In-home care: Individualized assistance in a home, either the frail person’s or a family member’s home. Home can be wherever, and includes assisted living and congregate housing when appropriate. It can be non skilled, like companion-housekeeper assistance, or, depending on state licensure, can be a CNA or a nurse. It is usually paid out of pocket, through long term care insurance or via a veterans’ program.

Medicare home health: Is generally called “Home Health Care” and is a term used to refer to Medicare certified agencies that provide services which are paid for by Medicare. Medicare is not, and was never intended to provide, long term in home care.

Adult day care: A planned program of activities designed to promote wellbeing though social- and health-related services, including meals and recreation. Some offer health-related services for those with medical problems and some adult day care programs are designed specifically for those with Alzheimer’s.

Assisted living: For those needing assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) but wishing to live as independently as possible for as long as possible.

Retirement home: Retirement center/congregate care facility: large group real estate developments offering variable non medical and medically assisted lifestyle packages.

Nursing home: Skilled nursing/rehabilitation/convalescent/specialty care facility: large group medical assistance in a facility.

Adult family/foster home: Small group houses offering varying levels of medical and non-medical assistance.

Nurses Unlimited has been enhancing the independence of our aging clients at home for over 25 years. Providing personal eldercare services, nursing care, transportation, medication reminders, meal preparation and much more, Nurses Unlimited can help you make the best care decision for your situation.

For a location in Texas near you CLICK HERE.

Here are a few questions to consider that will help:

What are their assets? It’s important to establish roughly how much money your parents have in cash, investments, and Social Security.

Do they anticipate needing financial support? We’re living longer than ever, which means more people are outliving their retirement savings. Ask your parents whether they believe they have enough to sustain themselves for the rest of their lives. If not, how much support will they need?

What types of insurance do they have? Understanding their policies can save you time and money in the long run.

Will they share passwords and account numbers? Ask your parents to give you a copy of all important account numbers and passwords, along with contact information for financial advisers and lawyers. If they have a safety deposit box containing estate plan documents, jewelry or other valuables, find out where the key is stored. This will make it easier to sort out their affairs if they become ill.

Have they signed a power of attorney? Make sure they have, so that you know who is responsible for making decisions on their behalf in the event of a medical emergency.

For further information on questions to ask when preparing for long-term care, click here.

Providing home care services Texas, Nurses Unlimited staff are happy to answer questions regarding preparing parents for long-term care. For a location near you CLICK HERE. 

Trying to navigate through the maze of home care options can be confusing. Here are a few short definitions to help you differentiate between the different types of in-home care: 

Private duty services are usually mostly “non-medical” services and can range from companionship to housekeeping, transportation, personal care, and dementia care to 24-hour or respite care. Full service private duty agencies fully employ, screen and can train caregivers; whereas a nursing registry or independent hire will not provide this sort of protection to the senior.  A nursing registry acts as a matchmaker service between caregiver and client and does not employ or manage the caregiver.

Home Health Care is skilled nursing care and certain other health care services one receives in a home setting for the treatment of an illness or injury.
Hospice Care is a special concept of care designed to provide comfort and support to patients and their families when a life limiting illness no longer responds to cure-oriented treatments.

Hospice is generally depicted as end-of-life care and can be in a home or a hospital setting.

Medicaid Home and Community Based Care is intended to provide services for those who cannot afford to pay for care with the goal of keeping the person out of a nursing home.
entails managing a client’s personal, daily money as well as household management that falls outside of the services of a direct care provider.

Nurses Unlimited  provides both home health and non-medical in-home care assistance to help seniors maintain independence and comfort while recuperating or requiring a little extra care for day to day needs.  Serving all of  Texas, we also provide consulting and expertise to help people with care needs make the best care choices for their situation.

Nurses Unlimited can easily assess the situation, determine which requirements need to be addressed, and assist with available options - engaging services quickly if necessary. Call us now to find out how we can help.   CLICK HERE to find a location near you.

For further information on the models of in-home care, click here.

First determine the needs: Does the senior require minimal or a lot of assistance with daily personal tasks such as bathing, grooming, medications and feeding himself? Is the senior able to walk and transfer from a bed or a chair independently or is a lot of assistance required? Is the senior experiencing some or a lot of mental impairment such as with Alzheimer’s or dementia that might require around the clock care? These are all questions that should be considered. A home care manager, which is either an RN or Social Worker,  from Nurses unlimited can help you sort through the questions and implications of the answers.

