Tag Archives: home care

Elder Care at Home

With a rapidly aging population, caring for your elders is likely going to be a big part of your life. According Medicare.com, a recent survey by the National Caregiver Alliance and the AARP Public Policy Institute revealed that approximately “34 million adults in the U.S. are unpaid caregivers to an individual over 50 years old, with 85% providing care for a family member.”

Care giving is a fairly broad term and responsibilities depend on the physical and mental health of an individual but may include anything from helping with everyday activities to medication reminders to hiring and coordinating with assisted living staff. Regardless of the level of involvement, caring for the elderly requires patience.

Every day tasks that we take for granted, such as getting up and getting ready for the day can be challenging as we age. The elderly often need help with daily living activities like bathing or getting dressed. Though these tasks may be time consuming, the physical and emotional benefits of grooming, bathing and putting on clean clothes should not be underestimated to making someone feel more good.

The National Institutes of Health National Institute on Aging (NIA) provides several resources and tips for caregivers including:

Communication

  • Be simple, direct and positive when speaking. Clear and upbeat communication is generally a good idea, especially if the person you are caring for has health problems that could affect memory and cognitive skills.
  • Establish eye contact, use the person’s name and if appropriate, touch or hold his or her hand to encourage conversation
  • Ask simple yes-or-no questions rather than open-ended questions. For example, ask “Are you hungry?” instead of, “When would you like to eat?”
  • Limit choices to reduce confusion. For example, ask, “Would you like to wear your jeans or your khakis?” instead of asking, “What do you want to wear?” You might even want to show the options to the person you are caring for to help them make the decision.

Bathing and Dressing

  • Easy wear, easy wash clothing. Comfortable, loose-fitting clothing with elastic waistbands will not only make it easier to get dressed, it will also make it easier to remove clothing to use the bathroom.
  •  Assist in dressing as needed. Let the individual do as much as possible without assistance but be ready to lend a hand. To assistance, lay out the clothes in the order they will be put on. For example, place underwear and socks before pants and shirt.
  • Make the shower safe. Use a sturdy shower chair, grab bars, non-slip bath mats and a hand-held shower-head to reduce the chance of falls.

Eliminate Safety Hazards to Prevent Falls

  • Remove or secure rugs. Try using double-sided adhesive tape to firmly attach any large area rugs.
  • Hide electrical cords. Tuck cords behind furniture, under large rugs or tack to the baseboards so they are out of the way.
  • Create clean lines and open spaces. Remove any extra furniture that would be difficult to maneuver around with a cane, walker or wheelchair.
  • Install handrails and grab bars. Most commonly used along stairways, on the side of the bed, next to the toilet and in the bath or shower.
  • Install good lighting inside and outside home. If the elderly individual has difficulty seeing, install the highest recommended bulb per light fixture. For their safety at night, install nightlights in bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen and hallways.

Remember, it is also important to make sure your loved one not only has health food and beverages available but that they are eating regularly. Proper nutrition and hydration can have a significant impact on an individual’s physical and mental abilities.

If the time has come when your aging loved one is no longer able to live independently, please contact the knowledgeable staff at ElderLink to help you find elder care services or an assisted living facility within California that is customized for your family.

Aging in Place Tips

Many seniors prefer to stay in their own homes as they age – or “age in place” – but not all homes are set up to accommodate the physical challenges of aging adults. If you or your loved one would like to remain in your home, there is good news. Often just several small changes can have a big impact on successfully aging in place and by utilizing the principles of Universal Design (UD), homes can be adapted to be more accessible, more functional and safer.

Small changes in the home can actually make a big difference, such as changing lighting to reduce glare, installing handrails on staircases or smoothing thresholds. These changes make the living environment easier and safer for all ages, from toddlers to seniors.

Depending upon the current set up on the home, some changes may involve select remodeling, such as updating a bathroom with roll-in shower or removing loose rugs and installing wall-to-wall carpeting instead. These types of Universal Design elements require a monetary investment but it would be less expensive and less disruptive than moving into an assisted living facility.

If you planning on building a home, consider incorporate UD elements in your new space no matter what your current age and physically ability is. With the aging populations, incorporating features such as hallways wide enough for wheelchairs or walkers, low light switches, higher electrical outlets and installing blocks behind walls to accommodate grab bars later can add great resale value to the home.

You may also want to consult with interior designers and home builders who are Certified Aging in Place (CAP) specialists. These professionals can help determine which UD elements to bring into your current home or incorporate into your new home’s blueprints.

