The need for homecare is growing, and so are the number of questions people have about it. In a recent blog entry, we faced five common misconceptions about home health care head-on, and now we're topping it off with five more because, when it comes to your health or that of a loved one, there is no room for compromise.
- If I get home health care, I have no say in who my caregiver should be. Caregiver compatibility is imperative due to the personal nature of homecare. When you arrange for a care professional to come into your home, you must ensure that you find someone you can trust. Each family should be matched with a caregiver with whom they are comfortable, which is why family members should must identify what they would like in a caregiver and be upfront about this with your homecare provider.
- I may need homecare, but it is unsafe to invite a stranger into my home. From a security standpoint, if you are dealing with a qualified, reputable agency, you should feel safe in arranging for help in the home. From a medical standpoint, studies show that the home can be a safer than the alternatives and not only because of the one-on-one care. One study indicated that half of infections could be linked directly to hospital care. Another study reported that, given they are seeking the appropriate treatment for their condition, patients with chronic heart disease fare better at home versus the hospital. And, ultimately, remaining home can be less stressful because it is familiar, which can foster a sense of calmness and comfort for patients.
- I only need help with basic hygiene care, so I don't qualify for homecare. However basic your needs, there should be no limit for a homecare provider to assist you. Be sure to find a home health care agency that can provide the full range of homecare, from basic peer-level companionship and hygiene assistance to highly skilled nursing and therapy.
- We had an emergency at 3 a.m., but we'll just have to wait until normal business hours to get help at home. When you and your family face an urgent situation, the last thing you want to do is wait around. Read these first time parents' story about finding newborn care at 3 a.m. Find a provider that can provide 24/7 customer service and assistance.
- Until I know exactly what we need, I don't need in-home care. You don't need to know, that's what qualified homecare professionals are here for. Just make sure any agency you turn to offers R.N. oversight on every case to ensure all of your loved one's needs (from safety, health and everything in between) are accounted for. Take this case from one of our homecare agencies as an example:
An elderly woman who was looking for basic bathing and shopping assistance was found to have been suffering from cellulitis unbeknownst to the woman's daughter and hidden under her sock - all because an R.N. is required to perform an assessment on every case, no matter what kind of assistance is being provided.
Are we missing anything, or do you have a question about home health care? Ask us, or post a comment now!
According to the AARP, 82% of people said that they would prefer to stay in their homes as long as possible. So it's no wonder that an increasing number of families face the challenge of arranging home health care for loved ones every day. And more often than not, this is the first time they've ever even thought about homecare and, naturally, they have a lot of questions. Where do I start? Who can I trust? What do we need? How often do we need it?
There's a lot of great information out there and, as is common in most things in life, there is an almost equal amount of misinformation too. When you or a loved one needs care, regardless of whether you're looking for senior transportation and peer-level companionship or highly skilled adult home care, there is too much at stake to risk being misinformed.
When it comes to your health or that of a loved one, there is no room for compromise. That's why we're cutting through the noise and de-bunking common myths about home health care.
- You don't need homecare if you can't meet a 4-hour minimum. If you need care, whether it's for one hour or 24, you should be able to get what you need. Everyone's situation is unique and different people have different needs. Make sure that you find a provider that recognizes this and has a no-minimum policy.
- If my family is already helping, there is no need for additional care. People who are emotionally and physically exhausted or guilt-ridden cannot provide good care. According to the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide, as a caregiver, you should neither expect-nor try-to be on-call 24 hours a day. Every caregiver needs respite and relief.
- There are added health risks for receiving medical care at home. No qualified care professional will administer a plan of care in the home unless it is deemed safe and medically sound (check with providers you are evaluating to ensure each care plan is overseen by an RN).
- If I can't do my own shopping and housework, I just shouldn't do these activities anymore. Everyday tasks, like vacuuming or rearranging the basement, can be tedious for a senior with arthritis. Organizing a closet can be extremely tiring for a cancer patient. They're never ending and, if they become more difficult during post-op, or due to treatment or age-related conditions, they can take precious time away from an already very busy schedule. When even the most basic daily tasks become overwhelming, or you just need a helping hand, a qualified care provider can help you to.
- Homecare is just for seniors. Home health care is often associated with, but not limited to elder care. Homecare can be a great solution to provide newborn care for new parents with a new baby or even multiples as well as additional support for children and adults enduring chemotherapy, people recovering post-op (from cosmetic procedures to hip replacement surgery) and more. A good home health care solution for your family can be whatever you need it to be.
This concludes the first half of our 10-myth list. Want more? Be sure to tune in to the
final installment! In the meantime, are we missing anything? What misconceptions about homecare have you seen? Share them now!
In case you missed them, or maybe you're not even on Twitter yet, we wanted to re-cap all of @brightstarcare's Tweets for the month of May. We strive to share helpful articles, tools and Websites and hope the following will be of value to you. Enjoy!