Now consider finances: How will the home care be paid for? Non-medical home care is typically paid for through private funds or long-term care insurance. However, there are other options to explore, such as funds from the Area Agency on Aging or veterans’ benefits.

Weigh the pros and cons: Home is where the heart is, and with a well-trained personal caregiver to ensure safety, socialization, proper diet and exercise, it is no wonder that home care is such a popular option for care. But finances and/or a senior’s abilities may make other options for care a better choice for a particular person. For more information on options for care at home, click here.

Contact your local Nurses Unlimited for a complete geriatric assessment with suggestions for care needs.

1.  Are they keeping old food in the refrigerator?

2. Are there dings on the car?  And I don't mean door dings.

3. Is the house a complete wreck?  More so than normal.

4. Have they lost weight?

5. Do they have a "guest" living with them?

6. Have they stopped bathing on a daily basis?

7.  Is the dog/cat unkept? Pet poo in a corner?

7. Are there unpaid bills laying around the house?  For that matter is the heat working?

I know these all seem extreme but I have seen them all.  And I've seen family members who think this is OK or they just don't want to deal with the situation.  None of these situations are acceptable.  If you visited over the holidays and noticed any of these signs please call Nurses Unlimtied for help.  We have nurses and social workers who can help keep your parents safe.  And if we can't help we can give you information on services that can help.

I guess the quilty part comes in because I asked her to live with me and I want her to live with me but I just wish she wouldn't take over my house.  We women are very territorial.

I was on the phone today with a friend who had just moved her mother in with her and we commiserated over "caring for mothers".  Why is it that they have no boundaries when they move in with you?  Mine likes to buy skillets.  I think I have 10 now.  How many does a person need?  Her mother likes to invite people over without letting her know.  I think she had a valid point that inviting even family members over late in the evening was not nice.  What if she was in her jammies?

I'll have to meet her for drinks soon and ask her about the thermostat wars in her house!
 

• Private Duty Care: Private duty services are non-medical services that include assistance like companionship, housekeeping, transportation, personal, dementia, and respite care, and more. Private duty care services are usually paid for directly by the patient or his or her family. Some services may be covered by long-term care insurance, workers' compensation, or armed services funding. An important thing to note, however, is that long-term private duty services are not covered by Medicare.

• Home Health Care: Home health care is skilled nursing care that is usually required in the home for treatment of an illness or injury – wound care, injections, diabetes or blood pressure monitoring, and other treatments that require nursing skills. Home health care can also provide physical respiratory or speech therapy. Some home health services may be covered under Medicare, providing that specific conditions are met.

• Geriatric Care Management: Geriatric care managers handle the details of an individual's life or estate that fall outside the realms of direct care providers, such as financial and estate management. They can also coordinate care for an individual, mediate family communications, or assist with moving to another living arrangement or closing up of a household. Geriatric care management is traditionally an out-of-pocket expense.

• Hospice Care: Hospice care is a special type of in-home care, designed to provide comfort and support for patients who are nearing the end of a terminal illness. Hospice provides a range of services including nursing, mental health, and spiritual advising. Coverage for hospice care is typically offered by most private insurance providers and through Medicare.

For more information about the different models of in-home care and what type of care is right for you, contact  your nearest Nurses Unlimited location,  Texas's premier home care agency.  Our staff is happy to help you with all your home care needs.

To get a head start on this assessment, here are some simple questions to ask about the senior’s abilities:

Using the Phone:
• Can the senior operate the phone on his or her own (look up and dial numbers, etc.)?
• Can the senior dial a few well-known numbers?
• Can the senior answer the phone, but not dial?
• Does the senior not use the phone at all?

Shopping:
• Can the senior take care of all shopping independently?
• Can the senior only make small purchases independently?
• Does the senior need to be accompanied on shopping trips?
• Is the senior completely unable to shop?

Cooking:
• Can the senior plan, prepare and serve meals?
• Can the senior prepare meals if given the ingredients?
• Can the senior heat and serve prepared meals?
• Does the senior need to have meals prepared and served?

Housekeeping & Laundry:
• Does the senior maintain house independently?
• Can the senior only perform light chores, like bed making and dishwashing?
• Does the senior need help with all home maintenance tasks?
• Does the senior do personal laundry completely?
• Does the senior only launder small items?
• Does the senior need all laundry done for him or her?

Some other areas in which seniors may need assistance include travel, medication and finances. If you need help determining a senior’s home care needs, contact  Nurses Unlimited today.