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Tips to Understanding the Non Medicare Home Health Care Agency
A Guide For Our Aging Population
The non Medicare home health care agency will meet the needs of an aging population. Surveys of those over 50 years
old, consistently shows that nearly 90 percent of them want to remain in their homes and communities as they
age.
We are an aging population that is living longer and healthier than previous generations. So it is important to
plan and prepare for those years when we may need assistance of some kind.
Preparation and planning for those years should start while you are still well and able to make decisions about the
future. Many of the aging population ignore that there will be a need of any kind for assistance in the future.
Many will wait, until an emergency or crisis occurs, then they are ready to take action. For many, the lack of
planning and preparing means they will not be able to return to their home or their community. Many individuals
that have been placed in a nursing home are there because they did not plan for those unplanned events life throws
our way.
Consider all the possibilities
Preparing for remaining at home and in the community as we age requires identifying what we want to accomplish and
taking a look in to the future. It may not be a pleasant thought, but consider all the possibilities that you may
have to experience as you age. Don't count on family members to be there to assist you. Remember, you are looking
into the future and you do not know what the future will bring.
Will you need assistance with transportation, cooking, laundry, bathing or dressing? If these scenarios did occur,
how would you pay for the services you may need?
More on An Aging Population Guide to the non Medicare Home Health Care Agency...
Did you know that the present cost of having a non Medicare home health care agency today averages about $20 an
hour? That an assisted living facility can cost on average $36,000 a year. A nursing home can cost over $77, 000 a
year.
When planning and preparing for aging, it is important to consider how to pay for the services we are gong to
need.
Surveys of those over the age of 50 years old show that most aging adults want to do things on their own terms, in
their own way. They want to maintain control over their life as they age. Planning and preparing for the future
now, will allow you to maintain control over your situation as you age.
Is long term care insurance an option
Investigate long term care insurance. Contact a reputable company and discuss your options. It is important to ask
about home health care and a cost of living rider. Since we are an aging population that is living longer and
healthier, you cannot be sure when you may need those services. With the rising costs of healthcare you want to be
prepared and able to make you goal of aging at home a reality.
A non Medicare home care agency can provide a variety of services to support you to remain in your home as long as
possible. It is the goal of the home health care agency to determine your needs and provide you with the level of
service you require.
When the time comes for utilizing a non Medicare home health agency, it is important to interview several and
compare.
Some important things to look for in an agency are:
•Material that provides information on funding sources, eligibility requirements and fee schedule. Do they have an
annual report available to review about the company?
•Do they provide educational material to the aging adult, as well as to the family regarding health/mental health
conditions pertinent to the diagnosis of the aging adult?
•Are you part of a franchise? How long has the office been in business? Are you licensed by the state? Do you have
to participate and be surveyed by the state to maintain your licensure? If so, do you have results from your
survey?
•Can they meet any specific cultural or language needs of the aging adult?
•Do they offer ongoing case management services?
•Do they include the family in the plan of care? How often is the plan reviewed and revised?
The aging population will benefit from utilizing the non Medicare home health care agency in the future. It takes
planning and preparation so that you can be in control of your life as you age. Don't allow the health care system
to determine where and when you will live as you age.
by Diane Carbo -
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Diane Carbo Registered Nurse has more than thirty five years in the nursing field. Her experience as a geriatric
care manager, makes her uniquely qualified to help those who want to live out their lives in their own homes. That
decision may be made when you are 20, 30, 40 or in fact at any age, with sooner rather than later being ideal.
Please visit http//:http://www.aginghomehealthcare.com/home-health-care-agency.html and sign up for Aging Home
Health Care Ezine, her free newsletter, and receive a complimentary copy of the Home Health Care Planning
Guide.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diane_Carbo
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