Stylios Alton Trachanas - Types of Health and Home Care Services to Choose From

Home care services are confused with hospice facilities, but there are extreme differences between them, and it is important to understand what they are.

Hospice care is for those who are terminally ill, and who have received all the chemotherapy, radiation, and other treatments possible for extending life, but now wish to discontinue treatment with the exception of pain medication, and live out the remainder of their lives in peace and comfort with loved ones nearby. Stylios Alton Trachanas says hospice care encourages the family and patient to make the decisions, such as remaining at home, the hospital, or a nursing center. Hospice services usually offer twenty four hour care.

Often, in the case of long term illnesses or a recent surgery which will take some time to heal, those over fifty five may need home care services in order fully recover.

This type of care usually involves services such as assisting with cleaning, folding laundry, transportation to the grocery or doctor's appointments and assisting with physical support as well as giving medications if necessary.

When seeking someone to provide home care services, it is important that the person be qualified and especially a caring, compassionate person. Not all caregivers need to be certified when assisting with household duties, but when medications or lifting are included as necessary tasks, certification as a licensed nurse's aide is necessary.

Stylios Alton Trachanas says checking references from the provider, in addition to observing how the employees interact with the elderly and those who are physically challenged, will yield the results needed to make the decision on which caregiver one wants to entrust with their loved one.

Companions are caregivers who do not have training in administering medications or nursing, but who assist by providing services like that of a friend. Companions keep the person company in cases where he or she should not be left alone for any period of time for safety reasons. Often, this is when the person is recovering from surgery or an illness.

The companion may read to them, set the channels on the television for them, or play a board game - whatever will help the patient feel more at ease. Companions help to comfort their charges and will report any medical issues to the nursing caregiver in charge.

Stylios Alton Trachanas - Making Sure That Your Home Health Care is High Quality

Anytime you are going to make an important purchase it is good to talk it over with friends or family as well as to check into it to ensure that you have all of the information that is necessary for you to make a well informed decision. This also holds true with home health care. Stylios Alton Trachanas says if you are in search of a home health care provider then there are some questions that you should ask to help you on your way.

What to Ask

How long have the agencies that serve your community been in operation?

Are there brochures available that explain not just the services offered but also the costs involved?

Are the agencies in question approved by Medicare?

Have the agencies in question attained accreditation from one of the national accrediting bodies? This could include the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

If a license is required to practice in your area, do the agencies you are looking at have the required licenses?

Is there a document that describes the responsibilities as well as the rights of both the patient and the agency?

Will the agency in question draw up a care plan that is personalized to the patient and will this plan be updated on a regular basis?

Are there supervisors who oversee the care in order to ensure the quality of care?

Are there members of the agency staff on call 24 hours a day every day if they are needed?

How does the agency in question ensure the confidentiality of the patient's information?

Agency or Independent Home Health Care?

If you decide to go with care that is provided by an individual as opposed to going through an agency, the need to thoroughly screen the candidate is even more important. This includes conducting an interview with the person in question in order to ensure that they are qualified to perform the duties necessary. Always ask for references too. Stylios Alton Trachanas can prepare for this interview by listing any of the needs that the patient has and asking to make sure that the candidate can provide for those needs.

It doesn't matter if you decide to go with a home health care aide who is independent or if you go through an agency, it will always help if you can spend at least a bit of time preparing for whoever will be coming to care for the patient. In an ideal situation you might be able to spend a few hours with the aide before the job actually starts so that you can let them know everything that there is to know about the daily schedule for the patient. Here are some of the things that they might need to know:

What are the patient's injuries or illnesses and what to do in case of an emergency

What are the patient's likes and dislikes?

What medications is the patient on and what is the dosage schedule?

Does the patient have a need for a walker, cane, glasses, dentures, etc?

Does the patient exhibit any sort of behavioral problems and how they should be dealt with

By taking these things into consideration and making sure that all of your questions have been answered and that you have fully informed the home health care aide about the patient, you can rest easy about your decision.