When it comes to selecting home care for elderly loved ones, there are a variety of options available to families, and it's very important to diligently research and ask the right questions in order to ensure the highest levels of care. Help at Home Senior Care has compiled the questions below that can help when contacting home care agencies to ensure you’re making an informed decision: 

Services

• List of services. Do they offer services specific to the senior's requirements? Is someone on staff available to provide details on all services, eligibility requirements and funding sources? Can you access this information online or can it be sent to you?
• Supervision and training. What professional training and certification does the agency require of its direct care providers? How frequently do the supervisors oversee the care providers to guarantee proper care is being provided?
• Documentation and coordination. Are visits documented? Do family members have easy access? Does the agency coordinate with the senior's home health team to provide a coordinated plan of care?

Caregivers

• Duration of visits. How frequently will the caregiver visit, and how long does she or he stay for each visit? Does the agency provide care on evenings, weekends, and holidays? Will the visit allow for time to engage in conversations and to get to know the senior?
• Rotation of care. Is care provided on a consistent basis by the same caregiver, or is care rotated between multiple people? If caregivers rotate, how frequently? Will the family receive advance notification when a caregiver change is made?
• Accessibility. Does the caregiver and office staff maintain frequent contact? Will they keep you informed of any changes in the older adult’s health, condition, or plan of care?

Costs

• Billing and funding. Are services covered by long-term care insurance or available grants? Do they provide printed statements outlining costs? How often is the care invoiced if there is payment due?
• Additional fees. Are there fees for specialized or extended services? Are there payment plans in place for out-of-pocket services?

We hope that if a senior you love is in Grass Valley or the surrounding areas, you’ll consider partnering with Help at Home Senior Care for your care needs. With years of experience and a full range of services, including companionship, respite care, specialized dementia care and much more, we’re here for you for a few hours a week all the way up to round-the-clock care. Reach out to us any time at (530) 885-7444 to learn more about our top-rated respite care in Grass Valley, CA and nearby areas, and to schedule a complimentary in-home consultation today. 

Millions of Americans struggle with the decision of whether their senior parents are able to afford long-term care. Monetary issues can be a sensitive subject matter, and when it is time to begin giving thought to long-term care needs, holding an open and honest dialogue about how to financially prepare for long-term care services is essential.

To that end, our home care team has put together the following questions to help you get started:

• What are your parents’ assets? A good starting point is to figure out approximately how much money your parents have available in cash, investments, and Social Security. This supplies a foundation for covering long-term care charges.
• Do your parents anticipate the need for financial assistance? People are living longer than ever, which means more people are outliving the finances they have set aside for retirement. Ask your parents if they have enough funds to sustain their needs for the rest of their lives. If not, how much additional support will be required?
• Do your parents have insurance? Determine if your parents possess a long-term care insurance policy as well as life insurance, and ensure you have a good understanding of their policies.
• Do you have access to their passwords and account numbers? Request account and password details, and keep a copy of these details, together with contact information for your parents’ attorney and financial advisor. This will make it a simpler process to deal with affairs when the need arises.
• Have your parents signed a power of attorney? Recommend to your parents that they choose and finalize paperwork for a power of attorney so that they are assured that there is a responsible, trustworthy person to make decisions on their behalf in the instance of a medical emergency.

Preparing ahead for long-term care is vital, and best accomplished while your parents are independent and thriving. Gaining an understanding of their finances now will help you be better prepared for their care in the future.

At Help at Home Senior Care, we understand that conversations about elder care and finances can be difficult, and we’re always available to help. Contact our home care experts at (530) 885-7444 to learn more about our home care in Grass Valley, CA and other nearby communities.

Long-term care insurance can provide great peace of mind, but utilizing those benefits can turn out to be a complex undertaking for older adults and their family members. To help steer families through this process, here is an informative overview from the experts at Help at Home Senior Care.

Exactly what services are covered?

Ahead of submitting a claim, it is important to thoroughly read the long-term care insurance policy so that you can gain an understanding of the types of services the policy covers. If you do not have a copy of the policy, contact the provider to request one.

Even though all policies vary in what they cover, long-term care insurance normally covers non-medical services at home, provided assistance is necessary with a minimum of two or more activities of daily living, or the policyholder has been diagnosed with some type of cognitive difficulty, such as Alzheimer’s. Examples of the kind of care that long-term care policies may cover are:

• Personal care needs, such as bathing, showering and getting dressed
• Ambulation and transfers
• Using the bathroom and incontinence care
• Preparing meals and feeding
• Household chores
• And others

If you or a senior loved one is in need of help understanding the specifics of the policy, an insurance agent, elder care attorney or financial planner may be helpful.

Will all of the costs for care be covered?

While specific plans vary, each plan outlines the allowable monthly coverage, which is identified as the “present daily allowance,” and often includes a lifetime maximum ceiling. Policies also generally identify a particular duration of time for which the benefits are accessible, such as five years, or if the coverage is in effect for the remainder of the policyholder’s lifetime.

It’s also essential to review the long-term care plan’s elimination period. The elimination period is the time during which the cost of care needs to be paid out-of-pocket initially, until a specific amount of time has gone by. Though some plans specify a zero-day elimination, which means cost of care and coverage begin immediately, other policies can require as much as 120 days of care first.

Pick your care provider very carefully.

If you plan on filing a claim for long-term care insurance, it’s vital to work with a home care company with experience in billing long-term care insurance providers; otherwise, there is the potential that the claim might not be completely reimbursed. Help at Home Senior Care has experience with helping families access their long-term care insurance benefits and can provide the documentation required to help clients file claims correctly.

How can claims be filed?

In order to file a long-term care insurance claim, the following documents are normally necessary:

• A claimant’s statement (or policyholder statement) outlining the reasons for the claim
• A physician statement completed by the doctor, confirming that care is warranted
• A prescribed care plan and nursing evaluation
• A provider statement, completed by the home care agency
• An authorization form

After the claim has been completed and submitted, a phone interview is scheduled with the insurance company’s claims department, and after that the claim is either accepted or declined.

If you are seeking to receive home care services through a long-term care policy, reach out to Help at Home Senior Care. You can feel confident in knowing that we have years of experience in not just supplying expert care in the comfort of home, but also in aiding families with long-term care insurance claims and receiving the most out of their plan. To learn more about our respite care in Lincoln, CA and other nearby areas, call our team at (530) 885-7444.