Signs a Senior Needs Help at Home
老年人在家需要帮助
Living at home becomes increasingly difficult in our senior years. Even as challenges arise, most seniors prefer to stay in the comfort of their own home however, family members are often the first to notice that something is not quite right. An assessment of a senior’s daily functioning is the starting point in determining the need for care. A senior who needs support in accomplishing Activities of Daily Living would benefit from in-home care. To assess the functioning of your aging loved one, complete a needs assessment to identify your home care needs and determine the level of care you require.
在我们老年的时候，住在家里变得越来越困难。即使面临挑战，大多数老年人还是宁愿呆在自己舒适的家里，然而，家庭成员往往是第一个发现事情不太对劲的人。评估老年人的日常功能是确定是否需要护理的出发点。长者如需协助完成日常生活活动，可获家居照顾。为了评估你年老的爱人的功能，完成一个需求评估，以确定你的家庭护理需求，并确定你需要的护理水平。
Print a senior needs assessment:
The Benefits of Hiring In-Home Care
雇用家居照顾服务的好处
Professional caregivers can provide a much-needed source of respite for family caregivers. Adding in-home care providers to the care team is an important source of support for the family while allowing an aging loved one to remain in the comfort of their own home for as long as possible. Aides can provide companionship, transportation, and hands-on assistance with a senior’s every-day tasks, affording family members peace of mind with the knowledge that their elder’s care needs are met.
专业护理人员可以为家庭护理人员提供急需的休息来源。在家庭护理团队中增加家庭护理人员是家庭支持的重要来源，同时允许年迈的亲人尽可能长时间地呆在自己家中的舒适环境中。助手们可以为老年人提供陪伴、交通工具和实际帮助，帮助他们完成每天的工作，让家庭成员知道老年人的照顾需求得到了满足，从而获得心灵上的宁静。
Home Care Agencies vs. Private Caregivers
家庭护理机构 vs 私人护理者
A private (direct-hire) caregiver is employed directly by the family. Oftentimes, families choose to hire independently based on the cost savings of using an independent contractor. More affordable care is an attractive benefit; however, this decision must be weighed carefully. Families who pay a private caregiver are responsible for filing the associated paperwork and paying applicable taxes on wages. Additionally, caregivers hired through a licensed home care agency are accountable to state regulations. They are bonded and insured by the agency through which they are providing services. The increased cost of using an agency to provide caregivers may be worthwhile to families who want to hand over the day to day responsibilities of managing care. Hiring an agency mitigates the difficulties of dealing with background checks, employment taxes, daily scheduling, and finding back-up providers to cover a shift.
一个私人(直接雇佣的)照料者直接受雇于家庭。通常情况下，家庭选择独立雇佣是基于使用独立合同人的成本节约。提供更多负担得起的医疗服务是一个有吸引力的好处; 然而，这个决定必须仔细权衡。付钱给私人护理人员的家庭负责填写相关的文件，并支付相应的工资税。此外，通过有执照的家庭护理机构雇佣的护理人员要对国家法规负责。他们通过他们提供服务的机构进行抵押和保险。利用一个机构来提供照顾者所增加的成本对于那些想要交出管理照顾的日常责任的家庭来说可能是值得的。雇佣一家中介公司可以减轻处理背景调查、就业税、日常行程安排以及寻找后备供应商来支付轮班费用等方面的困难。
Types of Home Care Services
家居照顾服务类别
Personal home care assistance includes help with basic activities of daily living like dressing, bathing, meal preparation and cleaning. This type of non-medical home care is sometimes referred to as homemaker or companion care, because it does not provide any skilled medical services. Whether part-time or full time, a dedicated care companion provides help at home, keeping a senior safe during the hours you need assistance most. Home health care is medical in nature. A prescription from a doctor may be required to obtain in-home services that are provided by healthcare professionals such as registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and physical, occupational and speech-language therapists. Home health care may also be described as clinical or skilled care. Generally, home health care is intended for short term rehabilitation after discharge from the hospital for recovery from illness or injury. Home health care includes services like physical therapy, wound care, intravenous or nutrition therapy, and monitoring vital signs. A home health aide (HHA) can administer some skilled home-care services under the direction of a registered nurse or other medical professional.
