Proposal Would Expand Support for Military Caregivers

Caregiver Support For Military Home Healthcare in Bellevue WA
By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2012 – First Lady Michelle Obama today announced a series of measures intended to increase the nation’s support for caregivers of wounded, ill and injured service members.

Joined by Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis and senior military leaders, Obama announced the Labor Department’s proposal to expand military family leave protections under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

These proposed rules will, in part, enable more military family members to take the time they need to care for their loved ones without fear of career repercussions, the first lady said.

“We want to recognize the extraordinary dedication, sacrifice and service of our nation’s caregivers, not simply with words, but with deeds,” Obama told the audience gathered at the Labor Department here. “These are men and women and children who will do anything for their loved ones, no matter the cost, no matter the sacrifice, no matter the consequences.”

The Labor Department’s proposed expansions of the Family and Medical Leave Act will help more caregivers of troops and veterans provide home care to their wounded loved ones, Solis explained. FMLA, enacted in 1993, enables eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons.

“Many service members come home stressed, ill and injured,” Solis said. “They need attention, care and support from the people that love them the most. And we’ve got an obligation as a nation to make that possible.”

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Andelcare is dedicated to providing quality and affordable home care support for your loved one. If you have questions, call us at 888-788-3051.

How to Understand the Differences Between Home Care and Home Healthcare in Seattle WA

Comprehending the distinction between home care and home healthcare can be tough at first. When an elderly family member first begins to require help, it can be a struggle to figure out which services are important and when. If the senior needs an injected medication or nursing care while recovering from an operation, then home healthcare is needed. If the elderly family member needs assistance in bathing, cooking or housekeeping, then home care can provide the support.

Home care and home healthcare are different in two ways.

Home care offers non-medical services and is not paid for by by Medicare, but some home care providers and agencies may be licensed by the states. Home care services are private pay services, meaning the patient or the patients family will pay personally for this type of care. On occasion long-term care insurance may pay for home care as well. Home healthcare, however, is medical care that is contained by health insurance or Medicare. To get home healthcare, a senior or a patient must always be homebound and in need of assistance of medical care as determined by a physician. Medicare might cover non-medical solutions done by a home health aide, but these services are only covered when additional medical care at home is needed. Normally these non-medical services take place at the same time as medical care visits.

Home care offers non-medical services to seniors and patients recovering from operations. Assistance in bathing and dressing are ordinary home care services. Other jobs home care workers deliver include light housekeeping, meal preparation, running errands and transportation. Guidance in walking or exercise and other light support to make life easier are supplied by home care professionals. As the population ages, home care agencies are proliferated to meet the large needs of the elderly who wish to continue to be in their homes, but who might need help to do so.

Home healthcare is doctor-prescribed, and is provided by skilled medical personnel such as nurses who can provide medication. Physical and occupational therapists may also be involved in the health care plan. Home health aides may be designated to support with activities of daily living. These services could be covered by Medicare as long as other medical care is also demanded.

Home care workers can give medication ticklers, but cannot administer the medication. Home care workers also assist with daily living activities such as cooking meals, light housekeeping, supporting with bathing, running errands and providing transportation to appointments. Home care services are privately funded by the patient, senior or their family. Long-term care insurance may also cover home care services.

If you are interested in how Andelcare can help your family with home healthcare in Seattle WA or the surrounding area, call our caregivers at 888-788-3051 for more information.

Home care agencies range from medical care to help with daily household chores. If you’re considering  hiring a home care agency in Bellevue WA, ask the following questions.

By Mayo Clinic staff

If you’re recovering from surgery or need long term care for a chronic illness — or you have a loved one facing a similar situation — you may be interested in the services of a home care agency. Home care services range from skilled care provided by nurses or therapists to household support, such as cleaning, cooking and running errands.

Whether you’re planning to enlist the help of a home care agency or hire a personal home health aide, knowing what questions to ask can help ensure that you receive quality assistance.

