Home Healthcare

Home Health Care provides a range of supportive services in the home from intensive medical support to assistance with activities of daily living for seniors. Home Healthcare includes nurses, social workers, home health aids, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and other rehabilitation services. Having home health care services  allows many seniors to remain in their own homes. Medicare pays only on a short term basis. Long term services must be paid privately. Because of the medical nature of assistance involved it is more expensive than homecare (non-medical).  Types of care provided:

• Home Health Aides or Certified Nursing Assistants provide bathing, and other  personal care
• Attendant Care provides bathing and personal care usually provided by a non-medical home care provider
• Nurses provide set up or administration of medication, monitoring of health and vital signs, education on wound management, diabetes care, etc.
• Physical Therapy provides exercises to improve, maintain, and/or restore strength and movement (arm and leg movements, walking, etc.)
• Occupational Therapy provides exercises to improve, maintain and/or restore the ability to perform activities of daily living (dressing, bathing, eating, etc.)
• Speech Therapy provides exercises to improve, maintain, and/or restore speech
• Social Workers assist in making sure your overall needs are being met and can assist with coordinating other services needed and making sure the family understands your needs
• Homemaker services provide housekeeping tasks like light house cleaning, laundry, changing linens and possibly shopping
• Respite Care provides services to relieve a caregiver (home health aide, attendant care, nursing care, homemaker, companion)

Questions to ask a home healthcare provider -

1. Will the same employee consistently provide your assistance?
2. What is their plan if that person doesn't show up that day?
3. Is it billed hourly or per visit?  Is there a contract? Minimum number of hours?
4. Do they accept Medicare, insurance or Medicaid?
5. How does the provider screen employees?  Criminal history check?  Reference checks periodically?  Drug test?
6. Are employees bonded?
7. Is it ok for employees to accept things from the client?
8. What types of training does the staff receive?

Allow Aging Avenues to help determine if home healthcare is the right senior service for your loved one and arrange for services through our Preferred Provider Network.  Home Healthcare services can be obtained in these areas: Indianapolis, Greenwood, Avon, Brownsburg, Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Zionsville, Lebanon, Franklin, Plainfield, Danville, Mooresville, Shelbyville, Greenfield, Speedway, Lawrence and Westfield.

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