ARTICLES / Caregiver / When
Caregiving is Not Enough.../
Other Articles
By Leah
M. Pavela, LCSW
Home
health care, also known as domicilary care, is care
provided in one’s own place of residence. This can
include skilled nursing services, speech-language
pathology, physical and occupational therapy, home
health aide services, as well as medical social services
and the provision of durable medical equipment such as
wheelchairs or walkers for use in-home when ordered by a
licensed physician. Anyone who has ever looked for
home-based care for a loved one comprehends what a
daunting experience it can be. Browse through the
“home health agencies” section of the phone book and
there are an overabundance of listings—some counties
have over 200 home care agencies, with new ones opening,
closing, and merging weekly. With so many choices,
one might assume that the choice would be easy, but in
fact it is not. What follows are some tips to
consider when considering homecare for a loved one:
LICENSING
Find out
if the agency you are considering is licensed and
bonded. In the case of a home health agency, this
means that the quality of care being provided has been
surveyed/accredited by an outside accrediting agency
such as Medicare or the Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
The agency should also be licensed by the state in which
it operates. Agency outcomes can be researched by
going to www.Medicare.gov and going to their new “home
health compare” tool, or calling the Medicare helpline
at 1-800-MEDICARE.
LICENSING OF EMPLOYEES
In terms
of employees, confirm that all home health employees
(nurses, physical therapists, home health aides, and
social workers) are certified or licensed in the state
they are working (regulations may vary by state), in
order to ensure they meet minimum requirements to
perform their duties. Also important is to make
sure that the agency does screenings of employees to
ensure that not only do they not have a criminal
background, but that they are free of communicable
diseases which could affect the compromised immune
system of a patient.
CONFIDENTIALITY/COMMUNICATION
Ask what policies are in place to ensure patient
confidentiality, and find out how far that policy
extends. Many caregivers, particularly ones who
arrange for assistance long distance, find themselves
frustrated after they arrange for care for a loved one,
only to be told that due to HIPAA regulations, the
agency cannot provide information on their health
status. At the outset of care, make sure of what
the company’s policy for communication is and ensure
that it is noted who may and may not receive information
about the patient.
Printable Version
