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Home Care Introduction
New Jersey Home Care
An unforeseen event such as a fall, stroke or illness is not something one is able to anticipate. In other cases, members of our elder community regularly endure chronic or degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Planned or unplanned, these unfortunate events will likely impact the health of a senior as well as their ability to perform daily activities on their own.
More often than not, seniors will prefer to age in the familiar surrounding of their home for as long as possible. If the need for care becomes overwhelming and a family cannot provide it all on their own, one option is to hire a caregiver trained in providing assistance with personal care and homemaker tasks. These tasks typically include:
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
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bathing
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dressing
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hygiene
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feeding
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ambulation
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transferring
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elimination
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maintaining continence
Instructional Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
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light housekeeping
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meal preparation and diet
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medication reminders
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laundry
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linen changes
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shopping and errands
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companionship
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safety precautions
Whether seniors are looking to arrange a weekly bath visit or hire a full-time caregiver, home health care offers flexible options for arranging services. To help choose the best home care option, families will need to understand the following:
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Level of Assistance: Perform a home care assessment to measure a senior's ability to perform functional activities.
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Daily Routine: Determine the frequency of home care (days and hours) based on when assistance is needed.
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Type of Care: Decide if home care services should be set up on an hourly or live-in basis.
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Caregiver Support: Hire a licensed home care provider or a private caregiver to set up and manage home care services.
When seniors and their families contact Boardwalk Homecare, we will provide comprehensive information about elder care services including factors that influence suitability, available programs, costs, funding sources to reduce out-of-pocket expenses, benefits, limitations, best practices, and government regulations.
In addition, all families are welcome to a complimentary copy of our New Jersey Guide to Home Care booklet which serves as the most all-inclusive home care reference for New Jersey residents.
Home Care Preparation
Home Care Preparation
Once the scope of work is completed, seniors and their families will begin making arrangements for setting up home care which includes hiring a qualified caregiver such as a certified home health aide (CHHA). To mitigate risk and liability, it is important to understand the difference between each hiring option as well as to know the legal employer responsibilities.
Caregiver compatibility is a key component in achieving a favorable outcome for home care services. Matching a home care recipient with the most qualified caregiver requires effective recruiting, screening, and staffing methods. At a minimum, analyzing the needs and preferences of both the care recipient and the caregiver is a good place to start.
Boardwalk Homecare’s human resource and case management departments spend a significant amount of time reviewing success factors our home care agency uses to determine caregiver compatibility. For families hiring a private caregiver, here are some basic steps to review:
Recruiting: Determine the best method for locating hourly or live-in caregivers and identify baseline requirements including criminal background checks, updated immunizations, work history, legal working status and professional certifications.
Screening: Choose a neutral location to conduct in-person interviews and create a mechanism for evaluating caregivers based on your qualifiers which might include appearance, communication, work experience, demeanor, etc.
Staffing: Confirm the caregiver has the right level of expertise to meet the needs of the senior care recipient such as experience with cognitive impairment, ability to handle maximum assist transfers, willingness to drive, etc. In addition, make sure the caregiver is also accepting to all aspects of the home environment such as multiple family members living with the care recipient, house pets, a smoking habit, etc.
In addition to hiring a licensed home care agency or a private caregiver, there are other items families should examine before setting up home care services. Helping address the senior’s acceptance of care, ordering the necessary medical equipment and personal care supplies and modifying parts of the home for disabled persons all play an important part in home care success.
Boardwalk Homecare’s New Jersey Guide to Home Care booklet was created to provide families with information about home care options, preparation and management. In addition, our case managers are always available to help families navigate home care services.
Home Care Management
Home Care Management
When a caregiver provides dependable home care services for a senior, it can make all the difference in helping them live independently in the comfort of their own home. Unfortunately, most families have little experience in overseeing and directing caregivers to help address their own needs or the needs of a loved one. For families electing to hire a private caregiver over a licensed home care provider, supervision and care management can be a challenging task.
Part of achieving home care success is creating an environment that allows the caregiver’s personal and job-related qualities to flourish. Families can obtain what they desire – the very best in home care – by giving the caregiver what they desire – a rewarding work experience. A true win-win situation starts with an orientation meeting to manage expectations and discuss ground rules during the onset of care.
At the orientation meeting, Boardwalk Homecare’s case management team will spend time going over our Home Care Policy Manual, which accounts for a varying degree of possible home care situations and makes sure everyone involved has a clear understanding of expectations, roles, responsibilities and procedures. In addition, our case managers act as the single point-of-contact to manage the client-to-caregiver relationship as well as proactively look for ways to improve the quality and continuity of care.
"A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
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