Private Duty Care: What You Need to Know Before Hiring a Caregiver

Author

Home Instead

For more information about the author, click to view their website: Home Instead

Posted on

Aug 02, 2023

Book/Edition

Florida - Southwest

Share This

For various reasons, home care has become one of the most popular long-term care options for seniors living in Naples. Typically provided through a licensed home care agency, private duty care falls under the much broader in-home eldercare umbrella. As a vested family member or potential recipient, you must also understand that private duty home care is not the same as home healthcare. If you still have questions about private duty care and whether it’s right for you, the remainder of this article should provide the answers you need.  

What is Private Duty Care?

As one type of home care, private duty care is a service typically provided to elderly or disabled individuals who require assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs). Private duty aides assist clients with daily tasks such as housecleaning, meal preparation, companionship, and bathing. The overall goal of private duty care is to help seniors and others remain safe, comfortable, and independent in their private residences.

As opposed to moving into a nursing home or assisted living community, private duty care is an ideal way for you or your loved one to remain independent while receiving the care that’s needed.

The average private-duty caregiver is trained to provide these services:

  • Personal care (bathing, dressing, hygiene, transfers, and ambulation)
  • Food shopping, preparation, feeding assistance, and cleanup
  • Light housework and homemaking services
  • Medication reminders
  • Transportation for doctor’s appointments, shopping, etc.
  • Respite care to give informal caregivers a break.
  • Specialize care such as Hospice, dementia, Alzheimer’s, etc.

Who Pays for Private Duty Care?

Private duty care may also differ from traditional home care because of the payment method. Sometimes called “insurance-paid home care services,” there are two main types of payments:

  1. Full-coverage medical insurance where the insurance provider pays claims for their customers.
  2. Medicare supplemental insurance is where a medical insurance policy either supplements or replaces the customer’s Medicare insurance.

With private duty-paid home care services, some clients (or families) pay out of pocket for the services or use a long-term care insurance policy. Hybrid forms of payment are also available, including combinations derived from Medicare, Medicaid, private duty, and other commonly used types of insurance.

How to Maximize Your Private Duty Care Experience

Once you’ve hired a professional caregiver through a reputable home care provider, you’ll still need to create a care plan that addresses your or your loved one’s present and future needs.

Use these tips to get the most out of your private duty services:

Prioritize your loved one’s caregiving needs

Based on the provider’s initial care assessment, compile a prioritized list of caregiving needs by ranking them in order of importance. For instance, you may want Dad to eat healthier this year or for Mom to get out of the house more to socialize with others.

While compiling your home care “to-do” list, don’t forget to also respect your loved one’s wishes now and if their condition would happen to grow worse. As an aside, you can also use this same approach to help them prepare for long-term objectives like advance care planning, estate planning, financial planning, or funeral planning.

Form a private duty “dream team.”

When thrust into the role of a family caregiver, the tendency is to try and do everything yourself. But embarking on this journey alone can be overwhelming and lead to significant physical and emotional consequences resulting in caregiver burnout.

Along with Mom’s private duty caregiver, form a caregiving team comprised of trusted family members, community volunteers, and friends. Inventory all resources at your disposal and assign tasks based on each member’s skills and availability.

Then, recruit specialists like doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, dieticians, and pharmacists to fill in any remaining caregiving gaps. Eldercare specialists like elder law attorneys, benefits counselors, financial advisors, and certified public accountants can also be reliable additions to your care team. A geriatric care manager can offer valuable insight for organizing, monitoring, and facilitating your loved one’s care as their needs become more complex.

Communicate openly and often

Keeping with the last point, communication is always key when partnering with a home care provider. Don’t hesitate to ask your loved one’s caregiver for periodic updates on their condition and changing needs. Once you’ve discussed their health status, be sure to share what you’ve learned with other family members.

Most reputable home care agencies will provide periodic updates and offer caregiving advice – for instance, ways to modify your loved one’s home to create a safer living environment.

