There will come a time in our lives when due to an unexpected (or expected) circumstance we suddenly find ourselves or a loved one in need of help just to care for our basic needs. If we are lucky, we may have a sibling, child or parent who lives nearby who can help out. However, this may not be the situation for everyone and in that case hiring an agency to provide a visiting caretaker is an excellent option. It is often less expensive then becoming a resident in an adult family home or skilled nursing facility and has the benefit of allowing you to remain in the comfort of your own surroundings.
The basic needs include preparing meals, supervising medications, getting dressed, personal hygiene and transportation. Sometimes one requires additional specialized care such attending to wounds, delivering IV antibiotics or administering injections. If there is a need for physical therapy, arrangements can be made to drive you to a physical therapy office or occasionally your physician can arrange for the therapist to visit you in your home.
Often times, the visiting homecare agency will provide a free initial consultation during which you can learn about their services and rates. They will advise you on what level of services they would recommend you utilize along with the frequency. Be forewarned, in general medical insurance does not pay for homecare and so you will need to decide how much service you want to purchase. Costs range from $15-$30 per hour depending on the intensity of service (CNA, RN, etc) and typically there is a minimum of 4 hours per visit (although many agencies will arrange for shorter visits – at higher hourly rates).
Just remember, you will be inviting these caretakers into your personal space for a certain period of time. Without going into too many horror stories, a few questions to consider asking the homecare agency during their consultation might be …
- Will there be supervising a RN or MSW? Any onsite visits?
- Are the caregivers insured and bonded?
- Are the caregivers licensed by the State as CNA or RNA?
- Are the caregivers CPR trained?
- Can you reach a live person to complain/get help 24 hours a day?
Often times, the visiting homecare agency will provide a free initial consultation during which you can learn about their services and rates. They will advise you on what level of services they would recommend you utilize along with the frequency. Be forewarned, in general medical insurance does not pay for homecare and so you will need to decide how much service you want to purchase. Costs range from $15-$30 per hour depending on the intensity of service (CNA, RN, etc) and typically there is a minimum of 4 hours per visit (although many agencies will arrange for shorter visits – at higher hourly rates).
Just remember, you will be inviting these caretakers into your personal space for a certain period of time. Without going into too many horror stories, a few questions to consider asking the homecare agency during their consultation might be …
- Will there be supervising a RN or MSW? Any onsite visits?
- Are the caregivers insured and bonded?
- Are the caregivers licensed by the State as CNA or RNA?
- Are the caregivers CPR trained?
- Can you reach a live person to complain/get help 24 hours a day?
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