Is home care right for me?
Even though home health care is becoming more and more commonplace, many people-even professional people-still have questions. “When is home care the best option?” “What services are available?” “What should I look for in a home care provider?” MD Home Assist has developed this section to help answer these and other commonly asked home care questions. We hope you will find it informative and beneficial.

Is home care always a viable option?
The American Medical Association’s Handbook on Home Health Care states: “Home health care has demonstrated that it is an effective and less expensive means providing health services as an alternative to more costly institutional care.”
According to the United States General Accounting Office, most people over the age of 65 with convalescent illnesses could receive better care at less cost in their homes, compared to hospitals or nursing institutions. Home care is most definitely a viable option in a great many cases. In fact, home care may even be the ideal choice, medically, emotionally and financially. Whether or not it is the right option in a particular case is up to the doctor, the patient and the family.

Should the family be involved?
Frequently, the family can be a vital part of home health care. An experienced caregiver will help the family get involved, and instruct them in certain aspects of the client's care.
Home care also involves working to keep the family’s life from being unduly disrupted. This may be accomplished by teaching them how illness impacts the family and by providing helpful coping skills.

What are the benefits of home care?
Many (if not most) clients would rather be at home than in a health care facility. As long as they do not need constant supervision or intensive medical treatment, these clients are usually happier and more comfortable in the familiar surrounding of their homes. In addition, the home is frequently a better environment for recovery or convalescence. Home care is also less costly than traditional, institutional care, often by 50% or more, compared to hospitalization. So the savings can be quite significant.

What about Payment?
In many cases, insurance will cover the cost of home health care. Medicare will pay for nurses, aides, therapists and social workers for its beneficiaries when the patient meets its coverage criteria. Medicaid (and other government programs) covers many home care services.
The right home care agency will also help ensure that the care stipulated or covered by insurance carriers meets the doctor’s objectives, so the patient receives all the benefits he or she is entitled to.

Is there anything else I should know?
It’s important to remember that every case is different. No two individuals will have identical needs. This section is intended only to serve as a general introduction and overview. You may still have unanswered questions about specific situations. If you do, please feel free to call the nearest MD Home Assist office or at 1-602-230-0840. We will be happy to help you in any way we can.

What kinds of services are available?
MD Home Assist provides a full range of non medical services such as bathing/dressing assistance, housekeeping, laundry, shopping, errands, and meal preparation. Care can be short or long term, intermittent or around the clock.

What should I look for in a home care provider?
You want to choose a full service agency-so that, no matter the need, you only have to deal with one provider. A home care provider has to be able to respond to the gamut of home care possibilities, from the most basic care to the most complex. The agency you select should routinely arrange for all necessary services. The better agencies also network with a variety of assistance programs and organizations in the community. They will know how to tap these sources for the client’s benefit.
On the administrative side, you should make sure that the agency-not you, or the family-will handle the necessary paperwork. Wages, taxes, government forms, insurance, third party payment, and the like, should all be the responsibility of the provider, as well as the necessary insurance and tax information the family may need.

Who's in charge?
There should be a supervisor directly involved in every case. This person should be the one to conduct an initial needs assessment and home evaluation. He or she will coordinate with the family and physician (when necessary) to determine the level of care that is needed. A comprehensive Care Plan will then be developed that best meets both the client's needs and the doctor's home care objectives, while assuring continuity of care if discharged from a hospital. This plan details all schedules, services and what specific kind (or kinds) of care the client's needs. The supervisor will also monitor the case as it progresses, with periodic calls and visits, to ensure a smooth, coordinated response to changing needs-no matter what these changes may be.

What about the client's rights?
Home care providers have an obligation to protect and promote the rights of their clients. The quality-minded home health agency will have in place a client Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, which should be provided to every client at the time of admission.
The Bill of Rights will include, among others: the right to be treated with dignity and respect; the right to receive the highest quality care and the ability to lodge complaints without fear of discrimination or reprisal; the right to confidentiality of health information; the right to be involved in the decision-making regarding his or her care and the right to formulate advance directives. The home health agency should also track its client’s satisfaction on an ongoing basis through questionnaires and supervisory contacts.

What about the caregivers? Do all providers use the same method for qualifying their employees?
Today, home care providers should be equipped with state of the art systems, not only to test and train their employees, but also to match employees skills and experience to client needs. Naturally, these sophisticated systems help ensure that the client receives the best possible care. When you contact a prospective provider, ask about their qualification and selection procedures including fingerprinting and background checks. Also find out if their employees are bonded and insured.