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iris lilies,
I am curious about in-home services and modifications, as an alternative to moving someone into an assisted living structure.
I note (without endorsement) a franchise outfit, http://homeinstead.com
I would love to hear first person accounts of how these in-home services succeed or fail for the resident!
My. brother's neighbor is a widow and 93. She is basically restricted to bed or wheel chair. Mostly mentally capable, but requires a 24/7 companion and help with bathing, cooking, and routine tasks and someone to keep an eye on her.. I've talked with one of her caregivers. She is not part of a commercial care organization, but a few women who do similar work. Around here, one of the commercial groups is called Visiting Angels. Her son is a lawyer and can afford the care to keep her at home, but her 24/7 care expenses with local folks through word of mouth recommendations exceeds the cost of some assisted living or a nursing home. And a commercial group is about double that. And I'm not sure how much help Medicare offers financially.
It seems to depend a lot on the level of care needed. There are affordable services to help a few hours a day with some simple routines, but when you get into more intensive care there are some issues around affordability. If I go back a few years to another generation, live in companions for day care or 24/7 were more common, but it seems like it's become commercialized at additional expense.
One issue that often comes up with in-home care is that many needing help won't let "strangers" in their home. This was the case with MIL even though she could no longer do many things on her own. That ended when she tripped on a rug and broke her wrist. Off to assisted living screaming and fighting.
Poor lady.
In my parents' area, there were no people to pay and come in to do these things, although I doubt it would have worked out, given their refusal to do things that would keep them healthy.
With the amount Medicare pays for residential care, that money would be better spent in in-home care. My DH used to do marketing/lobbying videos for AARP, and they have lobbied to get in-home care covered. But as Tybee said, good in-home care is difficult to find. Would you rather be cared for by a team of shift workers, or by one person who may not have your best interests in mind.. A home health work is probably very demanding and frustrating, and who are they going to take those frustrations out on?
Medicare does not pay for residential care. Medicaid does thru each state with different requirements for each state.
People are always talking about 24 hour one on one care in a home. This is not done in group residential settings. One CNA or assistant is working with multiple people throughout the day with fewer people available overnight. Therefore it is not as much of a crisis if the one caregiver has a need to be away or take a vacation or whatever. So we are comparing apples and oranges. Even wheelchair or bedbound are not provided with one on one care or supervision.
The care of the lady I mentioned is covered by two or three women who take shifts, so it's not just one companion. The woman I met had worked in nursing homes previously and finds home care more rewarding, or at least better conditions. The 93 year old women she is caring for is her fourth elder lady and she sticks to the same person until they are gone or needs more skilled nursing. I actually think she has a calling for that sort of work and has become friends with the people she cares for, although the end is always sad. That's her story, anyway. I understand that finding a person to stay nights is more difficult. Her fees are a little more than minimum wage. She said that commercial places like Visiting Angels charge $35/hr. or more and the workers still only get the minimum wage, with the corporation taking the rest. And her pay is similar to what she made in nursing homes. One persons story anyway. The town she is in has historically high unemployment so help might be easier to find.Quote:
Originally Posted by catherine
Thanks dado potato! The move went well albeit a bit harrowing! I am very thankful we chose to do this now because it was very difficult and don’t believe we would have had the stamina in a few years. Already people are inviting us to do things and we have a feeling of community. We have no regrets!Quote:
Originally Posted by dado potato
frugal-one, I'm so glad it's all worked out well for you! I know you put a lot of work into it. I dread pulling up stakes here, and am really hoping (unrealistically, I'm sure!) that I won't have to do that...
early morning… Why pull up stakes if you are happy there? Wait until they have to pull you out feet first! My situation was totally different as I have explained before.