Navigating the difference between private duty home care and other types of home care- like Medicare-certified Home Health Care can be confusing for families and seniors in the Danbury area.

“The first step in understanding the difference between non-medical home care and home health care is to define the term.”

 

Private Duty Home Care is also called non-medical home care.

This type of in-home senior care is typically for seniors and disabled adults who need the following non-medical homecare services:

• Senior Companionship
• Light housekeeping
• Meal preparation
• Light laundry
• Errands and shopping
• Transportation to MD Appointments
• Help with Pets
• Help with household duties (watering plants, checking the mail)
• Medication reminders
• Help with personal care like toileting, bathing, dressing.
• Safety in the home- to avoid wandering, leaving the stove turned on.
• Typically, a trained caregiver will be in the home for a certain number of hours each day, or every other day, to assist your senior with these activities.

Next, Does Medicare or Medicaid Cover Private Duty Home Care?

Medicare does not cover the cost of non-medical home care. This type of care (private duty non-medical home care) is considered long-term and is usually paid for with private funds or long-term care insurance.

In certain circumstances, Connecticut Medicaid will pay for the cost of non-medical private duty home care. The senior must apply for Medicaid and must meet the financial requirements for Medicaid services.

To learn more, visit the Connecticut Medicaid website: https://portal.ct.gov/HUSKY

Understand What Kind of Home Care Services Are Covered Under Medicare and Medicaid

Home Care Services that are covered by Medicaid in Danbury, CT

Medicaid Programs in Connecticut Help with Many Issues:

• Locate services if you need food, clothing, or shelter
• Choose a primary care provider who is taking new patients
• Find a specialist
• Make provider appointments
• Get transportation to and from your provider appointments
• Understand and use your HUSKY Health benefits and services
• Access Care Management when you have a complex or life-long health condition
• Deal with a crisis – we can help you during a crisis of any kind

Private Duty Home Care Services that are covered by Medicare in Danbury, CT

Medicare-Covered Home Health Care Services

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and/or Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) cover eligible home health services like these: (2)

• Part-time or “intermittent” skilled nursing care
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech-language pathology services
• Medical social services
• Part-time or intermittent home health aide services (personal hands-on care)
• Injectable osteoporosis drugs for women
• Usually, a home health care agency coordinates the services your doctor orders for you.

Medicare doesn’t pay for:

• 24-hour-a-day care at home
• Meals delivered to your home
• Homemaker services (like shopping, cleaning, and laundry), when this is the only care you need
• Custodial or personal care (like bathing, dressing, or using the bathroom), when this is the only care you need

If you have determined that private duty in-home care is right for you, the next step is to choose a home care agency in the Danbury area that you can trust to provide great care.

How to Choose the Best Home Care Agencies that Provide Private Duty Home Care in Danbury

How to Choose a Private Duty Home Care Agency

• Talk to family, friends, and your doctor or other health care professionals about home care. Get recommendations and referrals from people you trust.
• Look for a private duty home care agency near you. Do an online search. In the Danbury area, consider Elderly Caregivers LLC.
• Read reviews. Each home care agency in the Danbury area will have reviews and testimonials on its website. Read those reviews and get a sense of how their clients and staff feel about their services.
• Call and talk to more than one in-home care provider. Are they good listeners? Do they offer the types of services you need? Are they provide services in the area where you are located?

How much does a private duty home care agency charge?

Home care agencies that provide caregivers charge various rates, depending on their services, hours, and the complexity of the care you or your aging loved-one might need.

In Danbury, you can expect that the hourly rate for a home health aide or caregiver in the home is well over $20 per hour.

“Home care much less expensive than assisted living or nursing home care.”

What Activities Do Private Duty Home Caregivers Provide Seniors?

When a home health aide or caregiver is in your home, they are usually in charge of completing certain household tasks like:

• Meal preparation
• Light housekeeping
• Light Laundry
• Making the bed
• Running errands or grocery shopping
• But caregivers also serve a much more important purpose with regard to the senior. The caregiver provides companionship, friendship, and socialization.

When a caregiver is in the home, they are courteous, friendly, and engage the senior in conversation. This helps with socialization and keeps the senior from feeling lonely, depressed, and isolated.

So, while a caregiver or home health aide may have lots of work to do, their job is to include the senior in activities and conversation. This helps with mental health and overall health.

In summary, choosing to implement non-medical home care for your aging loved-one can benefit them in numerous ways.

Their health – both physical and mental will improve when a caring home care agency is involved.

If you are considering non-medical in-home care services, talk to the friendly staff at Elderly Caregivers LLC today. Providing exceptional in-home senior care in Danbury, CT and the surrounding areas. We can answer your questions and help you understand more about the services we offer. Call today: (203) 628-7438

1. https://www.huskyhealthct.org/members/community-support.html
2. Medicare.gov: https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/home-health-services

• Author
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Bernadette Applegreen

Owner at Elderly Caregivers, LLC.

Bernadette Applegreen, began her career in South Africa where she trained in nursing and began caring for the elderly right out of high school. When she came to United States in 1988, she was recertified as a licensed practical nurse and continued her work. Her 34 years of experience includes work in nursing homes, hospitals and patient’s private homes. Bernadette’s dedication and deep concern for her patients led to the creation of Elderly Caregivers. She saw how important it was for the aging population to live in their own homes for as long as possible. They functioned better, were happier and more assured in a familiar environment. In addition, Bernadette saw that home care could be less expensive than the nursing home option. Elderly Caregivers has been taking care of Seniors with an array of different diagnoses and needs. They are treated as individuals and are provided an individual care plan. It is encouraged that clients and family members participate in the process.

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