Medical Malpractice

Most seniors want to live out their lives at home. Finding home care for mom or dad can be difficult. One way to obtain access to quality in home care services is over through the Internet by searching keywords like in home care and the local city your aging relative lives.

Home care organizations include home health agencies; hospice; homemaker and home care aides; staffing and private-duty agencies; companies specializing in medical equipment and supplies, pharmaceuticals, and drug infusion therapy. Several types of home care organizations may merge to provide a wide variety of services through an integrated system. You can locate local home care organizations by visiting local registries and independent providers. Whichever way you choose to find help for an aging relative to help them stay in their homes longer, you must remember to complete a thorough back ground search on the agency before allowing them into your relative's home.

Some very important factors to consider when searching for Home Care In home services are: the quality of care, availability of needed services, personnel training and their expertise, and how the services will be paid. Before starting a search, it is important to determine which types of services you need. You definitely want the buy-in from your aging relative that they believe it's needed. You may consult with the relative's physician, a hospital discharge planner, or a social service organization, such as an Area Agency Office on Aging, for assistance in evaluating your needs. It's also a good idea to have an assessment completed in order to identify the type of home care provider most appropriate for the relative.

What to look for when choosing a Home Care Agency! Here are a few good tips on choosing one:

1. How long have they been in business in the community?

2. Does the home care agency have literature explaining its services, eligibility requirements, fees, and funding sources? Another good resource that gives helpful information about the Senior Provider is to ask for their annual report, if they have one.

3. Find out how the home care agency select and train its employees and caretakers? Does it protect its workers with written personnel policies, benefits packages, and malpractice insurance?

4. Are nurses or therapists required to do an assessment to evaluate your aging relative's home care needs? If so, find out what the assessment includes? Do they consult the patients physicians and include you, the family member?

5. How do they handle emergencies? What procedures are put in place for and emergency? Are their caretakers available to the aging relative 24/7?

6. Do they insure patients privacy? If so, how?

7. Get references and CALL them - such as doctors, hospital discharge planners, patients or their family members who has contracted for the services and check with community leaders who are familiar with the provider's quality of service.

These tips are very helpful when searching for in home care. We used these for my parents, since we lived at a distance and they required daily help. Don't be afraid to ask questions and do as much research on them as you possibly can.

I hope this helps.

Carol Marak

http://www.WorkingCaregiver.com

Caregiver Resources - Find Local Senior Services for Families & Seniors in Austin, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio