Paid Help at home (Private Home Care Service)

In-home care comes in two ways which is skilled and custodial.

Skilled care refers to medically necessary care such as nursing, physio physical, occupational, nutrition, acupuncture, speech therapy and some related services.

Nurse make house call and they can monitor your parent's health, change dressing, insert catheters and perform other medical tasks. They can teach your parent or family member how to perform some tasks.

Physiotherapist works the muscles and joints to improve mobility, flexibility and strength usually after an injury, surgery or an illness. They use various exercises, massage, heat and other techniques to restore mobility. 

Occupational therapists train people with rigid fingers, stiff hips, dim vision or other disabilities to perform daily tasks by working on muscular control and coordination, teaching them new ways to do things, setting them up with special equipment, and making adjustments to the home. 

Speech therapists help people who have trouble speaking or understanding speech to communicate again. They can help people who have trouble swallowing or breathing.  

Alternative therapist such as acupuncture and alternative medicine can help on pain management and overall health wellbeing.  

Custodial care is help with the stuff of daily life-bathing, dressing, getting to the toilet and other routine tasks and typically provided by aides or companions. Some will prepare meals and do light housekeeping but only pertains to your parent, such as changing and laundering his sheets and tidying his room. They can also do simple medical procedures such as changing bandages, checking catheters and intravenous lines, taking temperatures, or administering medications. 

 You can hire individuals on your own or contract with a home care agency. The former is much cheaper but the latter means that workers have been screened, that backup help is available, and usually that they may insured. 

Contracting with a Home Care Agency

Which agency you use depends, in part, upon whether your parents needs skilled nursing care and care giver. You can raised questions for an agency 

• Exactly what services does the agency provide?
• Who is on the team-physicians, nurses, therapists, dietitians, social workers, care givers, companions?
• Can the staff meet the special needs of my parent (medical, physical, cultural)?
• How does the agency determine what services my parent needs? Will a nurse evaluate him? Will he or she consult with y parents' doctor and my family?
• How often will his Care Plan be updated?
• How do I reach a supervisor if there is a problem?
• Are backups provided when workers cancel or don't show up?
• Under what conditions can the client or the agency terminate services?
• If my parent doesn't get along with a particular worker, can someone else be assigned to him? Can we interview tow or three aids and select one?

Foster relationship It is important that your parent get along with home care workers. so encourage their budding friendship. Tell a care giver about your parent-what make her tick, what she used to be like, what will win her over, and what will upset her. Likewise, tell your parent a little something about the worker-where she comes from, if she's married or has children, if she has interests. The step back and let them get to know each other. 

Communicate If there is a problem, raise the subject sooner rather than later, because the longer you wait, the more difficult it will be institute change. Likewise, ask that workers be candid with you about their problems or frustrations. Don't let things fester. 

 Source: How to Care for Aging Parents, Morris