Assistive care is non-medical supportive care. The services provided by care staff can range from helping with personal care (e.g., some care providers may also provide limited assistance with medications). Assistive care providers may have different titles, such as personal care aides (PCA), home health care aides (HHA), and certified nursing aides (DINNER). While job responsibilities may be similar, there are differences between the three in terms of training requirements and scope of practice (i.e., if you meet the eligibility requirements and have a doctor's order, Medicare can cover the cost of Home Care in Grand Rapids MI). In fact, home health care services are designed to help you move better and do daily tasks on your own. Home health care benefits a person who has difficult medical needs or who is recovering from an injury or illness. Out-of-pocket home health care costs are often higher than home care expenses because the services provided are specialized and are provided by licensed medical professionals.
If an elderly doctor prescribes home health care, if needed, he may also include home care services in the care of the elderly. Because home health care services are often prescribed by a doctor, private health insurance plans, Medicare and Medicaid usually cover at least some of these costs if certain eligibility criteria are met. Home care provides non-medical services, such as companionship, bathing, and meal preparation, while home health care consists of specialized medical care prescribed by a doctor, such as skilled nursing care, wound care and the administration of medications. The doctor or social worker at your loved one's hospital is likely to be the primary resource for finding home health care services.
A simple definition of home health care is health care that is provided in the patient's home, if they are confined to their home while recovering from illness, surgery, or injury, or if they have a chronic medical condition. They will organize services through a Medicare-certified home health agency or provide you with a list of providers to contact directly. If you meet the eligibility criteria, home health care is usually covered by Medicare, Medicaid and some private insurance plans. The definition of home care is also different from that of hospice, which alleviates pain and symptoms in the last few months of life.
Home care aides who don't work for Medicare-certified home care agencies may only need to complete a practical training program provided by the employer. To maintain certification, the home health assistant must complete a minimum of 12 hours of continuing training (continuing education) each year. While no formal training is required to become a home health assistant, home care aides who work for a Medicare-certified home health agency they must be certified.