Qualifications

If you’re considering a home care agency:

• Is the agency licensed by the state? Most states — but not all — require agencies to be licensed and
• reviewed regularly. Reviews may be available on request through your state health department.
• Is the agency certified by Medicare to meet federal requirements for health and safety? If not, ask why.
• What type of employee screening is done? Can the agency provide references? Ask for a list of doctors, hospital discharge planners or other professionals who have experience with the agency, as well as a list of former clients. Ask doctors, family and friends for agency recommendations.
• Is the agency accredited by a governing agency such as The Joint Commission, an independent group that evaluates and accredits health care organizations and programs that voluntarily request review? If so, ask to see the results of the most recent survey.

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If you are researching options for a home care agency in the area of Bellevue WA, contact the caregivers at Andelcare. We are dedicated to providing the right care for your loved one. Call 888-788-3051 for more information.

5 Recommendations When investigating Home Care Agencies in Seattle WA

We are fortunate to live in a time frame where care at home is feasible for our loved ones as they age. Once limited to nursing homes,  home care agencies were often viewed as a last measure when family members could no longer handle the needs of their loved ones on their own. Home care makes taking care of our loved ones easy and comfortable. The ease of professional, skilled nursing assistants who go to see seniors in their, or their family’s, home, assures that the ideal care is given in cases where health or physical issues limit one’s capacity to care for themselves.

Home care agencies have popped up all over the country. The process of hiring an agency begins with proper investigation and taking the time to examine each agency in order to assess their level of quality, and their nursing staff’s experience, in relation to each family’s individual needs. It’s necessary that each family take the time to make sure the home care agency they employ are up to date in licensing requirements, and that their nursing staff are free from criminal backgrounds. This is primarily true if elder care will be provided when family members are not around to manage when skilled nursing staff comes to visit. A high sense of trust needs to be established between both parties in order to ensure a long-term, favorable, relationship.

The following five strategies are offered to those who are commencing their research into home care agencies for their elderly family members.

1. Referral Sources
Ask friends, family and co-workers for references to local companies they are familiar with. Ask about their personal experiences, good and bad. Contact the elder’s long term care insurance company and ask for referrals (if in-home care is covered by their plan.) You can even contact your family doctor and ask for local references. Your last choice is to try the web, but if you choose this route, make sure to spend extra time studying each company more thoroughly, as you won’t have personal experience to judge these companies by.

2. Background Checks
Once you’ve simplified a short list of companies you wish to investigate further, make sure to ask what types of assessment processes they put their nursing staff through prior to hiring them. Criminal background checks, credit checks, and checking individual references should be customary in all companies.

3. Staff Skills & Experience
Inquire as to what the minimum standards each company requires when hiring their care providers. Do they only hire college educated nurses? Are their care providers certified nursing assistants? Or, do they simply require that their staff have a background in helping care for the elderly? The more complex their requirements, the better care will likely be offered.

4. Company Reputation
Check with your local Better Business Bureau to analyze each company’s general rating. Do they have multiple complaints listed? Are there any remarkable criticisms? You can also try a typical search online by typing in the company’s name and the word “complaint” into any search engine to notice what comes up from the general public’s view.

5. Licensing
Be sure any company you manage has the proper city, county and state licensing up-to-date and in good standing. Eliminate the worry of hiring any company that is not legitimate in practice.

Finally, don’t be shy about asking many meticulous questions. All highly respectable companies pride themselves in customer satisfaction and should be happy to openly, and willingly, provide any and all information to prospective clients. Due diligence on your part will ensure a long-term, favorable experience for yourself and your family members.

If you and your family are researching home care agencies in Seattle WA or the surrounding area, contact the caregivers at Andelcare. We are a home care agency dedicated to providing quality and affordable care to our loved ones. Call 888-788-3051 for more information.

Providing Home Care Services in Bellevue WA
By Dr. Rose Windale, www.selfgrowth.com

As home care certainly offers more advantages than extended hospitalization, the number of households opting to hire home care services is steadily increasing. Most households consider home care services to be as efficient as hospital care, and in fact, home care can even provide more comfort and convenience not only to the patient but to the family as well.

Whether the patient is an elderly, infirm or a convalescing family member, home health care services provide valuable assistance to the client in the familiarity of their own home. As the home basically offers more warmth and security, there is no arguing that it is a conducive environment to nurture one’s health.

