KB Times Katten & Benson, Your Elder Care Law Specialists
January 2010 - Vol 3, Issue 1
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Did You Know? |
In 2004:
- 1.3 million people were receiving home care
- 70% were over age 65
- 7% needed help with activities of daily living (ADLs)
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Non-Medical Home Health Care
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In the health care arena, there are many different levels of care, including home care. We've talked before in this newsletter about medical home health (December 2008), which is care that is provided by nurses or therapists, and is covered by Medicare or other medical insurance. This month we're going to talk about non-medical home health care, AKA private duty care, companion care, sitters, staffing, to name a few. (One of the more frustrating things is the number of names for the same or similar services).
This type of care is considered "non-medical" because a nurse is not required to deliver the care. This does not mean a nurse is not involved, many agencies have nurses who do the initial assessment and provide the supervision visits; some agencies even have nurses that can be hired to provide care after Medicare or insurance benefits have run out.
But the bulk of the care is provided by caregivers who do not have a professional license or certification. Now many of the caregivers are patient care techs (PCTs) or certified nurse assistants (CNAs), which means they have completed coursework and/or a certification process, but they are not nurses providing skilled care.
This is something to keep in mind when considering an agency, because some agencies only provide sitters or companions, and they will often not be PCTs or CNAs. While they have probably been through some training, it may not be as much as PCTs or CNAs.
When you contact an agency for non-medical home health care, they will do an assessment and develop a treatment plan that will include the types of tasks the caregiver will complete. These tasks can include things like assistance with dressing or bathing, simple meal preparation, transportation and light housekeeping. They can remind a client to take medication, but they cannot administer medication, nor can they set up a medication box.
There is no insurance coverage for this type of care unless you have a long term care insurance policy. Otherwise, you will have to pay privately for this care. In Fort Worth, you can expect to pay $16-$25 an hour. Most agencies require a 4-hour minimum, although some will provide care for shorter times but at higher hourly rates. Qualified veterans can apply for Aid and Attendance, which can help defray costs.
If 24-hour a day care is needed, some agencies provide "live-in" care, which means the caregiver is able to sleep at night. The rates for live-in care can be significantly less--$10-$12 an hour. But if the caregiver has to get up more than 3-4 times a night, or stay up all night, the agency will probably charge the full rate.
There are many agencies in the Fort Worth area that provide this kind of care, and it's always a good idea to talk to more than one agency before choosing one. The caregivers and their supervisors are coming into your home, which is no small matter. When there is a good fit with the agency, the caregivers become like family, but you can imagine how messy and complicated things can become when there is not a good fit.
You can find recent state survey results about agencies at the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services website.
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Molly's Musings
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Hi, everyone--
I asked the powers that be if I could weigh in on things every now and then, and they said I could (are they crazy, or what?). I've had a lot of fun being the official office dog, and I really enjoy meeting all of you who come in to the office. I've always been pretty shy, but everyone is so nice, it makes it really easy to be friendly. It especially makes me happy when I see the big smiles on so many faces when they see me. If I could, I'd go home with all of you, just to make you so happy. You'll hear more from me in the future, so for now,
Bye!
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I hope your New Year is off to a good start. Don't forget that we are always here and ready to help with your long term care planning needs.
Sincerely,
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Kim Olmedo, LCSW, CCSM, CSW-G Elder Care Coordinator
Katten & Benson
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