picture when asked their preference. Whether your parent is still living in their home, or they've moved in with you, helpful in-home caregivers are available to provide in-home care for the elderly -- one afternoon per week or 24-hours a day.
Are you suffering from caregiver burn out? Looking for a free afternoon from your caregiving responsibilities? Various types of in-home care can provide the social assurance, companionship, and skilled care for your loved one while you have a few hours of respite. If your loved one needs help with a medical regimen from a doctor, home health care will provide a medical professional to help assess, manage, and administer medical

Contact Jamie's Home Care services for Quality in home care
Phone : (802) 526-4387/(239) 333-9517 | Fax: (239) 791-8181
3049 Cleveland Avenue, Suite 276
Fort Myers, FL 33901
www.JamiesHomeCare.com