Home Health Senior Care

With 75 Million Baby Boomers entering into their golden years, plenty of questions have been asked:

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Q1. What is a Care Manager, and how does a Care Manager help with Senior Home Care ?

Answer:

It may be time to look at a Care Manager. They can find out the answers by performing an in-depth assessment and developing an individualized plan of care. They can also help with crisis intervention, locating alternative housing, supervision of nursing home care, telephone reassurance, compliance with medication, and many other supportive duties. This may help you make the right choices.

Q2. My Dad doesn't think he needs help, but his health is concerning me. What can a Home Care Professional do?

Answer:

Quite often, bringing in a third party, such as a Care Manager, may be useful. They can offer an objective and knowledgeable appraisal of the situation and suggest helpful solutions. This may help avoid disagreement between a parent and adult child.

Q3. I lost my Social Security card. How do I replace it?

Answer:

If you need to replace a lost Social Security card, change the name shown on your card, or request a replacement card, you will need to complete an application to receive a new Social Security card. The application is called Form SS-5 and you can obtain this form on the Internet or by calling 1-800-772-1213. You can also request a new card by visiting your local Social Security office. Here is the website link that explains these options and even allows you to replace your Social Security card online: www.ssa.gov/replace_sscard.html.

Q4. Our mother does not have a lot of financial resources, what are our financing options for Senior care?

Answer:

There are specialists in all areas of geriatric planning, including care managers, financial advisors, legal advisors, fiduciary services, and medicare/medicaid advisors that may be able to offer advice on stretching the financial resources. Knowing that needs are changing and the financial resources are not large, it is wise to plan in advance, before the crisis hits. This means that you start researching senior housing and low-income assistance programs. For example, some senior housing may have HUD income restricted units. These often have long waiting lists. In this type of situation, it could be a good idea to find these locations and add your mother's name to the waiting list. Often there is no charge for adding a senior's name to a senior housing waiting list.

Q5. What is the easiest way to find an assisted living , other than calling each location and getting directions?

Answer:

Actually, an easy way to find any location is through the website www.MapQuest.com. You will need the address, city, and zip, or the street intersection of the location you want to visit. Just go to the website www.MapQuest.com and type in the location information. You will have a choice of having a map or written directions. Always make sure that you take the phone number of the location you are trying to visit along with a cell phone just in case you get lost.

Q6. Mom and Dad can't take care of one another at home. What are our options?

Answer:

There are services available that may allow them to stay at home. Consider homemaker and companion services that offer help with daily living activities, such as bathing, cooking, light housekeeping, errands, shopping, and often other chores around the home. Also Adult Day Care facilities tend to all their social and physical needs during the day, and other arrangements can be made for evenings as mentioned above.

Other alternatives are: different living environments, including assisted living, retirement communities, and continuum of care facilities. The deciding factors may include: level of care needed, preferences of the individuals, and programs to meet their needs and desires. There are also professionals called Care Managers, who specialize in assessing, advising, and implementing plans for change-of-life situations.

Q7. I need to choose a nursing home for my mother. What is the best way to find out the quality of service of an assisted living home?

Answer:

There is a new program called Nursing Home Compare. The campaign is to improve the quality of care in nursing homes by publicly reporting quality measures. Go to the website: www.medicare.gov. The website offers detailed information about the past performance of every Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing home in the country. Choosing a nursing home is an important decision. In addition to the information you receive on the website, the best way to make the right choice is to visit the facility and speak with the staff. Stop in unannounced and take in the impressions.

Q8. I know my father is dying. Someone told me about Hospice. How do I know if Hospice is a good option?

Answer:

The goal of Hospice care is to improve the quality of a patient's last days by offering comfort and dignity. Hospice addresses all symptoms of a disease and deals with the emotional, social, and spiritual impact of the disease on the patient and the patient's family. Hospice also offers a variety of bereavement and counseling services before and after the patient's death. Hospice can be a great source of comfort to both the patient and family members.

Q9. Mom fell and the doctor says she can't go back to her large home with stairs and living alone. What should we do? We don't know where to begin.

Answer:

There are a number of options available. There is equipment available that allows seniors mobility in their home, including lifts, ramps, and electric wheelchairs. Also, homemaker and companion services offer help with daily living activities that can help a senior stay in their home. Often a Care Manager, who specializes in assessing, advising, and implementing plans, can offer valuable assistance in the decision process of what to do.

Other alternatives are senior housing options, including assisted living, retirement communities, and continuum of care facilities. The deciding factors may include: level of care needed, preferences of the individuals, and onsite programs to meet the elder's needs and desires.