How Does Your Family Choose a Home Health Care Agency
June 5, 2020
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Finding the right home health care agency involves more than reading online reviews. You need to make sure that your parent's insurance will cover the care provided by that agency. If they're on Medicare, you need to understand the guidelines. Here are the questions you need to ask to ensure you've chosen the best home health care agency for their needs.
Who Does the Doctor Recommend?
The goal of home health care is to provide services at home that help with recovery. These services help people avoid a stay in a skilled nursing facility or hospital. With home health care, the goal is to restore your independence as quickly as possible. Your doctor will know what services are needed to help you become self-sufficient again.
Ask your mom or dad's doctor for recommendations on which home health agency is Medicare-approved and reliable. The doctor is going to have recommendations that get you started. Plus, the doctor needs to approve and sign-off on the care your parents get at home if insurance is going to cover it.
What Services Are Offered?
The care your mom or dad needs will vary. If your mom is recovering from a stroke, she may need someone to help with feeding tubes or catheters. If your dad had cancer, he may need IV medications or wound care. Make sure the services the doctor recommends are available from the agency you choose.
Check Care Reports
Before making a final decision, check reports with your state or with Medicare. You want to look at statistics on how often people ended up returning to the hospital when using a specific agency. Find out how many patients reported their mobility improved and pain decreased.
Look into the agency's longevity within the community. An older agency isn't necessarily the best, but if there's a long history of positive reports, it could be your best option. Just like a new agency with glowing praise and excellent care reports may be better than an agency that's been around for 20 years and gets so-so ratings.
Ask if the services are covered. Medicare usually covers skilled nursing care at home, physical/occupational/speech therapy, and some social services. You need to verify that coverage is provided in your parent's case. There can be restrictions on how many hours of care are covered each week or for how long.
Make sure the services your mom or dad needs are health-care related and not simply tasks a home care aide can do. If it's medical in nature like an IV or wound care, you want to call a home health care agency. If your mom or dad needs help with housework and transportation, call a home care agency.
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Sugarhouse, UT, contact the caring staff at Interim Healthcare. Call today 801-401-3515.
Author: Michael and Marlena Hawkins, Owners, Interim HealthCare, Salt Lake City, UT
Interim HealthCare of Salt Lake City has been in business since February 2014, providing in-home personal care and support services that help our elderly and/or disabled neighbors live enriched, safe and independent lives. Our goal is to provide customized care and support services that make it possible for our clients to remain in the comfort of their own homes rather than relocate to an assisted living facility. Interim HealthCare is family owned by Michael and Marlana Hawkins, and is a Veteran Owned Small Business.
