Top 10
Questions
How do I know whether the
services I request will be
covered by Medicare?
When our nursing
supervisor makes her initial visit, she will
make sure any care
provided by Medicare is ordered to the
appropriate agency,
including Hospice services. Generally,
any type of medical
condition that is acute or non-custodial
and short in length may be
covered. Medicare also helps
pay for equipment that
may be needed in the home. If at any
time we are providing
private duty services and a patient
becomes eligible for
Medicare; we make sure the referral is
made to the patient's
doctor.
Will your employees take
a patient to doctor's or
hairdresser appointments
or even to the grocery store?
All our employees are
required to have a car with current
insurance. Any
appointments within a 15 mile radius of the
patient's home are included with our
service.
How do the caregivers
know what to do?
When we begin service
with a patient, our nursing supervisor
visits the home first and
reviews with the family and/or patient
what they will need.
A care plan is then written This services
as a general guideline
for the employees. Care plans are
updated as needed and a
new care plan is re-written at least
every six months.
What are some examples of
the types of services your
employees can perform?
Some of the tasks we
generally perform include meal preparation,
medication reminders,
laundry, change of bed linens, grocery
shopping, light
housework, personal care and assistance with
dressing, if needed.
Types of services needed/provided are
decided in the initial meeting.
Can you explain what
"round the clock" care means?
For complete safety, a
caregiver is in the home 24 hours a day,
seven days a week.
All caregivers stay until relieved by a fellow
employee, insuring the
patient is never left alone. Employees on
duty during the night
shift do NOT sleep. We GUARANTEE our
24-hour care. If an
employee cancels, we send a supervisor to
cover the shift if
necessary.
How are your employees
supervised?
It is the nursing
supervisor's job to check our employees for proper
dress and to make certain
the patient is receiving the care they
are entitled to.
Included at no charge with our service are medication
set-ups by the nursing
supervisor and either a bi-weekly or weekly
visit, depending on the
patients medication stability and on hours of
care provided.
What if the employee you
send is not a good "match"?
Part of the feedback the
nursing supervisor gives our scheduling
coordinator is the type
of person she feels will best fit the needs
of the patient, usually
based on information gathered during the
care plan meeting with
the patient and/or family. We will change
employees when you
request a change.
How do you screen your
employees?
Every employee who works
for us MUST have a car, valid car
insurance, be trained in
CPR and have been previously employed
in homecare. They
must also have a clean state-wide police report
and pass orientation
prior to being placed with our agency. We
currently have a good mix
of both young and "seasoned" employees.
Do you have a minimum
number of days or hours and what
is the cost?
We do have a four-hour
minimum per shift. Usually we can start a
case within one to three
days of your call to our office and you may
discontinue service
whenever you like. Some families have care
one to two, four hour
shifts a week--- just to help keep their family
member as independent as
possible. Care ranges in cost from
$16-$20 an hour.
What is the one thing you
think differentiates you from other
agencies?
We are very proud of the
intimate office environment we have. Our
inside staff consists of
five very loyal individuals who have been with
us a very long time.
Because we are small and locally owned,
everyone who works here
takes immediate responsibility and allows
us to "keep on top" of
any problems or issues.