Do periodic caregiving assessments

In addition to updates from the provider, don’t be afraid to personally assess how well the home care is going. Be sure to ask your loved one for input along with other vested family members. If the current private duty caregiver is not adequately meeting your senior’s needs – or their personalities don’t click – discuss the situation with a supervisor so that they can find a suitable replacement.

Fill in any remaining caregiving gaps

If your care plan still has holes, don’t hesitate to fill them with outside resources like a meal delivery service, online pharmacy, ride-sharing service, or adult day care. Your local Area Agency on Aging (AAA) can also be an invaluable resource for locating eldercare services you may otherwise not be familiar with.

Flexible In-Home Private Duty Care for Seniors in Naples

When your loved one needs assistance, contact Home Instead Senior Care. We are a fully licensed and insured home care provider with highly trained professionals who are experts at delivering the nurturing your loved one deserves. While serving as an extended family in your senior’s home, our compassionate caregivers can perform various services including Private Duty Care, Personal Care, Dementia Care, Companionship Care, medication reminders, and even Live-In Care and 24-Hour Care.

While assisting clients in NaplesFort Myers, and Charlotte County, our agency’s focus is maintaining your loved one’s quality of life, along with their dignity, self-esteem, and independence. For your added convenience, all our in-home services can be individually personalized into an affordable package when and where you need them!

Please visit www.homeinsteadswfl.com now to learn more about us or schedule a FREE initial consultation for a senior in our service area.

Other Articles You May Like

The Importance of Regular Health Check-ups for Seniors

In the journey through the golden years, regular health check-ups emerge as a cornerstone of proactive senior care, offering a vital means of maintaining overall well-being. As our bodies naturally undergo changes with age, routine health examinations become essential for early detection and prevention of potential health issues. Regular check-ups enable healthcare professionals to monitor key indicators such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and glucose levels, providing invaluable insights into an individual's cardiovascular and metabolic health. Detecting and addressing these factors early on can significantly reduce the risk of chronic conditions, ensuring seniors can lead healthier and more active lives.Moreover, regular health check-ups serve as a proactive approach to holistic senior care, encompassing not only physical but also mental well-being. Cognitive health assessments, screenings for conditions like osteoporosis, and discussions about mental health concerns are integral components of these check-ups. By fostering open communication between seniors and healthcare providers, these examinations create opportunities for personalized care plans and the management of age-related health challenges. In essence, the importance of regular health check-ups for seniors extends beyond the diagnosis of illnesses; it embodies a commitment to preventive care, early intervention, and the promotion of a higher quality of life in the later years.

Home Care vs. Home Health Care: Whats the Difference?