个人家庭护理援助包括帮助日常生活的基本活动，如穿衣、洗澡、准备饭菜和清洁。这种非医疗性家庭护理有时被称为家庭主妇或伴侣护理，因为它不提供任何熟练的医疗服务。无论是兼职还是全职，一个专门的护理伙伴会在家里提供帮助，在你最需要帮助的时候保护一个老年人的安全。家庭保健本质上是医疗保健。医生可能需要有处方才可获得由注册护士、持牌实习护士、体能、职业及语言治疗师等医护专业人员提供的家居服务。家庭保健也可以描述为临床或熟练的护理。一般来说，家庭保健的目的是在出院后进行短期康复，以便从疾病或伤害中恢复。家庭保健包括物理治疗、伤口护理、静脉注射或营养治疗以及监测生命体征等服务。家庭健康助理(HHA)可以在注册护士或其他医疗专业人员的指导下管理一些熟练的家庭护理服务。
Dementia Care
痴呆症护理
As individuals experience the progressive decline of Alzheimer’s or dementia, it is important to establish a care plan that supports the client as well as provides needed respite for the family caregiver. Many home care agencies offer specialized dementia care services. When comparing home care agencies, inquire about specialized training for managing dementia behaviors.
随着个人经历阿尔茨海默氏症或痴呆症的逐渐衰退，建立一个支持病人的护理计划以及为家庭照顾者提供所需的喘息时间是很重要的。许多家庭护理机构提供专门的痴呆症护理服务。比较家庭护理机构时，询问有关管理痴呆行为的专门培训。
In-Home Care Costs
家庭护理费用
The cost of in-home care varies by type of care and where you are located. Start by completing a care assessment to determine the number of hours of care you will need per week. Most home care agencies typically charge by the hour with a minimum hourly commitment. According to the Genworth 2019 Cost of Care Survey, the US national average for home care provided by a personal care aide, companion caregiver or home health aide is $23 per hour, whereas in-home skilled nursing can cost as much as $87 per visit.
家庭护理的费用因照顾的类型和你所在的地点而异。从完成护理评估开始，确定每周需要护理的小时数。大多数家庭护理机构通常按小时收费，每小时承诺最低。根据 Genworth 2019年护理成本调查，美国全国平均每小时23美元的个人护理助理、陪护护理人员或家庭护理人员提供的家庭护理服务，而家庭护理专业人员每次服务的成本可能高达87美元。
Paying for In-Home Care with Medicare
医疗保险支付家庭护理费用
Generally, Medicare coverage is determined by the type of services provided. Original Medicare will only cover medically-necessary home health care that is ordered by a physician on a short-term basis. Eligible services must be offered by a Medicare-certified provider. Personal care services will only be covered if they are part of a scope of services that includes the need for in-home skilled medical care. For more information on qualifying conditions and Medicare covered home care services, Medicare provides an eligibility tool on the Medicare.gov website.
一般来说，医疗保险的覆盖范围是由所提供的服务类型决定的。最初的医疗保险将只包括医疗必要的家庭医疗保健是由一个医生订购的短期基础。符合条件的服务必须由医疗保险认证的提供者提供。个人护理服务只有在包括需要家庭专业医疗服务在内的服务范围内才能得到保障。要了解更多关于资格条件和医疗保险覆盖的家庭护理服务的信息，医疗保险网站在 Medicare. gov 网站上提供了一个资格工具。
Paying for In-Home Care with Medicaid
用医疗补助支付家庭护理费用
Each state runs its Medicaid program differently, so eligibility and benefits are different in every state. Make sure you research home care benefits specific to the state where care will be provided. All 50 states have some type of program that pays for home care for the elderly, however the benefit is dependent on which type of Medicaid program the senior is enrolled in. To learn more about Medicaid eligibility for home care benefits, research both the Medicaid State Plan as well as the Medicaid Waiver program in your state.
每个州都有不同的医疗补助计划，所以每个州的资格和福利都不一样。确保你研究的家庭护理福利具体的国家将提供照顾。所有50个州都有一些为老年人提供家庭护理的项目，但是这些福利取决于老年人参加的医疗补助项目的类型。要了解更多关于家庭护理福利的医疗补助资格，研究两个州的医疗补助计划以及医疗补助豁免计划在你的州。