
This FAQ answers some of the most common questions that patients and their families may have about in-home senior care.
This FAQ answers some of the most common questions that patients and their families may have about in-home senior care.
The terms “home care” and “home health care” are often used interchangeably in discussions involving home senior care, but they are technically different services. Home care can also be thought of as home support as these services include help with activities of daily living such as bathing, getting dressed, using the restroom, personal hygiene, housekeeping, meal preparation, and transportation. Home health care refers to care that is more medical in nature and must be done by a registered nurse or other licensed professional. These services may include changing dressing on wounds, administering medication, monitoring patients for changes in condition, and in-home physical therapy. These services are ideal for seniors who have recently been hospitalized for illness or surgery as well as seniors recently put on new medication.
Generally, home care services for seniors are nonmedical and they consist of services to help seniors with various activities of daily living. It is common for home caregivers to provide assistance with personal hygiene including bathing and dressing, transferring (getting out of bed, etc.), continence care, meal preparation, medication reminders, housekeeping, and transportation to run important errands and get patients to doctor appointments.
Seniors who are dealing with all types of conditions and chronic illnesses may receive in-home care. It is very common for those suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease to have in-home care because it can be dangerous for those affected by these conditions to be alone. Seniors with conditions that limit their mobility such as Parkinson’s disease also receive in-home care to help them with transferring, housekeeping, and other daily living activities that are too difficult for them to handle themselves. Seniors who are recovering from surgery can also benefit from having in-home caregivers to take care of certain activities in the home so they can focus on their recovery. It helps for seniors with any type of condition to have a caregiver nearby to help with medications and respond promptly if there is an emergency.
While there are a lot of basic similarities among the types of home care, these services can differ depending on the needs and conditions of the seniors. The following are the different types of home care:
Hospice care is care provided to those with limited life expectancy or a diagnosis of a terminal illness. The purpose of hospice care is to relieve the patient of their symptoms and help them remain comfortable as they live out their final days. Palliative care is care for a serious illness or condition with the hope of finding a cure. Anyone with a serious condition is eligible for palliative care; patients do not have to have a terminal illness to receive palliative care.
Generally, patients who are not expected to live for more than 6 months are eligible for hospice care. If a patient lives past the six-month period, they can be taken out of a hospice care program. When a doctor believes that they are once again not likely to survive for more than 6 months, they will be entered back into hospice care.
As soon as a relative is diagnosed with a terminal illness or limited life expectancy, you should talk to a care provider about hospice care. We highly recommend that you discuss hospice care options with your relatives before a diagnosis of a terminal illness or limited life expectancy so that a care plan can be put into place quickly when the time comes.
A person can be in hospice care for about 6 months before a doctor decides that they no longer need hospice care. A patient can remain in hospice care for longer than 6 months if their doctor verifies that they have a legitimate terminal illness.
Medicare or private insurance are the main ways that people pay for hospice care. If a patient cannot pay for hospice care but they meet the qualifications for hospice care from Medicare, the care will be paid for either by the care provider themselves, or through charitable donations. It is against the law for someone who qualifies for hospice care to be denied if they are unable to pay.
Those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease need constant care or supervision because they are prone to wandering and may forget where they are or how they ended up there. If you are caring for a relative with Alzheimer’s in the home, these simple tips will help:
Engaging Alzheimer’s patients in activities is a great way to stimulate their memories and emotions and reduce some of the effects of the disease on cognitive function. Certain activities can also give Alzheimer’s patients a sense of purpose or an outlet for self-expression. There are many types of activities that can be beneficial for an Alzheimer’s patient, the activity should be chosen based on the individual. Choose an activity that the individual enjoyed in the past but make sure it is an activity that is safe and practical for them to do. The following are some suggested activities:
The cost for Alzheimer’s care depends on the type of care chosen. The following are the average costs for different types of care:
Medicare can help cover certain costs for Alzheimer’s care, including inpatient hospital care, doctor’s fees, and certain medical items for patients 65 and older. Medicare will only cover nursing home care in limited cases and never for more than 100 days. Long-term care for Alzheimer’s patients is not covered by Medicare.
Respite care services are for relieving informal family caregivers who care for their elderly relatives. Family caregivers who take care of their relatives often deal with high levels of stress due to the demands of the job, and they have less personal time to deal with their own matters. With respite care services, a certified caregiver will come to the home at scheduled times so the family caregiver can take some time off.
In general, Medicare does not cover respite care. It will cover respite care only if the care qualifies for the hospice benefit.
A live-in caregiver provides all the same basic care services included with regular senior care, such as assistance with personal care and hygiene, housekeeping, transportation, and meal preparation. The difference is that a live-in caregiver will live in the home with the patient so that they are available to provide assistance 24 hours a day. You can expect a live-in caregiver to help seniors with their evening routines and getting them to bed as well as their morning routines when they first wake up. A live-in caregiver should be provided with their own space within the home to stay and they should be allowed at least 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.
The cost of a live-in caregiver can vary significantly depending on the exact circumstances. On average, live-in care can cost between $4,000 to $8,000 each month. Daily rates for a live-in case can range between $220 and $230. Factors that can affect the cost include whether the caregiver will live in the home and whether room and board will offset the cost of care. The use of a vehicle can also factor into the cost depending on if the caregiver provides their own vehicle or the family provides a vehicle to use. Knowing the average cost of renting a room in your area can help you determine a fair price for room and board for a live-in caregiver.
The typical hourly wage for an overnight caregiver who spends the entire shift awake is between $18 and $20.
If you still have any questions about our elderly care services in the Hollywood, FL area, contact Assisting Hands Home Care – Broward County, FL at (954) 644-7276.