About Home Care

• What is home care?
• What are the benefits of home care?
• Are home care services practical for an aging loved one?
• Are we able to receive care from a person that is experienced in my specific disease?
• Is home care appropriate for a person recovering from a hospital stay or medical procedure?
• Who pays for home care?
• What should I expect when starting home care services?

What is homecare?

Simply put, "home care" describes healthcare services that are delivered at home. Those who are recovering from an accident, had a recent surgery, are disabled or chronically ill, can remain in the comfort and privacy of familiar surroundings, rather than being in a hospital or assisted living facility. Home care staff provide medical, nursing, or therapy treatments, as well as personal care and companion services that assist with the activities of daily living. back to top

What are the benefits of home care?

In addition to the comfort of receiving healthcare in the privacy of your own home, home care offers the following important benefits:

• Cost effective and often less expensive than traditional inpatient care
• Clinically effective, increasing positive patient outcomes and improving the quality of life for patients and family members
• Fundamental in reducing hospital stays and re-hospitalization and thus reducing the risks of catching secondary hospital acquired infections and illness back to top

• (Source: American Association of Home Care)

Are home care services practical for an aging loved one?

With more than 10 million elderly Americans today needing help with basic activities of daily living, seniors are increasingly dependent on home care services to assist them in maintaining independent, non-institutionalized lives. Such basic necessities include bathing and dressing, preparing meals, running errands such as food shopping and picking up prescriptions, cleaning the house, and transportation to doctor appointments. According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, approximately 25 percent of all workers in the U.S. today provide care to an elderly relative or friend. back to top

Are we able to receive home care from a person that is experienced in my specific disease?

Having trustworthy, competent home care professionals who are specifically trained in your, or a loved one's, specific illness is extremely important. We specialize in many chronic illnesses. Dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord Injury, Diabetes and Cardiac diseases are some of our most commonly requested plans of care. To find out more about the many disease care plans in which we are specifically trained, contact your local Nursefinders Homecare office today. back to top

Is home care appropriate for a person recovering from a hospital stay or a medical procedure?

Those who are disabled or recuperating from acute illness, as well as chronically ill patients who require sophisticated medical treatment, prefer receiving care in a secure home environment. People diagnosed with terminal illness may also be cared for at home, receiving compassion and maintaining dignity at the end of life. back to top

Who pays for home care?

Many homecare services are covered under Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance or a variety of other public and private sources. Benefits and requirements for care vary greatly, so it is wise to know the specific coverage available before beginning home care services. Most home care agency providers can assist clients with determining insurance coverage and exploring payment options for required services. Unlike many in-patient services, the cost of certain home care services, such as personal care and companionship, are surprisingly affordable. back to top

What should I expect when starting home care services?

Proper expectations and communication are critical to a healthy relationship with your home health provider. Here are some tips to help get you off to a great start.

• Determine how the home care nurse, aide, or others will be paid. If this service is not covered by insurance, make sure you discuss and agree on the fee for each service.
• Have all medications, insurance cards and hospital discharge information available at the first visit from the home healthcare worker.
• Familiarize yourself with the home care plan and know what to expect, when the nurse or aide will be in the home, for how long and what services will be provided.
• Keep important patient information handy for the home healthcare worker. This includes emergency information, as well as current medications and advance directives (e.g. home DNR order, living will, or written information about the healthcare proxy).
• Know who to call if you need help when the home care worker is not scheduled to be there. There should be someone from the home care agency available for you to contact 24 hours a day.
• Participate in making the care plan with the hospital staff and home care agency.
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For more information, call 800.445.0459 or send an e-mail.

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