St. Louis Home Health Care Reviews
Who do you turn to when you are recovering from surgery or when you need assistance dealing with a long-term illness? The best place to consider would be a home care service organization. You will find many advantages in dealing with such an organization, including assistance with errands, cooking, cleaning, and other household chores. Moreover, they will employ the best nurses, occupational therapists, and physical therapists.
If you are considering joining forces with a St. Louis personal care agency or hiring a St. Louis personal home health aide, then the best way to start is to know which questions are most appropriate to ask. We provide unbiased St. Louis home health care reviews. Consider some of the following:
Home Health Care In St. Louis
Qualifications
When You Need to Consider a Home Care Service Agency: Take a Look at Their Qualifications
Does the agency possess the appropriate state licensure? You should thoroughly investigate whether your state requires their home care service agencies to be licensed. Not all of them do. However, even if you are in a state that doesn’t have a state regulating body, there are still plenty of online review sites that might have entries for the agency in question.
Does this agency possess Medicare certification for all health and safety aspects? If not, you should question them on this.
Does the agency have a solid employee screening process? Can they provide solid references? Can they provide you with a list of medical professionals that have experience working with the agency?
If You Need to Consider a Home Health Care Aide: What Should You Look At?
Examine the personal qualifications of that particular home health care aide. Do they have a good attitude? Do they remain professional at all times? Does their demeanor make you and the rest of your family as comfortable as possible?
When You Need to Consider a Home Care Service Agency: Look at the Costs
First of all, how are the expenses and billing handled by this agency? Does it seem like they have an organized system? At the very least, they should have a pamphlet that fully explains all of their billing activities.
Investigate whether the fees will be covered by private insurance or by Medicare. This step is important because it will help you to understand all the needed requirements. For example, if the fees are being covered by Medicare, it is important to know if they require the patient to be home-bound.
Does the agency have resources for financial assistance? Do they offer a payment plan for any eligible patients? This is why you should get all of the cost and payment details in writing.
If You Need to Consider a Home Health Aide: Be Aware of Your Financial Responsibilities
First of all, how much does the home health aide charge for their services? What kind of services will you get for these fees? Additionally, you also should fully understand whether you will be responsible for their sick days, holidays, or other vacation days. You should also know whether you will have to be responsible for their social security and other payroll taxes.
Understand Their Services
Will the next-of-kin of the patient receive a written plan of care before the service begins? Will this plan include details such as care needs, medical equipment, specific care concerns, and the general responsibilities of the home health care unit? Will it include regular input from a doctor?
Is there going to be a list of all of the rights and responsibilities of all of the involved parties, otherwise known as a patient’s bill of rights?
Is the agency going to work directly with all involved parties?
Are you going to have a primary family caregiver identified? If so, what will that person be responsible for?
Does the organization provide round-the-clock care? If not, what is the schedule?
Does the organization have a plan in place for emergencies? In particular, you should ask them what procedures they have outlined in the event of a natural disaster or power failure.
How does this organization resolve problems and complaints? Ask how this procedure works.
When is the organization able to begin services?
Monitoring the Agency’s Home Care Services
It is important to be as organized as possible once you have found a good home care agency. You should keep notes and journals in order to assist you in continually monitoring the situation. You should discuss the issue with the appropriate official if you notice any type of red flag. Moreover, you should involve your loved one’s doctor in all proceedings.
What Are Some Good Expectations For Home Health Care?
The only way to start care is through doctor’s orders. You will need to have a referral from them before you can begin. Additionally, you should make sure everything is fully coordinated between the team of professionals, the patient, and their family. You should expect the health care facility to keep the doctor fully informed on the status of your loved one. The home health staff should report to the doctor as regularly as possible.
Understand All of the Things That a Home Health Care Staff Can Do
Finally, you should have a full understanding of all of the things that a home health care staff can do. They can do the following:
- Monitor your daily eating habits.
- Check your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature.
- Ensure that you are taking all of your prescriptions and other drugs correctly.
- Monitor your levels of pain.
- Teach you the steps you will have to take in order to properly care for yourself.
- Coordinate all of the needed steps in your care.
