Unlike youths and adults, some seniors may require help to live comfortably. Due to their age, they may require help with day-to-day tasks like putting on their clothes, house chores, feeding, etc. Home care is deigned to cater to individuals who cannot live independently. If you are a senior, or you have an elderly loved one, there is a possibility that they will need home care sooner or later.
Deciding on the type of home care for yourself (as a senior) or an elderly loved one is very important. In this article, I have outlined some of the types of home care available. However, before we delve into that, let us take a look at what home care is.
What is Home Care?
When an individual needs help on a regular basis, home care provides an ideal solution. Home care enables individuals who have special needs (like people with a disability, people with chronic illnesses, or seniors) to recover from illness or injury, or just maintain a sense of independence as they age while residing in their homes.
Home care comes with almost all type of care required, from personal care ( like help in doing house choirs, getting dressed, etc.) to health care ( like care for chronic illness offered by a home health aide). How home care services are paid for hinges on the type of care received. Post-Acute care is covered by insurance plan while assistance with domestic tasks is settled for out of pocket.
Types of home care available
- Home health care:
Home health care is a medical care offered to people in their home. Expert medical professionals like doctors and nurses usually offer these services. It is crucial to differentiate home health care from home care or personal care. Home care, or personal care, if offered by loved ones or paid caregivers, and nit medically trained experts.
- Transportation assistance:
Transportation assistance offers escorts or rides for non-emergency medical appointments. In some regions, transportation assistance includes transportation for recreation reasons as well.
- Home care/ personal care:
Home care or personal care is a non-medical or custodial care normally provided to help people in carrying out their activities of daily living. These activities can be grooming, dressing, eating, including mobility. In several states, personal care is covered through regular Medicaid or a Medicaid waiver, and most times through both.
- Homemaker services:
Homemaker services involves assisting the individual with general household tasks. These household tasks can include laundry, shopping for groceries, housekeeping, and the preparation of meals. The difference between homemaker services, support with the instrumental activities of daily living including chore activities are not properly defined. In some states, these phrases may be used reciprocally. Though formerly not a Medicaid benefit, homemaker services are now considered as being important to assisting people live at home with some independence.
- Family and caregiver support:
Family and caregiver support is deemed important to keeping a stable home living environment. Support to caregivers in the form of training and respite care is now added in almost all states.
- Hospice care:
Medicaid hospice care is normally designed for terminally ill persons who have a life expectancy of six months or less. If it is discovered that the individual may be at ease in their home. Medicaid may settle the bills for their hospice at home services.
Do you need an Elder law attorney?
If you need an elder law attorney for matters regarding your elderly loved one, don’t hesitate to call our office. Or if you are a senior and you need help with applying for Medicaid, you can also contact us for assistance.
In addition, in the event that your assets and income are above the threshold, signaling your ineligibility for Medicaid, you can contact us if you wish to set up a Medicaid Asset protection Trust. However, you must have the Medicaid look back period in mind. This means that, after placing your assets in this trust, you are to wait for the next 5 years before applying for Medicaid to avoid any form of sanction.