The decision to seek senior care services for a loved one can feel overwhelming. With so many options to choose from, you want to make sure you choose only the best for the person you love. This is especially true if youre worried about honoring your loved ones wishes to keep living at homewhich is important to nearly 90% of adults. If you want to make aging in place a reality, youve likely come across two similar senior care options: home care and home health care.Home Care vs. Home Health Care: A Comparison GuideWhile these terms may sound alike, they actually refer to two different services. To help you get a better idea of what these services are and which is best for your family, ComForCare has created this helpful guide.What is Home Health Care?Home health care is a service that provides medical care in a persons home or place of residence. A doctor may prescribe home health care for a person who is recovering from surgery or illness as an alternative to staying at a skilled nursing facility.In these situations, a medically licensed caregiver will arrive at your home, usually for a few hours per week, to help care for your loved one. They can perform necessary medical services during these times, such as:Medication administrationWound care, shots, and IV administrationSpeech, occupational, or physical therapyWhat is Home Care?Home care aides offer personal care services to support seniors who dont have serious medical concerns. These services are flexible, meaning they can provide as much or as little care as a person needs and on a schedule that works best for them. Typically, home care is not prescribed by a doctor but is instead used as a way to help seniors age in place safely.Home caregivers can offer numerous support services, including:Personal care, including bathing, dressing, toileting, and groomingLight housekeeping & choresTransportation to doctor appointments, shopping, and moreMeal planning & preparationCompanionshipThe Benefits of Home CareHome care offers numerous, deeply meaningful benefits for older adults who require assistance with some aspects of daily life, but do not require skilled nursing care. Can Supplement Home HealthcareSome families choose to supplement a home health program with home care to cover gaps in services. Because home health aides typically only visit for a few hours each week, seniors and their families often need extra support when those aides cant be there. ComForCare is ready to be part of your loved ones care team, stepping up to fill important roles whenever we are needed.Great for Seniors Who Need Support to Stay IndependentPlenty of older adults need some assistance around the house but dont require specialized medical or rehabilitative services. With ComForCare, your loved one can remain in familiar, comfortable surroundings safely. Our caregivers support seniors in numerous ways, from preparing nutritious meals to helping out with laundry to preventing fall risks. No matter what services you or your loved one needs, ComForCare can provide them with respect for independence and dignity.Flexible Care Whenever & However You Need ItSome families only need a short break from their own caregiving duties. Others hire caregiving services for their loved ones 24 hours a day. At ComForCare, each family receives a personalized plan designed to meet their needs, schedule, and personal preferences.Home health services are typically only offered for a set period of time. Once a person no longer meets strict eligibility requirements from their doctor or insurance provider, this kind of care comes to an end. Home care, on the other hand, can continue for as long as you need and want it to.We offer a range of in-home services to suit many levels of assistance, including:Remote patient monitoring (varies by location)Respite and short-term carePersonal in-home careIn-home care for Alzheimers Disease & other forms of dementiaDevelop a True Relationship with Your CaregiverHome care can be particularly important for older adults who are at risk of isolation or loneliness. The 2019 National Poll on Healthy Aging found that 1 in 3 seniors feel lonely, which has an impact on both their mental and physical well-being. Elder care can be an effective solution.At ComForCare, we are committed to making a meaningful difference in seniors lives. Part of the way we achieve this goal is our unique, patient-centered approach to caregiver matching. We match each of our clients with a caregiver that most closely aligns with their lifestyle, personality, and needs. When you choose ComForCare, youll never be just another name on a listyoull develop a real relationship with your caregiver.Support for Chronic Conditions, Including Memory Care for DementiaWhile home health care often provides medical monitoring, usually they monitor for very specific complications that may arise after a hospital stay or serious illness. But other aspects of wellness can also benefit from having a home care aides ongoing perspective. ComForCares caregivers are trained to watch for signs of progression in chronic conditions and illnesses, from heart disease to Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Through our premier DementiaWise training program, our employees learn how best to help seniors and their families cope with dementia, navigate its challenges, and optimize the time that families can spend together as the disease progresses.Finding Home Care ServicesIf youre not sure what level of care your loved one needs, reach out to your local ComForCare. Our highly trained and compassionate teams can help you assess your needs and recommend a solution that fits your familys budget and lifestyle. With a wealth of resources and team members who are passionate about helping seniors in their communities, ComForCare is your partner in living your best life.Choose ComForCare: Compassionate Senior Care in the Comfort of Home. Call us today with any questions, 720-575-5576.

