Page 16 - Healthcare News 2021 Senior Planning Guide

Doing Your Homework
I Think My Loved One Needs Home Care — Now What? By MARY FLAHIVE DICKSON
Unless you have been down this road before, thinking about in-home care for a loved one may not be at the top of your to-do list. Especially in
the time of COVID-19, when so many are keeping their loved ones out of facilities, at-home care lends itself to familiarity, emotions, and, to some extent, atmospheric control.
However, and with this in mind, a crisis mindset is probably not the best approach to partnering with a home-care provider when the need arises. Avoiding the pitfalls of rushing into high-pressure decisions when it comes to home-care needs may be aided through the following steps.
Determine the Need
What level of care is needed? Are you looking for medical/skilled home healthcare such as nursing or physical or occupational therapy? Or is non-medical, personal, and homemaking care the need? What
level of independence or dependence is the current situation? What are the preferences of the loved one? Is it their will to be home or to move to some form of senior-living arrangement? Once you have determined the level and preference of care, your next step is due diligence.
The Search
Who do you know that you can ask: your primary- care provider, relatives, friends, councils on aging,
or the internet? Ask for recommendations, any past experiences, outcomes from experiences, and online reviews. Gather the information, therefore narrowing down your search. If your search is specific to a disease, such as with Alzheimer’s, contact your local association, i.e. the Alzheimer’s Assoc.
Interview Like It Was Your Job
Evaluate the agencies determined by your due diligence. Interview the agencies so that you can compare and contrast. Here are some questions:
• For funding, is the agency credentialed with any insurances, or is this a private-pay situation? And do they have written literature on their fees and billing process?
• How long has the agency been in operation?
• Are they backed or certified by any accreditation agency and/or licensed by their state? (Massachusetts does not offer specific licenses for private-pay home- care agencies; however, the Massachusetts Home Care Alliance offers an accreditation program with similar
Homework
Continued on page 19
“After
deciding
in-home
care is the
best option,
researching
and vetting
your choices, and, finally, determining with whom
you would like to partner, remember to stay present in your loved one’s care.”
Caring For Your Whole Self
Golden Years Homecare Services
• Qualified Home Health Aides, Companions and Homemakers will ease the burden of daily life activities
• Individual Plans of Care developed with you and your loved ones for your specific needs
• Compassionate caregivers matched to you and your preferences
Golden Years Behavioral Health
• Improving the quality of life through compassionate and individualized care, community supports, and quality integrated behavioral health services.
• Individualized treatment to meet the needs of people seeking addiction and/or mental health services and support.
• Our priority is caring for you supportively and expediently.
16 AUGUST 2021
SENIOR PLANNING GUIDE
HEALTHCARENEWS