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FAQs
This is a loaded question that can seem intimidating to someone who is not involved in the day to day of the home health industry. The Care With Love Team is here to help!
It is important to note that there are many types of caregivers that can provide different levels of care to your loved one depending on their specific needs. Having this knowledge ensures that you are not over paying for care that is needed for your loved one.
Legally, a caregiver must hold specific licenses to perform certain tasks. The list below ranks the different types of caregivers from least medically intensive to greatest. The greatest medically intensive requires the most amount of training.
- Companion:
a. Companion Care is used for accompanying your loved one to a doctor’s appointment or simply keeping company to eliminate fall risk and provide ease of mind to you and your family. They make meals and are there day or night. - CNA:
a. Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) perform all the same tasks a companion. They assist the patient with activities including: bathing, grooming, dressing, and toileting. A CNA is not legally allowed to administer medications to your loved one. - LPN:
a. Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) perform all the same tasks a companion and a CNA.. hey assist with wound dressings, injections, and monitoring catheters - RN:
a. Registered Nurses (RN) are extremely skilled healthcare professionals. They plan a patient’s care based on their diagnosis. They actively assess, monitor, and implement care for your loved one. (maybe examples here?)
It is important to understand which service your home health care company provides. It is always best to partner with a company that provides both Home Care as well as Home Health.
Home Care or Personal Private Care are industry terms used to describe the type of care provided by Companions, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), and oftentimes Registered Nurses (RNs). This care generally entails assisting your loved one with the activities of daily living, or ADLs for short. E.g. Bathing, Dressing, Feeding, Continence Management, & Ambulating.
Home Health or Skilled Care is used to refer to care provided by Physical Therapists (PT), Occupational Therapists (OT), Speech Therapists (ST), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), or Registered Nurses (RN). This is a much more medically intensive level of care and requires a doctor’s order to be carried out at home. This level of care includes Wound Care, Respiratory Therapy, IV Infusion Therapy, and After Surgery Care programs.
GET TO KNOW THE AGENCY PROVIDING CARE FOR YOUR LOVED ONE!
Is the company Licensed, bonded and insured? Are they Accredited?
When a company is licensed, bonded and insured, you and your loved one know the validity and formality of the company you are choosing for care. . Care with LOVE is fully bonded and insured, and has the proper licenses (such as?) to operate as a home health company.
The Home Health Industry has three major accrediting bodies that certify agencies across the country: The Joint Commission, CHAP, or ACHC. These agencies ensure that the home health company you have chosen for your loved one operates on a specific standard. They evaluate your company’s business operations, as well as their quality of patient care. They accredit the best hospitals and other major healthcare systems including home health care providers.
It is crucial to identify whether the caregivers employed by your home health agency are W-2 or 1099 employees( why?). The main differences are in the taxation aspect as well as the control of the working relationship.
1099 employees or independent contractors choose their own working hours, follow their own procedure when caring for your loved one, and have the ability to hire someone to fill in for them if they are unable to work.
W-2 employees show up at a specific time depending on the family’s specific needs, dressed in the company wide uniform, and following company procedure when carrying out their tasks. The company is in charge of finding someone that is a good fit for your loved one if they’re primary caregiver is unable to show up to work.
What type of precautions does your home health provider use to vet their caregivers? At Care With Love, caregivers are administered a drug test on an annual basis. The company also runs background checks across all 50 states.
Your home health provider should take note of all your preferences and understand what you are looking for in a caregiver. Our company uses a matchmaking software that allows us to plug enter in all your personal preferences such as:
Proximity to your loved one
Pet friendliness
Willingness to read religious text
Ability to properly lift and transfer your loved one, etc.
This is how we ensure that your loved one will receive the care they need, while enjoying the company of their caregiver and maintaining the comfort in their own home.
Many home health providers have a minimum number of hours that they can provide care , which is generally 4 hours. However, your loved one may only need help while bathing and dressing for an hour and not for the remainder of the day.
Depending on your personal situation, home care (Personal Private Care) is covered under long term care insurance or through private pay. This applies to care provided by Companion Care, CNAs, LPNs, and RNs.
You can pay privately for Home Health Care (Skilled Care), but it is generally covered through Medicare or most private insurances. Skilled Care requires a formal doctor’s order to be carried out by any agency. This care is provided by RNs, PTs, OTs, or STs.