Home care services are of tremendous help in attending to the needs of an ailing family member, but equally important is the fitting choice for a home care provider, one that would be suitable to cater to the necessities of the patient. The choice for a fitting home care practitioner to provide efficient home care services for the aging and the ailing can be a crucial one. Home health care services vary according to the necessities of the patient. Home care practitioners may provide skilled care in accordance with the doctor’s recommendations. There may be instances when the home care services entail measures such as occupational and physical therapy as well as dialysis.

When skilled home care services are necessary, it may be essential to deploy certified health professionals such as therapists and nurses. When hiring a home practitioner, tasks such as housekeeping, meal preparations and running errands may be an inclusion to the home health care services provided. Through home care, a patient is allowed to live independently with the health professional serving only to offer monitoring, help and support. As the patient can be frail and the family
members preoccupied, home health care services may also require aid in the maintenance and upkeep of the home. In some cases, home care services can be customized to suitably cater to the client’s needs.

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For more information about home care services in Bellevue, Seattle and the surrounding areas, contact Andelcare. We are a home care agency devoted to caring for our aging loved ones in our community. Call 888-788-3051.

Home Care Services in Seattle WA: Are you or an aging loved one at the time in your life where you are starting out to have a look at the available choices for elder care or some form of home care services? Are you exploring your possible choices of how these kinds of home care services will be funded? Whether you are looking to hire home care today or in the near future, knowing what all your alternatives are will help you or an aging loved one be more confident knowing how these home care services will be handled.

Home Care services may include daily help with feeding, dressing and undressing, bathing, light housekeeping and medication reminders.

Social Security and Medicare

Social Security is a golden age fund and disability pension for disabled workers. The total amount each man or women will receive is influenced by the amount of money paid into the fund during his or her working years. If a spouse  passes away, the surviving husband/wife is entitled to widows or widowers pension. For nearly all of Americans, Social Security benefits will be their key means of net income when they retire.

Medicare

Medicare is accessible to most people age 65 and older. Medicare pays for home care services that belong to the category of “home healthcare” or “skilled care”. This means that the therapy must be provided by a professional, must be authorized by a physician and the care recipient must be home-bound in order to receive it. Medicare does not cover companion or private duty home care services.

Private Income

For many individuals, they may have a secure margin in their checking and savings account by which to finance home care services that they may need now or eventually. Any CDs attached to these accounts are also an added gain.

Retirement funds such as a 401(k), IRA, Keogh or other such types are options to consider also when deciding how much and which level of care is needed for the senior loved one.

Pension plans provided to employees of some companies have provided good cash flow for the retirees to live on and supplement other income they may have.

Stocks And Stock Mutual Funds

Some retirees are living off stocks or funds from the stock market. It is true that with the instability in the stock market of recent years, this is changing the way some individuals are looking at retirement income. There are still about 14 percent of retirees that have an income from this source.

Because of tax advantages for withholding stocks outside of retirement accounts and the income tax they must pay on withdrawals from the traditional 401(k)’s and IRA accounts, it is a good idea for seniors to have a good investment firm or certified financial planner helping them.

Home Equity

The equity earned on a home is another way of financing a retirement and any home care services needed in their advancing years. Sometimes the adult children are unable to provide all the care for their parents and must rely on some in-home care of their loved ones. This is just one more avenue that can be explored for possible means of financing home care services for the family. There are more advertisements than ever about reverse mortgage as a way of having a retirement fund. Most financial planners will advise this as a last resort only.

Veterans Aid & Attendance Pension

This pension allows for veterans and the surviving spouses financial support that are in need of home care services this includes individuals who are in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Medicaid or Medi-Cal

Medicaid or Medi-Cal (in California) is a state funded program for individuals that require home care services (IHSS), are in a skilled nursing or intermediate care home and do not have any other income other than Social Security benefits.

With just a little homework and financial planning, home care services for the elderly need not be a concern to the adult child. Whether the time is now or in the future, a seemingly difficult task is actually quite easy to navigate with proper planning.

If you or someone in your family has questions or needs help with home care services, contact the caregivers at Andelcare. We are a home care agency dedicated to providing the right care for your loved one. Call 888-788-3051.

