If you live far away from your parents, you may hope to never hear a doctor telling you that your mother or father requires senior home care. Being far away, it can be overwhelming to consider all the planning required to arrange proper in-home health care for your loved one. However, it’s possible to find the right care provider for your family member without being in the same city. Let’s explore the steps to arranging home health care for your loved one from afar.
First, gather all the information you can. Ask your doctor if your loved one needs medical home health care, which Medicare will cover 100 percent. On the other hand, if your loved one needs non-medical care, you’ll need to explore the costs involved. Long-term care insurance sometimes covers non-medical in-home health care.
You’ll also want to ask your loved one’s doctor to email or fax a list of local home care agencies and a copy of your loved one’s medication and a document called a history and physical. You should review references, and find out more about the agencies you’re considering. Professional care-giving agencies, such as Allegiance Home Health, conduct a thorough check on the aides they hire. After hiring them, the agency will typically provide ongoing training and supervision to ensure that the care is meeting your loved one’s needs and is compliant with applicable health and safety standards.
Get family on board. Talk with your siblings, your parents and anyone else who plays a prominent role in your family’s life. See if your parent will sign a durable power of attorney for health care decisions. This will allow you to make health decisions for your parent if he or she becomes incapacitated.
Once you have the information you need and your family is on board, start calling the list of home care agencies to ask questions. Start by asking how you would contact the agency after hours. For instance, Allegiance Home Health does not use an answering service. We answer phone calls 24/7 because we understand that sometimes a loved one needs information after typically business hours.
Next, ask the home care agency which services they provide. Do they have skilled nursing and therapy if your loved one needs Medicare services? If your loved one needs non-medical home care what services can the agency provide? Make sure the home health care agency can provide all the care your loved one’s doctor has recommended. Also, you should find out how employees are screened. Are they background checked and tested for drug and alcohol use? Finding a trustworthy caregiver is of utmost importance.
Establish an open communication line. Once you have selected an agency to provide senior in home care, ask to speak to the person who will provide the in home care service. Arrange to talk to that person on a regular basis so that you will know exactly how your parent is doing. With Allegiance Home Health, we first arrange the initial assessment, considering our patient’s social habits and family relationships. Establishing relationships with our clients’ families allows us to keep the line of communication open.
Arranging care for seniors isn’t easy, especially if you live far away. You can manage it, though, if you take your time and ask the right questions. Home care can be a vital part of your loved one’s care. Make it a good experience by screening the agencies closely. For more tips on how to choose the right home care provider, check out our blog post: https://ahhrehab.com/family-education/how-to-choose-the-right-home-health-care-provider.
Allegiance customizes their care to fit each patient’s unique needs and personality, resulting in better care, and happier – and healthier – patients. Allegiance pledges to help restore and maintain maximum comfort, function and health to its patients in the freedom of their own home while creating lifelong clients through the legendary service provided by caring and professional staff.
