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Home | Home & Family | Elderly Care This can be an uncomfortable and sometimes tense situation. One thing you'll want to be certain you consider is a qualified home heath agency rather than a nursing home or care center. Almost without exception, patients will do better when treated at home than in any other environment. Qualified home health agencies will typically offer a wide variety of care services, from simple daily assistance with tasks such as bathing, fixing meals and light housework, to full-time skilled nursing and even hospice care. Other home health agencies are quite limited in their services. It's a good idea to select a home health agency that can provide the additional services your loved one may need in the future. This is an important consideration as your loved one advances in years and becomes less able to cope with normal daily activities. It is comforting to know that the home health agency you have selected can continue to provide care and your family member won't have the added stress of moving or becoming accustomed to new care givers. Family Home Care & Hospice (FHC) headquartered in Spokane, WA is an excellent example of the type of home health agency that can provide the breadth of services needed to accommodate the patient's increasing needs. "We have specifically planned our service offerings so that we can continue to serve patients in their homes for as long as medically practical," explained Michael Nowling, President of FHC. "All our experience points to better outcomes for both the patient and the family if they can be effectively cared for within their own homes." Medicare keeps records on home health agencies and has recently recognized Nowling and FHC as one of the top one percent of home health agencies in the state of Washington and also among the top three percent of home health agencies in the nation. The recognition, which is based on monitoring of patient outcomes, lends credence to Nowling's commitment to providing the types of services which will keep patients at home as long as possible. The Medicare database is available online at http://www.medicare.gov/HHCompare/home.asp. Visiting the site will allow you to compare patient outcome statistics of any qualified home health agency you may be evaluating. Most patients will do very nicely utilizing the standard list of services offered by a qualified home health agency, but sometimes specialized services may be required. It is a good idea when evaluating your home health agency selection, to ask what specialized services are available. The chances of your loved one needing these services may be small, but if such a need ever arises you'll find comfort in knowing that your chosen agency can deliver those services. Specialized treatments or services may include primary care medical services, enteral therapy or wound care specialists. Staffing a home health agency is a never ending difficulty. As a result, the best agencies have developed well defined criteria for employment and perform extensive screening of employees. Keeping good employees also requires a specialized effort in education and training. It is perfectly appropriate for you to ask your prospective home health agency how they handle recruiting and staffing issues. "It's tough to get a job at FHC," noted Nowling, "but we're not sorry about that. In fact, that's the way it should be. We've built a great organization as a direct result of our strict qualifications and hiring protocols. We have a staff of professionals who hold themselves to the highest standards of practice and patient care and we support them in that effort. They work hard. They love their patients and it shows. They tend to stay at FHC much longer than is the average for home health agencies. This translates into better outcomes for patients and is a large part of the reason we've been so highly ranked by Medicare." With regard to the skill levels and training of home health staff, it is a good idea to find a home health agency that places an emphasis on keeping their people trained in the latest therapies and techniques. "Much of the highly technical medical devices can now be used in a home setting," continued Nowling. "It's part of our mission to keep our staff in touch with all the most recent improvements in health care delivery." It goes without saying that insurance coverage is a critical consideration in your home health agency selection process. Most agencies accept Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance, but it is always best to ask specific questions not only of your potential home health agency, but also of your insurance company. Combing through the legalese of your insurance policy may not always get your question answered. It is often better to simply ask a customer service representative at your insurance carrier. If you haven't been taking notes as you read, here is a handy checklist: Find a qualified home health agency or two for your list Determine what their standard services will be Ask what specialized services are available Check out your selections by visiting: http://www.medicare.gov/HHCompare/home.asp Evaluate their screening and hiring of new employees Ask about their staff training programs Find out what insurance coverages are applicable If you're one of the "sandwich" generation, then you owe it to your parents or loved ones to thoroughly investigate all your health care options. Make sure that home health agencies are on your list. Chances are your parent or loved one will be grateful you did. Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com
Serving the Inland Northwest for more than 4 decades, Family Home Care & Hospice is synonymous with Spokane home care. FHC's history of positive outcomes gained recognition by Medicare as being among the top 1 percent of agencies in Washington.
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