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Saturday, August 12, 2017
In-home care is one of the greatest long-term needs for seniors with chronic illness or for those who are unable to attend to themselves. Private duty home care is one option that may fit your loved one's needs. This type of home care can come from an agency or you may hire a private caregiver. The question is: What is private duty home care?
Private duty home care is just a subset of general home care. Caregivers can provide a broad range of services, from medical and nursing care to bill paying and transportation services. Their goal is to provide whatever the senior and their family needs in order for them to remain independent in their own homes. Some services provided by private duty home caregivers are:
- Personal care - bathing/dressing, hygiene, transfers, and ambulation
- Homemakers/companions
- Meal preparation
- Medication reminders
- Caregivers trained for clients with specialized conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease, hospice, end of life or other needs
- Transportation for shopping, doctor's visits or other needs
Private duty home care may differ from traditional home care because of the payment method. Also known as insurance-paid in-home services, there are usually two types of approaches for payment:
- Full coverage medical insurance where the insurance company pays the claims for their customers
- Medicare supplemental insurance where a medical insurance policy either supplements the customer's Medicare insurance or takes the place of Medicare insurance
With private duty paid in-home services, some patients pay for in-home services out of their own pocket, or from a long term care insurance policy. Additionally, there are a number of hybrid forms of payment methods including various combinations of the commonly used insurance, Medicare, Medicaid and private duty. Private duty home care is a great way for your loved one to stay independent and receive professional care. Being looked after by a professional also inserts a new companion in your loved one's life.
So now when someone asks, "What is private duty home care?" you can confidently provide an answer. For more information on what private duty home care includes, visit Private Duty Home Care Association at www.pdhca.org, or contact a Comfort Keepers representative to help you find a location offering these services near you.