Excerpted from The Comfort of Home for Chronic Lung DiseaseTM
By Caring.com Staff

Adapting the home for a person who is partially or fully disabled can be a difficult process or a simple process. In general, the more adaptations (changes) that can be made early on — with a view toward future needs– the easier life will be for everyone concerned. Few caregivers can afford to remodel a home totally, but doing  any preparation in advance for home care in Bellevue WA will help make a big difference.

Yet, it is important for readers to be aware of the “ideal” as they plan the changes that make sense for their situations.

The ideal home for the care of elderly or disabled persons is on one level (ground floor). Having more than one floor is all right as long as there is an elevator or other approved lift device. The ideal care home is laid out so that the caregiver and the person in care can see each other from other rooms.

Whether care will take place in your home or in the home of the person who needs care, the following factors must be considered:

• Is there enough room for both the person and items such as a wheelchair or walker?
• How accessible is the home if walkers or wheelchairs are used?
• Is a doctor, nurse, or specialist available to supervise care when needed?
• Is there a hospital emergency unit close by?
• Is the home environment safe and supportive and does it allow for some independence?
• Is money available to hire additional help?
• Is the person in question willing to have an in home care caregiver?
• Can the caregiver manage this role along with other family and personal responsibilities?

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For more information about home care for your aging loved one, contact Andelcare. We provide quality and affordable home care in Bellevue WA and the surrounding communities. Call us at 888-788-3051.

Could Your Loved One Benefit From Home Care in Seattle WA?

If you are the child of aging parents, you might be encountering some troubles. It can be tricky to take care of your own family, go to work each day, and take care of your elderly parents. The necessities can be too much, especially when you want to do what is right for your parents and make sure that your parents are taken care of even when you can’t be with them all of the time.

The fantastic news is that there is a choice that can help. You and your parents should give some thought to home care. Home care is a great choice for getting extra support for your aging loved ones. Home care is a type of care in which a healthcare professional or other skilled caregiver enters into your parents’ home to offer different services and types of care. You and your parents can decide how many hours each day aid is needed and which times of day your parents need the most aid.

You may devote a lot of time fretting about your parents when you can’t be with them. Your parents may not want to leave their home to go into a nursing home or assisted living facility. The solution to this concern is in-home care, which will allow your parents to stay in their own home where they are most at ease and will reduce some of your worry and stress about the scenario.

When you choose home care, the healthcare professional can relieve you of some of your duties. The caregiver can support your parents with basic skills such as bathing and getting dressed each morning. The caregiver can even assist your parents if they need help using the toilet.

As the child of aging parents, you might be concerned that your parents don’t have the ability to cook anymore, or you might be worried that your parents aren’t dining as well as they should be. A caregiver can help ease these worries by setting up meals and making sure they dine each day. You and your parents can even talk with the caregiver to go over your problems and put together a dietary plan that makes everyone feel better about your parents’ nutritional necessities.

If you choose to get in-home care for your aging parents, you can get more support in the area of home tasks. Most likely that you have been trying to keep your house clean as well as your parents’ home. This can be extremely difficult if you perform a full time job on top of everything else. When you retain a professional in the field of elder care, that person can help with light housekeeping duties, which include doing the washing.

Perhaps one of the best benefits of home care is that your parents will have some camaraderie during the day when you can’t be there. Your aging parents may be getting lonely, and you may be feeling worried because you can’t spend the amount of time with your parents that you dream you could. You can stop being remorseful that you aren’t with your parents and start feeling very good about realizing someone is with your parents who does care. In fact, a caregiver can even take your parents out of the house to doctor’s visits, the supermarket, the pharmacy, or just about anyplace your parents wants to travel.

Home care may be the program you and your parents need. Your parents can live independently, and you can get the supplementary help you will need to make sure your parents’ needs are being met. Just knowing that some person is there with your parents can ease some of the load from you.

If you or someone in your family needs home care in Seattle WA or the surrounding area, contact Andelcare. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable caregivers to our seniors, veterans and the disabled. Call 888-788-3051.

Written By : Denis Ashaue

Can Your Family Benefit From An In Home Caregiver in Bellevue WA?

For adult children the recognition of dementia can either be a slow process or it can be “WOW! Things have changed!” This coupled with honoring the loved ones wishes about staying at home can create a dilemma.

