Monthly Archives: December 2015

Top 4 Myths surrounding Home Care

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We live in a world where care, is the most precious gift that we can give. It is in the very nature of human beings, to care. Our parents imbue us with compassion as we grow up and as they age, we grow up and need to take the mantle of work, profession and other aspects of life that often leaves us with little time to take care of them.

That is where Home Care services step in and reassure us that our elders are well taken care of while we are away.

Caregivers and home care facilitators have often been surrounded by image tarnishing myths that make us uncomfortable even at the thought of it. So, today, let us analyze the top 4 myths surrounding them, and debunk them altogether, so that more people can look towards them in times of need.

Myth 1. Home Care is only for Sick and Elderly

It is true, that elderly and sick are two primary reasons for which people hire home care services. However, this does not implicate that the home care services are only meant for them. Caregiving services are for anyone who needs care, companionship and assistance in their daily tasks.

Good Caregivers, provide customized care plans for each client as per their requirements, which can include house sittings, grocery shopping, gardening, travel and appointment companion, pet care, as well as house cleaning.

Therefore, we can safely say that, one need not terminally ill or be way above 60, in order to avail home care services.

Myth 2. Home Care Services are Expensive

People often look the other way when it comes to home care services, because they have a misconception that the services are highly expensive. The fact is, home care services are more affordable than staying in an assisted living facility or a nursing home. In fact, the cost for home care services on an average, depend upon the number of hours for which you hire the services.

You can also avail customized packages depending on your need after receiving an expert assessment from the Caregiver agency

Myth 3. Choosing the right Caregiver is Difficult

If you’re new to the concept of home care services, it is understandable how it can get tedious to find a company you can trust and who can appropriately take care of your elders while you’re away. Usually, reputed Home Care agencies, perform a preliminary screening test for all personal assistants and caregivers before they hire them under their banner. These candidates who enroll to become caregivers, need to pass a strict background and national identity check to ensure they are up to the task.

Another way to verify the credibility of a home care service agency is to check out their testimonial page where reviews of previous client(s) are published. More number of positive reviews foretell the quality of that agency’s services.

Myth 4. Home Care Services provide Poor Quality service

This myth exists because of lack of people’s experience and how the industry dynamics have changed with time. Initially, when home care services were not as prevalent, many dubious agencies mushroomed in and around town that did not have the necessary skillset and wanted to make a quick buck out of ‘babysitting’ for the elderly.

Babysitting is not what caregiving is. Caregiving involves a lot more time, skill, patience and compassion which segregates this industry altogether from any other. Professional Caregivers are honorbound by work ethics and health care guidelines to provide quality services or else their licences can be impounded.

Today, dedicated Home Care service providers need to do their homework before sending an attendant to the client. The Caregivers serving under the agency are entitled to provide the best quality service to their clients or face an early termination which reflects poorly on their resume.

So the next time you’re thinking of Home Care services, make sure you do a good research and don’t take anyone’s word for it. You could be missing out on quality assistance that can help you and your elders in your daily lives.

 

Debunking the Myths of Hospice

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Hospice care is given to the terminally ill patients, only after a doctor and the Director of Hospice give their affirmation on the condition of the patient. Hospice can be defined as a comprehensive set of care and services, that is recommended during the final phase of a patient.

Hospice is not a simple concept and is often misunderstood by the public. Therefore, I decided to focus on a few popular myths that surround Hospice and in the process try to clear them out so that you can have a better understanding as to what it actually is all about.

 

Myth 1- People have to visit Hospice centres to receive Hospice Care

People need to understand that hospice, is not a place, but a practice of giving care to the people who are approaching their final stage. According to the available data, 80% patients receive hospice care at home. Therefore, there is no compulsion for the patients to visit hospice centres to spend their remaining days in an environment which is alien to them. They can receive hospice care at home, in a healthcare facility, or at any other place where they wish to.

Myth 2- Hospice depends on Sedation to manage Patient’s pain

Most people have a misconception that hospice workers use sedatives for pain management. Truth is that, although sedatives are given to patients who are suffering from intesnepain, the dosage is always monitored.

The aim of Hospice caregivers is to help reduce the emotional and psychological pain of the patient and to provide as much comfort during their final moments.

 

Myth 3. Once you Enroll in a Hospice Program, there’s No Turning Back

Hospice is entirely a matter of choice of the patient and their families. They can discontinue hospice program whenever they wish to. They are also free to switch to any other treatment procedures that they consider to be at their best interest.

The patients are at a liberty to opt out of hospice care without having to state any particular reason whatsoever. In fact, there are cases where the hospice professionals themselves, have recommended and approved discharge, when they felt that there is a significant improvement in the patient’s health.

Myth 4. Hospice is not covered by Managed Care

It is true that Medical Care Organizations (MCOs) are not bound to incorporate hospice coverage. However, the Medicare beneficiaries have the advantage to avail hospice benefits. The beneficiaries are free to choose the place and time for the hospice care, as they are not locked into the end-life-services, which is an integral part of Medical Care Organizations. In case the patient’s age is less than sixty-five years, an inquiry is required to avail hospice care services.

Hospice care demonstrates that a terminally ill patient can also be cared for right up until their last moments. Patients often tend to opt for Hospice services themselves, to ease the emotional turmoil of their families. Although death can never be fully compensated for, but the last moments can be made comfortable for the person. Hospice care serves to do just that.