Posted on 12/16/2012 8:19:24 PM PST by RushIsMyTeddyBear
I need some advice for sitter services in the No. Alabama region. Father has just had open heart surg. Both he and mom are elderly.
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I have helped with many on my elderly relatives through the years and realize you can get some real stinkers who steal meds and valuables (I require ANYONE changing shifts to count pills and LOG IT! before they leave.) Valuables are with ME in the SDB.
I have been looking at “Home Instead” and their rating on the internet searches seem low. Tried to call around to get nurses/sitters and most of the single/private nurses have retired.
If I happen to not respond to your posts.....don’t think I’m not reading. I do......and FR is such a great resource.
Thanks to all in advance!
Any recommendations and advice greatly needed.
My mother who is 93 has had to have at home health care on numerous occasions; because of a broken hip, and recent heart attacks. In all cases, the hospital or her health care provider helped us make the decisions and recommendations for her care. Please contact the hospital or your father’s physician for assistance.
I know....bad timing on a Sunday evening.....but I don’t get a lot of time these days. May re-post later.
We used Visiting Angels for 14 months when my mom was very ill and bedridden and my dad was unable to care for her. Plus her care was so complex none of us could handle all the care involved...so CNAs were the way to go for us.
We had two round the clock CNAs, one came 3 days, the other 4. The ladies we were assigned were indeed “angels” and saw us through a most difficult time. They stuck with it the entire 14 months and became more like family members than “helpers.”
It wasn’t cheap, but my mom had retirement funds that we would have had to pay down anyway, she was deemed too ill for a nursing home, not terminal so no hospice, and the only other place they considered sending her was a specialty hospital, which was akin to the movie Coma...all the patients had feeding tubes and vents.
We (myself and siblings) still had to take an active role because the CNAs were not allowed to do certain things having to do with meds, etc. so we kids were involved but we all live close and it was not a problem.
Thanks for that. The hospital DID recommend people to contact (and I’m unsure about them). However, what we have run into, in the past, were folks stealing them blind and threatening them (as far as the sitters go). I know there are many home sitting companies out there who others may have used and had a success with. It seems to be franchised, now. In the old days......we’re talking 20 years ago.....we hired private sitters. No “orgs”, if you will.
Did they also do bathing and cooking.... or just general housework?
I’m actually going to call our GP, tomorrow, who treats our entire family and is a good, Christian man and knows “the score”. However......with these things, I have often found it incredibly helpful to get many opinions about home health care. I know there are many experiences with various companies.
Do you have any idea if Medicare pays for any of that?
Don’t go to Craigs List and hire someone under the table like my CHEAP ASSHOLE older brother did. (Like him, you might end up with someone who has a recent heroin conviction who will steal your mother’s identity.)
Just don’t rely too heavily on the internet for information. People are more apt to post negatives than positives regarding any at home health care provider. I truly understand the frustration of trying to find good care.
Medicare paid all of my mother’s expenses for home health care. I think you just need a referral to get it all covered. The referral is from the doctor or hospital.
Just when he was about to be able to go back to his house, he had to go in for open heart surgery. Long story short, he never got to go back to his house.
There is no one who will do as much good for your parents as you will. Not even in the hospital. I always stayed 24/7. It is just too easy for mistakes to be made, and I prevented plenty of mix ups just by being there and asking questions.
The doctor/hospital usually will make arrangements for Home Health Care, and if there are more choices in your area than one they will consult with you on those choices.
Home health care is covered by Medicare, and covers a basket of services including bathing. No cooking or cleaning, and you will likely have to prepare the meds yourself.
Then there are companies like Elder Helpers etc. Who will come in for 3 hrs per day for cooking, cleaning, and bathing/dressing etc.
Quality is very dependent upon the actual person you are assigned, and likely to be different when you are around vs when it is just your parent.
If your Dad is a veteran, he may qualify for what is called a medical pension. That could be as much as $1400 per month for those type of services. There are some non-profit organizations which specialize in helping veterans to qualify.
Most people who try to figure it out themselves and consult with the Dr. in the Veteran's system often don't come out so well. Best to get the help. Best Wishes for you and your parents.
The ladies we had did everything. As I said, my dad was in the home, but these ladies did everything from cooking meals, to washing clothes, even though their main purpose was to take care of my mom, and that included intense nursing care, as she had to be moved every couple of hours to prevent bed sores, and she was totally incapable of getting out of the bed, feeding herself, etc. But when she was sleeping, they were often helping out around the house.
One of the dear ladies and my dad would have pizza night once a week, and one week she’d buy pizza, the next week my dad would buy the pizza. My dad grew up on Southern cooking, and these ladies often cooked him his favorites. Plus he gained weight (which he needed to) because they were cooking him big breakfasts every morning instead of his bowl of cereal.
Medicare will only pay for a rehab, and only for a few weeks, then a deductible kicks in per day, and after 100 days you’re on your own as far as payment. And in order for Medicare to pay for a rehab, they must be admitted to the hospital for 3 days prior to the nursing home/rehab admission, and then nursing care must be recommended.
If the person has assets (not including house and car), you have to pay them down to $2000 (the spouse can keep around $100,000 in assets) then Medicaid will take over and pay for nursing home care, but I don’t think they cover in home care (I guess it would depend on your insurance policy.)
As I said, my mom had assets, and if you’re in the paydown situation, round the clock in home care is actually cheaper than a nursing home. The “angels” cost about $1100 per week, the nursing homes around here charge around $6000 per week.
Oops, typo, Visiting Angels was $1100 per week/around $4000 per month. Nursing homes in our area charge $6000 per month.
I have had a friend who have had luck with local church women who were looking for part time flexible work. She was able to patch together coverage with people who shared her family member’s values.
I want to thank you all for responding to my post. This is a trying time for us taking care of my elderly parents as well as our young family. I truly appreciate your feedback! I sooooo love FReepers! <3
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