PRIVATE DUTY NURSING

In-Home Care Helps Caregivers Too

FIVE YEARS AGO, a car accident changed the lives of Donnie and Pauline Shook forever.  The crash left Donnie disabled and eventually bedridden, and Pauline stepped up to the demanding role of caregiver.  There is no more difficult role in health care than that of a family caregiver, and Pauline reached out for help to care for Donnie.

For the Shooks, help came from so many caring professionals, but none more devoted than Janet Powell, a certified nursing assistant with Health First Private Duty.  As their home health aide for the past three years, Janet has become a welcome member of the family and a bright spot in difficult circumstances.

“Janet always comes to work with a smile on her face,” said Pauline.  “She brightens both my husband’s day and mine, every day.  She gives the best quality of care to my husband, and she gives me peace of mind.”

With Janet’s help through private duty nursing, Pauline is able to go to work knowing that Donnie is in capable and caring hands.  “Janet always has compassion towards my husband, and she does the same for me,” said Pauline.

Janet is one of dozens of private duty health professionals who provide care in the home for families in Brevard.  Services include skilled nursing and therapy, medication administration, meal preparation, personal care, light housekeeping, live-in assistance, respite care, and help with errands and transportation.

According to Linda Harris with Harbor Private Duty Nursing, “Our goal is to help people age in place, safely and happily.”  Based in Titusville, Harbor Private Duty Nursing prides itself on offering individualized care.

Michelle Rogers, director of Health First Private Duty, agrees:  “When you need individualized care in the privacy of your home or want to help a family member maintain independence in familiar surroundings, private duty nursing is an excellent option.”

Quality, around-the-clock care is provided by specialty nurses (LPNs, RNs), certified nursing assistants, therapists, and sitters and companions.

“It’s the quality of our caregivers that makes the difference,” said Michelle.  “We take extra care to select and screen our professionals, and our clients can count on us to send the best to their homes.”

Michelle recommends that families considering in-home services ask these important questions about any agency or caregivers:

• Are the caregivers actual employees of the home health agency or independent contractors?
• Is the staff bonded and insured by the agency or independent contractors?
• Are caregivers paid through the agency or directly by the patient after each visit?
• Who pays the caregiver’s taxes?
• Who’s responsible if caregivers are injured in your home—the agency or the patient/family?
• Is there a registered nurse on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week for emergencies?
• Does the agency conduct national background and reference checks, drug testing, health testing, and skill competency levels of its caregivers?
• Will the agency automatically provide another caregiver if the one scheduled cannot come?
• Does the agency offer training and continuing education to its caregivers?

“Some families like to interview a couple prospective agencies, to ensure the best fit,” said Michelle.  “At Health First Private Duty, we provide a free initial in-home consultation to determine the right type of care and staff to meet individual needs.  We also help determine if the necessary services are covered by insurance and if they are, we help file claims and provide any required documentation.

“There’s a lot of confusion about the differences between private duty and home care,” continued Michelle.  “The main difference is the length of care we’re able to provide—private duty can provide extended, custodial care, while home care is more short-term.”

Other Differences Include:

Private Duty

• The patient doesn’t have to be homebound
• The patient doesn’t have to require skilled services to qualify for care
• The services can be continuous in nature (as few as four hours up to 24 hours, seven days a week)
• The services can continue indefinitely
• The care doesn’t need to be ordered by a physician—anyone can request private duty services
• The services include custodial care (such as meal preparation, personal care, etc.) as well as transportation
• Long-term care insurance or the patient pays for the service, not Medicare or Medicaid

Home Care

• The patient must be homebound
• The patient must require skilled services to qualify
• The services must be intermittent in nature (no shifts)
• The services must be ordered by a physician
• Custodial care by itself isn’t covered
• Transportation services are not covered
• Medicare generally pays

In-home care represents an important component of ensuring that patients and families get the right care, in the right place.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Michelle Rogers at 321.459.1804 or Linda Harris at 321.266.8690; or CLICK HERE.

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4. Do You Have a Medical Home?
5. Harris Family Medical Center Invests In Employee’s Good Health