When considering home care, most people’s minds turn to assistance with bathing, meal preparation, moving and walking. And while that does represent a small sliver of services provided by a Medicare-certified home health agency, all of thee tasks are typically provided by a home care aide, or a nursing assistant.
Medicare-certified home care agencies, like Nightingale Homecare of Phoenix, also provide the skilled assistance of registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and dieticians; however, the services of a home care aide provide for the personal care needs of the patient, those necessary for individuals to continue to live safely at home, rather than moving to a facility. Patients who prefer to recover at home from an illness or a surgery, or those who want to remain at home while receiving care for a terminal illness, find the services provided by a home care aide to be invaluable.
We’re here to answer some of the top questions we receive about home care aides, and how they can help your senior loved one to remain as safe and independent as possible, right in the comfort of home.
- What exactly does it take to become a home care aide?
Home care aides often begin their career as a nursing assistant in a facility or clinic, and many of them acquire certification through the board of nursing in their particular state. Once a nursing assistant makes the decision to work in home health care, further training will be provided by the agency he or she works for, to learn the specialized care delivered to individual patients in the home. Because the home care aide works independently in the home, he or she is working under the strict direction of a nurse or therapist and following a care plan developed by the professionals involved in the patient’s care.
- Who pays for a home care aide?
Through the Medicare benefit, home care aide visits are limited to about one hour, and visits are usually provided one to three times per week, depending on the needs of the patient. The number of visits received is determined by Medicare criteria. Home care aides are also available through private pay, in which case the number of hours per day or week is determined by the patient’s needs or preference.
- What services can a home care aide assist with?
Services provided by a home care aide can include any or all of the following:- Assistance with bathing and dressing
- Medication reminders
- Assistance with transferring and walking
- Assistance with physical therapy exercises
- Assistance with meal preparation
- Assistance with laundry and light housekeeping
Home care aides are an integral part of Nightingale’s home care team, and most patients who have had their assistance express to us that they don’t know what they would do without them.
A top Phoenix home care agency, Nightingale Homecare will be happy to talk with you further about the services of our home care aides, and how they may be able to help you. We are experts with in-home supportive care services and have helped many people that are having difficulty managing at home. Contact us any time at 602-504-1555 to learn more and determine if we offer care in your specific area.