For those who are physically close to the person affected with dementia it can be hard to recognize the progress of the disease. The progress of the disease is generally slow and the day-to-day changes are slight. Some people get caught up in the denial approach where one would rather look the other way and rationalize the changes as “just aging”.

The “WOW! Things have changed” usually comes from someone who has been absent and re-enters into a person’s life only to realize the significant changes in their loved one’s ability to manage daily activities.

It is difficult to determine when a person affected with dementia should be placed in a memory center. The level of care the person is receiving and/or requires along with safety play a major role in this determination. In the event that everything is going well and the affected person live at home with a home care caregiver, there are certain precautions that should be taken to prevent a major crisis. Most people wait until a major incident has happened before taking action which may result in harm, even death to their loved one.

Wandering is a common symptom of the disease and can take place at any time. Dementia does not have a pattern for one to follow and changes can happen quickly with no indicators. It is not uncommon for the person to flee when the spouse is napping or asleep for the night. A few suggestions would be:

• ID tags should be sewn into the person’s clothing. In the event the person is found, this can help public officials return the person back home. Your local Alzheimer’s Association has a “safe return” program to help out in this area.
• Report to the local police department the address of your loved one and the disease. A patrol officer could identify your loved one and then return them back home.
• Install door alarms that will sound if the door is opened when activated. Local hardware stores or security stores will have these alarms.
• Place a stop sign on exit doors
• Obtain a DNA kit from the local police department and preserve a sample. In the event the person is confused or in the case of death this can be used to identify the person.

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If you would like more information about hiring a caregiver in Bellevue WA or the surrounding area, call Andelcare, 888-788-3051. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable in-home care to seniors, veterans and the disabled in our communities.

Caring for an aging parent who continues to lives in their home is tough. That is never more true than when the parent has serious health issues that need continual care. Despite what age a person is, it is not easy to give up self-reliance. That is why it is hard for children to talk to their aging parents about home care services. It is vital to find ways to go over caregiver services with parents in a relaxed tone that does not feel intimidating to them.

Guilt- Children find it hard to come to parents about caregiver stress they have been experiencing since taking on the project. Children often feel ashamed over thinking about care for their parents because their parents brought them up and the children feel as though they are letting their parents down if they need to bring in home care. The answer for these instances may be to choose respite care to come to the home and help for the time being. This will help test the waters to see how the parent does respond to having in-home care. The parent may willingly accept the offer of respite care to aid in daily elder care. This can conveniently rid the children of a guilty feeling that is not necessary to start with.

Tackling it Head-On- Beating around the bush when trying to talk to an elderly parent about elder care will result in not chatting about it at all. Have all the information necessary to detail to the parent what is included and all the good reasons that it is a smart move to hire elder care. The important information gathered should include costs as well as possible plans to cover the costs if insurance does not cover it. Several elderly people are on a fixed income and that is a thing that children should consider before conversing with their parents about respite care. Be soft but direct when approaching the subject.

Truth- The Reality of a parent requiring an in-home caregiver is significant to stress all through the chat.

Parents should be told that the children work full-time jobs, have kids to care for or whatever else that raises caregiver stress levels. Stress leads to bad communication skills and ultimately anger and bitterness over having to tackle the extra responsibility of caring for an elderly parent. When children take on the commitment of caring for an ill parent, the relationship often suffers greatly because of the stress related problems.

Worries- Be open and true with the elderly parent when he or she has concerns. The issues might seem like complaints or excuses, but they are real issues that the parent is feeling and should be addressed promptly.

Two of the main fears the parent might have are cost and having someone in the home who is a unfamiliar person. Do not make pledges that cannot be kept, but give advice gained by talking to a expert about it.

Adult children who are care taking of their elderly parents know early on that it is a daunting activity at best.

There are duties involved in caring for an elderly parent that are tough to handle. Children and parents should benefit each other when they can. There is a time to realize that an in-home caregiver is the best remedy. Be primed to take on the extra cost if the elderly parent cannot tackle the cost themselves. Some insurance companies will cover the cost in certain circumstances. Otherwise, arrangements have to be made financially if an in-home caregiver is the only remedy.

For more information about hiring a caregiver in Seattle WA for your aging loved one, contact Andelcare. We can help your family with all of your home care needs. Call 888-788-3051 today.