Helpful Universal Design Elements:

  • Motion detector lights
  • Reduced or no-glare lights for general lighting, task lighting for tasks
  • Handrails on both sides of stairs
  • Electric outlets that can be reached from a wheelchair
  • Lowered light switches that can be reached from a wheelchair
  • Programmable thermostats
  • Drawers instead of cabinets in kitchen
  • D-shaped cabinet and drawer pulls
  • Wall-to-wall carpet instead of rugs
  • Wires neatly managed, off floors or behind walls
  • Grab bars by toilets and in showers
  • Roll-in showers and room for shower seat
  • Hand-held shower heads on glides
  • Non-slip, low-maintenance floors in bathrooms
  • Kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and laundry on same floor (ground level or accessible by elevator)
  • Side-by-side refrigerator/freezer
  • Accessible from wheelchair/counter height dishwasher, microwave, stove and oven
  • Flat cook top/range with front controls
  • Varied counter heights so cooks can sit or stand
  • Beveled corners on counters, furniture and walls
  • Front-load, front-control washer and dryer
  • 36-inch-wide doorways and hallways

Visit the National Aging In Place Council to learn more about how you can age in place and visit The National Association of Home Builders to find a Certified Aging in Place (CAP) specialist.

If the time has come when your aging loved one is no longer able to live independently, please contact the knowledgeable staff at ElderLink to help you find elder care services or an assisted living facility within California that is customized for your family.

Understanding Home Health Care

One of the most confusing elements of securing care for seniors is deciphering the difference between home health versus home care. Although it might seem like a minor difference, the distinction between the two terms is more than splitting nouns to professionals in the industry – especially for insurance providers.

One of the most important differences is that care provided by home health agencies are usually covered by medical insurance because these services are prescribed by a doctor and are often part of a transition from a hospital stay back into a home. Home care services are not usually covered by medical insurance but may be covered by long term insurance. The main reason why medical insurance covers one and not the other? Home health services require a trained professional, such as a physical therapist, occupational therapist, registered nurse or certified nurse assistant, while home care services generally not to require professional training or education.

The type of care and the insurance coverage that will be provided depend on each individual but these are some of the key terms you should know.

HOME CARE/ASSISTED LIVING/COMPANION OR RESPITE CARE
This type of care is often provided by friends or family members and includes assistance with daily living tasks. When looking for an extra pair of hands outside your immediate circle, Home Care Agencies can offer assistance. The types of services provided may include light housekeeping, shopping, cooking, laundry, medication reminders, companionship and even transportation to doctor’s appointments, shopping or recreational activities. These agencies usually charge by the hour and may require a minimum number of hours for each shift. Beyond any minimum shift requirements, these types of agencies may offer services for up to 24 hours, allowing the primary caregiver (often a spouse) the opportunity to get away for a few hours or even for several days. Benefits of using a home care agency include care coverage in the case the regular agency care provider is unavailable, employment taxes and fees are handled by the agency and agency caregivers often have some related training. Depending upon your policy, these services may be covered by long term insurance.

HOME HEALTH (AGENCY)
Generally licensed by each state, home health agencies primarily provide skilled care, although some may also provide companion and home care services. Common services provided by home health include nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and respiratory therapy. Some agencies may also provide medical equipment and supplies as well as home health aide services, such as assistance with bathing, dressing and eating. In addition to providing services to patients in private homes, home health agencies may also be able to provide services to patients in assisted living facilities and adult family care homes. Scheduling the services of the medical professionals, including the nurses and therapists, is not as definite as with home care staff as home health professionals are usually going from one patient home to another. The services for skilled home heath care are usually paid in part or entirely by an array of health insurance and long term care insurance, depending upon the policy. Services may also be paid out of pocket or on a fee-for-service basis.

MEDICARE HOME HEALTH AGENCY
These agencies provide skilled care in a person’s home and paid for by Medicare if the following conditions are met: the patient must be under the care of a doctor and you must be receiving services under a care plan established and reviewed on a regular basis by a doctor. As part of this process, a doctor must certify that the patient needs one of more of the following: intermittent skilled nursing care, physical therapy, speech-language pathology services and/or occupational therapy. The agency must be approved by Medicare (aka Medicare certified) and doctor must also certify that the patient is homebound. If these conditions are met, Medicare is likely to pay for your covered home health services for as long as the patient is eligible and the doctor certifies that the services are necessary. Usually homebound patients are still permitted to leave home for medial appointments or procedures as well as brief non-medical reasons, such as a haircut or to attend religious services. Please consult your doctor and agency for specific requirements and eligibility.

These are the most common types of agencies to provide in-home or outpatient care. In case of injury, such as a broken hip or knee replacement, in-home care may only be needed for several weeks. Navigating the system of elder care services and agencies can be confusing for anyone. Sometimes it can be overwhelming. Finding the appropriate level of care and caregivers you can trust can take time but it is time well spent.

If the time has come when your aging loved one is no longer able to live independently, please contact the knowledgeable staff at ElderLink. We will help you find elder care services or an assisted living facility within California that is customized for the requirements of your family.