Interesting. Do you have this? @Agingabundantly How to Prevent and Recover from Compassion Fatigue http://bit.ly/94y10Z Wednesday, May 26, 2010 9:10:14 AM
We're mobilizing our national team for this year's Alz Association Memory Walk, are you? http://ow.ly/1PO7v Tuesday, May 25, 2010 3:57:39 P
Nashville Homecare Provider Creates Jobs http://ow.ly/1PL90 Tuesday, May 25, 2010 2:16:11 PM
RT @brightfran Keeping People In Their Homes: All In a Day's Work for One Nashville Homecare Provider http://ow.ly/1OhVA Friday, May 21, 2010 2:35:02 PM
Do you know how to prevent a stroke? http://ow.ly/1NOtV Friday, May 21, 2010 1:21:44 PM
10 Steps To a Better Memory http://ow.ly/1NOsM Thursday, May 20, 2010 2:47:51 PM
Man's best friend: Pet therapy makes a difference http://ow.ly/1NdSJ Wednesday, May 19, 2010 12:54:40 PM
Do you put off until tomorrow what you could take care of today? Whatever you do, don't avoid end of life planning: http://ow.ly/1M6KJ Monday, May 17, 2010 3:35:04 PM
In Case You Missed It: 10 Ways Seniors Can Use Skype http://ow.ly/1M6Co Monday, May 17, 2010 12:00:04 PM
RT @eCareDiarySusan Being a care provider can be difficult and isolating. REACH out to other care providers and grow a network of support. Monday, May 17, 2010 11:00:15 AM
Happy Monday, Tweeple! How well do you know yourself and your loved ones? Find out: http://ow.ly/1M2mQ Monday, May 17, 2010 9:42:35 AM
RT @shellyasun Benefits of Good Child Care Extend Into Teen Years http://ow.ly/1L8j2 12:35 PM May 14th
Five for Friday: Easy Ways to Plan For Elder Care http://ow.ly/1L6dp 11:05 AM May 14th
Thx for the RT @DinaDwyerOwens! Happy Friday! 8:53 AM May 14th
Guest author @eCareDiarySusan: Why We Shouldn't Postpone End of Life Planning http://ow.ly/1KFRZ 11:03 AM May 13th
Michael Pollan, author of "Food Rules: pay now [to buy fresh, healthy foods] or pay later [medical bills, bad health, etc.]. Thoughts? 2:20 PM May 10th
Tragic RT @HealthSociety US cancer costs double in nearly 20 years (AP) http://bit.ly/dcPU5z 1:20 PM May 10th
Have you thought about elder care in these terms before? If not, maybe you should: http://ow.ly/1Jb6D 12:06 PM May 10th
Great #FF Tweeple @thehealthfreak @shellyasun @caregiving @CaregiverTweets @ElderCareRN 11:00 AM May 7th
Planning for the future doesn't have to be scary. Start with these 5 easy steps: http://ow.ly/1I9RX 9:00 AM May 7th
Thanks for the RT @DinaDwyerOwens! 8:07 AM May 7th
May flowers, yes, but the April showers also brought some plentiful resources: http://ow.ly/1HLwy 1:00 PM May 6th
Especially interesting are the measures of sustainability for aging populations: http://ow.ly/1HLpI (@ElderCareRN via @thehealthfreak) 12:00 PM May 6th
5 Easy Ways to Plan for Elder Care Today http://ow.ly/1HLd4 10:40 AM May 6th
RT @caregiving More With Dementia Wander From Home (NY Times) - http://nyti.ms/babrVG 4:24 PM May 5th
Did you blink and April was over? Take a stroll down memory lane with a "Twitcap" http://ow.ly/1H0Kk 5:23 PM May 4th
RT @GilbertGuide Nurses say technology can cut lost time http://bit.ly/b8MoIf #seniors #telehealth #mhealth 2:25 PM May 4th
@InsideElderCare 10 Benefits of Culture Change on Skilled Nursing http://ow.ly/1GRFD 12:13 PM May 4th
By John Mills, Co-Founder of
http://www.ecarediary.com
Being a caregiver is an incredibly stressful experience and a recent study by the MetLife Mature Market Institute has some startling conclusions about its impact. The report examined employees serving as caregivers and found that they are more likely to suffer from health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure and depression than their co-workers.
Some of the key findings in the study include:
- Caregivers have health costs which are 8% higher than people who are not caregivers and cost employers $13.4 billion a year.
- Employees serving as caregivers were more likely to report poor health than their co-workers. For example, 17% of female employees ages 50 and older who were caregivers reported fair or poor health compared to 9% of non-caregivers.
- Employed caregivers find it difficult to take care of their own health care needs and are less likely to get preventive care such as mammograms, annual physicals and preventive health screenings.
- Caregivers were more likely to engage in high risk behavior that hurt their health like smoking or excessive alcohol use.
- Absenteeism amongst caregivers is higher. The study found that 10% of caregivers had missed at least one day of work during the previous two weeks.
- Caregivers report feeling more stress at home than non-caregivers.
The report finds that employers have traditionally focused on providing eldercare assistance programs and have largely ignored the health of the caregiver. The report recommends an integrated solution combining eldercare benefits and wellness programs so that caregiver health receives a higher priority. The specific proposals include:
- Combining time off programs (vacation, sick time, personal days) into one Paid Time Off (PTO) benefit that provides more flexibility.
- Providing telecommuting options to help caregivers juggle work and home demands. These programs are in place for many working parents and have been found to increase productivity and worker loyalty.
- Allowing flexible schedules so people can get their work done and also tend to family needs.
- Offering stress reduction seminars and programs to help workers cope with the difficulties of caring for a sick relative or parent.
- Providing decision support systems to make it easier for caregivers to get information and manage care.
- Awarding financial incentives to people who engage in wellness programs and take better care of themselves.
- Establishing legal and financial assistance programs which can help caregivers deal with issues like Medicare, Medicaid and end of life planning.
This report highlights that caregiving does not occur in isolation and impacts all parts of the caregivers life. The study has many excellent suggestions on how to make it easier for caregivers to balance their jobs and the needs of their loved ones. Despite the tough economy, I hope that employers will review these findings and see that it is in their interests to assist employees who are caring for others.
Click here to learn more about the study and to get a copy of it.