The Benefits of Home Care: Help for Families Faced with Long-Term Care Needs

Deciding what type of long-term care loved ones need when they are no longer able to live totally independently is an important decision that should not be considered lightly. If given the option to live ones golden years in an institutional setting or in ones own home, the majority of people would choose their own homes.There are many instances when home care is a perfectly appropriate and less expensive care choice than nursing home placement or a permanent move to a retirement or assisted living facility.When making a long-term care decision for a sick, elderly or frail family member, it is useful to understand the benefits of in-home care services, explained Ralph Laughton, President of Heart, Body & Mind Home Care. Whether only a small amount of assistance is needed to help avoid a future crisis, or home care is required in the aftermath of a fall or acute illness, home care enables one to reside and recuperate in comfortable, familiar surroundings. Heart, Body & Mind Home Care wants to help educate the local community on the advantages of choosing home care in these types of situations.In-home care helps a frail person to live independently for as long as possible, given the limits of his/her medical condition. It covers a wide range of services and often delays the need for long-term nursing home care or serves as an aging in place solution to help seniors stay in their homes. Home care services can include:Household chores such as cleaning and preparing meals;Personal care that is non-medical, such as bathing, dressing or moving around the house;Health and medical care, such as a nurse, home health aide, or physical therapist; andSocialization through personalized Life Enrichment Activities.Theres No Place Like HomeHomes are often havens to people, representing an environment of familiarity and comfort. Home care promotes healing research demonstrates that patients heal more quickly and comfortably at home versus in a hospital or nursing home setting and there is significantly less chance of re-hospitalization when recuperation is at home. Additionally, making a decision to move into a facility and sell a home is an unalterable decision, once completed.More for Your MoneyAccording to the Genworth Annual Cost of Care Survey, on average, the annual cost to stay in a nursing home far exceeds the annual cost for home care. A good rule across the board is that eight hours a day or less of home care will be less expensive than moving elsewhere. Many people fail to realize that nursing home care and other types of long-term care are not covered by Medicare.Providing Peace of MindHome care services are delivered one-on-one, assuring more private attention than in a nursing home or a facility. There is no waiting for ones turn when care is needed. Also, using a home care agency such as Heart, Body & Mind Home Care that carefully screens and trains all caregivers and provides ongoing supervision can help provide families with peace of mind that their loved ones are in good hands.Home Care Technology that Keeps Clients Safe & ConnectedWhen an older adult or disabled individual lives alone or at a distance from family and close friends, its natural for family members to be concerned about safety and to want to feel a part of his or her care. At Heart, Body & Mind Home Care, we work with leading home care technology companies to help ensure that clients are matched with the right caregivers and to help families stay connected to their loved ones and learn more about home care services and aging care issues.Assurance of a Healthy LifestyleA home caregiver can be effective in promoting and ensuring a healthy lifestyle. Home caregivers produce healthy and nutritional meals that appeal to the individual and can also keep a close eye on the amount of food eaten. In addition, a personalized daily exercise program can be implemented and followed through, with the added safety of a qualified professional caregiver being present.Dignity + Independence = Higher Quality of LifeIn-home care fosters dignity and independence, important ingredients for a happy lifestyle. Home care (in particular, private pay home care) can offer personalized care tailored to the needs of the family and individual on any given day, whether the needs are as simple as companionship or more complex, such as personal care. With the additional benefit of accompaniment on transportation to and from various appointments, social activities or errands, home care allows families more free time together.Determining the best options for a loved ones care can be a difficult process, but there are many resources available to aid in ones decision. For more information on in-home care options available and guidance on whether in-home care is an appropriate option for a particular situation, contact Heart, Body & Mind Home Care.About Heart, Body & Mind Home CareHeart Body & Mind Home Care is committed to the principle that it takes more than just effort to provide care to another human being it takes heart. Our hearts are in all that we do. If you are interested in learning more about our compassionate home care and wellness services in Southwest Florida, including Lee, Collier, Charlotte and Sarasota Counties, please Contact Us at (866) 488-1485.Further information can be found on our web site at www.HBMhomecare.com. 

Local Services By This Author

Home Instead

Non-Medical 11181 Health Park Blvd., Ste. 3060, Naples, Florida, 34110

Home Instead can help with compassionate, senior home care services. Non-medical home care focuses on helping seniors with the daily activities they need to engage in to remain safe and healthy. Many seniors need help to get their day started with preparing breakfast and reminding to take their medications. Likewise, help before bedtime, or even overnight, can be an important safety precation for seniors at home who often are more apprehensive at nighttime. One of the most important needs of a senior who lives alone is often simple companionship. The companionship component of a professional caregiver's job can be just as vital as the physical assistance a professional will provide.

Home Instead

Home Health 11181 Health Park Blvd., Ste. 3060, Naples, Florida, 34110

Home Instead  can help with compassionate, senior home care services. Non-medical home care focuses on helping seniors with the daily activities they need to engage in to remain safe and healthy. Many seniors need help to get their day started with preparing breakfast and reminding to take their medications. Likewise, help before bedtime, or even overnight, can be an important safety precaution for seniors at home who often are more apprehensive at nighttime. One of the most important needs of a senior who lives alone is often simple companionship. The companionship component of a professional caregiver's job can be just as vital as the physical assistance a professional will provide.