Seniors And Home Health Care
Are your parents or grandparents getting up there in age and displaying signs that they're unable to fully care for themselves? If this is the situation you're in, it would be a great idea to look into senior home health care. It is a great option for your loved ones when they're not quite ready to move to a nursing home or assisted living.
What Is Senior Home Health Care?
Home health care for seniors is a way to keep your loved ones in their homes a little longer. Home health care means that caregivers and nurses can come into the home to complete the tasks that your loved ones are struggling to do themselves.
Home Health Care Services Offered for Seniors
There are many services offered for the seniors in your life, including:
- Cleaning services
- Meal preparation
- Bathing assistance
- Wound care
- Infusions
- Medication management
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Grocery shopping
Almost anything that your loved ones are struggling with can be completed by a caregiver or nurse.
How Do Home Health Care Services Work for Seniors?
Home health care services can be provided through a health care agency. Always make sure to research the agencies in your area before deciding on the best fit for you and your family. Once you've decided on an agency, you can inquire with the agency about services, and they will inform you how their process works. You may be required to obtain orders from your doctor stating you need the services you're requesting from the agency.
Most agencies will offer meet and greets with the caregivers and nurses. You would be able to meet your potential caregivers before they enter your home for services to make sure you are comfortable. If not, the agency can look for a new caregiver. After a caregiver has been approved, services should be good to go.
Home Health Care Services With Insurance
If you plan to use your insurance to pay for your services, you or the agency will need to be in contact with your insurance company prior to starting services. Your insurance agency will need to send the agency an authorization to begin services for you. The authorization is an agreement the agency needs from the insurance company to show that insurance is supposed to pay for your services. The only issue is your insurance company will dictate how often your new caregiver can come into your home for services.
Home Health Care Services Without Insurance
If you do not have insurance, don't worry. You are still able to receive services. Instead of the agency billing an insurance company for services, they will bill you instead. Without insurance, you will be required to pay out-of-pocket for the services. The benefit here is that you have more control over how often a caregiver can come into your home because you don't have to deal with insurance companies.