A Non-Medical Caregiver is a great option to help maintain independence.
What is HomeCare?
At its most basic level, home care is exactly what it sounds like—taking care of people in their homes. It is also sometimes referred to as in-home care or at-home care. Generally speaking, home care services fall into two categories: medical home healthcare (skilled nursing) and non-medical care.
What is the Difference Between Home Care and Home Healthcare?
Both home care and home healthcare have the same goal: to keep your loved ones safe and as healthy as possible. Often, they work in tandem. A home healthcare nurse or physician’s assistant will visit your home and potentially adjust your prescriptions, while a non-medical caregiver will make sure these medications are taken on time. A physical or occupational therapist may design an exercise plan for you; a non-medical caregiver will help you with these exercises throughout the day. Home healthcare is usually prescribed by a physician when you need skilled care in your home. Both services require specific licensing and both assist with activities of daily living (ADL).
As far as costs, home healthcare is usually paid by Medicare, Medigap, Managed Care, Medicaid, Veterans Benefits and private pay. Home care clients are generally private pay, although Medigap, Long Term Care Insurance (LTC) and veteran’s benefits are available as well. Some health insurance plans offer limited respite care coverage. Home healthcare services are usually temporary (generally a short period of time) and with limited frequency (one to two hours per week), whereas non-medical home care can go on indefinitely.
What is Non-Medical Care?
Non-medical home care fulfills a specialized niche between people needing medically skilled services and people who need non-medical companionship and help around the house.
Non-medical in-home care covers everything from household duties like cooking, cleaning, and laundry to individual needs such as bathing and hygiene, continence and toileting care, mobility assistance, and assistance with eating. A quality agency can help out with errands, organize bills, take care of paperwork, or just sit down and enjoy some pleasant conversation. Basically, you should be able to received help with whatever is needed to maintain independence and quality of life whether it be short-term help maybe post recovery from an injury, or longer-term home care that’s available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
What Are the Advantages of Home Care Versus Senior Care in a Facility?
In a word: freedom. According to AARP, 92 percent of people over the age of 65 want to stay in their homes as long as possible. Why? Because they enjoy their independence. Physically, in-home care can be better because it allows seniors to remain active longer. They can maintain their own schedules and a certain level of mobility. Emotionally it can be better, too, because some seniors who are put in nursing homes develop depression that can negatively impact their health and quality of life.
In some cases, families ask a caregiver to come to a nursing home, assisted living facility, or retirement community to provide added companion care and assistance with tasks that may not be met in these institutions. This includes things such as running errands, going to doctor’s appointments, or taking a trip to a favorite restaurant.
Vincent McMahon Is the Owner of FirstLight HomeCare, a Non-Medical HomeCare agency serving Westchester County. Our commitment is to provide exceptional care to our clients and earn the trust of their families. Vincent lives in Somers, NY with his wife Laura and 3 wonderful children. http://www.firstlighthomecare.com/home-healthcare-westchester
