Live Free Home Health Care, LLC. - Bristol, New Hampshire

All posts within: in-home care providers

Monday, May 24, 2010

Random acts of kindness ARE contagious!

You’ve heard that a spirit of kindness and generosity can spread to others, but did you know that it’s actually been proven? A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports that for people who have experienced generosity, not only does the spirit of generosity persist in them, but they also pass it on to others. This causes a ripple effect of kindness and generosity, in an ever expanding circle of people.

At Live Free Home Health Care, we believe in random acts of kindness every day! Our top-notch caregivers are carefully selected to make sure they possess special qualities such as patience, understanding, respect, and good listening skills….those we would feel comfortable with in our own home. Give us a call at 603-217-0149 to find out more about our services. In the meantime, take a moment to spread some random joy and generosity and start your own ripple effect for humankind.

Read more about the study in our May Live Free Home Health Care newsletter.

Tags:   caregiver tips, home care, home health care, in-home care providers, long-term care

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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

How to set the stage for a good night’s rest

As we get older, our circadian clocks get off….making it difficult to obtain a solid night’s rest on a regular basis.

Here are some tips to encourage your body to get a healthy sleep:

· Maintain a regular bed and wake time schedule, including weekends.

· Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath or hot tub and then reading a book or listening to soothing music.

· Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable, and cool.

· Sleep on a comfortable, supportive mattress and pillows.

· Use the bedroom only for sleep.

· Finish eating at least 2-3 hours before bed.

· Exercise regularly—just do it a few hours before bedtime.

· Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol close to bedtime.

Contact Live Free Home Health Care to find out more information on how to get a healthy, restful night’s sleep and to learn about respite care and how we can help a family caregiver avoid the complications of sleep deprivation.

Tags:   caregiver tips, eldercare, in-home care providers, long-term care

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Looking for a Home Care Bargain?

Beware: Some types of care hide expensive implications

As the economy struggles, it’s hard to avoid the sordid stories of scammers and criminals preying on the weak and vulnerable. When it comes to the frail elderly, the stories of exploitation are doubly unsettling. For those whose loved ones are cared for in their own homes, some dark questions may linger: Are you inadvertently putting your loved ones at risk? Who are you inviting into your loved ones’ homes to care for them? How do you ensure their safety and wellbeing in home care situations that are mostly unsupervised care settings?

Live Free Home Health Care is raising awareness and educating the local community about various home care options as well as potential risks and liabilities associated with hiring an independent contractor or using a registry for home care. While everyone likes a bargain, especially in tough financial times, when it comes to home care, selecting the cheapest price for care can result in some very expensive implications.

There are several models of in-home care providers, and their similarities and differences can be confusing. We believe it is important for people to be armed with information on the different types of home care. Registries, also known as referral services or nursing registries, match independent contractors to clients and patients. In these cases, the registry serves as the middle man to match independent workers to clients seeking home care but these workers are not actually employed by the registry. Private duty agencies, like Live Free Home Health Care, provide caregivers who are employed, bonded, insured and licensed. Such agencies do the accounting, background checks, provide training, supervision and discipline, carry insurance and ensure shifts are covered.

Though at first glance, the hourly rate for an independent provider or a registry caregiver may seem substantially lower than an agency-employed caregiver, it is good to note that there are a number of unexpected or hidden issues that consumers and workers face when dealing with workers who are not already employed. One major issue is that there is an employer-employee relationship that is created in most of the care situations – between the worker and the consumer, the frail elderly person receiving the care. Unfortunately, in most cases, the frail elderly person and/or their family are not aware of this. Referring registries and independent contractors often don’t communicate to the consumer that this arrangement could result in the creation of an employee-employer relationship. Because of this, both the worker and consumer can suffer significant financial liabilities.

A Taxing Complication

When the consumer is considered the employer of the home care worker, the consumer is responsible for the appropriate employer-paid Social Security, Medicare, federal and state unemployment, and state and federal payroll taxes for the worker. If these taxes are left unpaid, the government has the option to assess the consumer or their estate for back taxes, interest and penalties as well as potential civil fines and criminal penalties, should the situation be severe.

Hurt on the Job

Workers’ compensation protection is required by law in nearly every state, and it may be surprising to learn that homeowner’s insurance does not typically cover an employee in the home. If a worker sustains an on-the-job accident, such as a back injury from lifting or transferring a frail person, the medical costs and disability payments for that worker could cause financial hardship for even a very wealthy client. Then if the consumer is unable to pay, the worker could be left with no help for a devastating injury.

Beware of Abuse and Exploitation

Most workers who enter the home care industry are caring, giving people. Unfortunately, there are also those who know that it is very easy to take advantage of frail, functionally limited, often cognitively impaired clients. Registries usually do not perform background investigations on the caregivers they place, and by law, they are not allowed to monitor or supervise them since the worker is not an employee of the registry. In hiring an independent contractor, the background check process would fall on the family or the frail elderly person receiving the care. This lack of thorough screening could subject clients to physical, psychological or financial abuse. A good home care agency does perform a variety of background screenings, as well as ongoing supervision, scheduling and worker training to their caregivers. Plus, the agency provides ongoing monitoring in the home as an additional safety measure.

No Guarantees

What would happen if a consumer’s registry caregiver or independent contractor did not show up for work, or wanted to take a vacation, or was sick? With an agency, consumers do not need to worry, because the agency will provide a replacement caregiver for the consumer.

In short, it is very important to understand the risks and liabilities associated with hiring an independent contractor or a registry before making a decision for care. This knowledge may well save a frail elderly person from an unfortunate, and preventable, experience.

For further information on the risks and liabilities associated with hiring home care, please call us at 603-217-0149 or visit http://www.livefreehomehealthcare.com.

About Live Free Home Health Care, LLC:

Serving the Lakes Region and central New Hampshire, Live Free Home Health Care, LLC is dedicated to providing top quality care in the comfort of home as an alternative to assisted living facilities or nursing homes. Family owned and operated, Live Free Home Health Care offers a wide range of services, from companion care and assistance with activities of daily living to skilled nursing, and all care is supervised and updated by a registered nurse. Live Free Home Health Care also offers medical alert systems to provide extra peace of mind should an emergency care need arise. Whether the need is for short or long term care, Live Free Home Health Care’s compassionate staff promises to treat each client respectfully and like a cherished family member. For further information, contact (603) 217-0149 or visit http://www.LiveFreeHomeHealthCare.com.

Tags:   caregiver, exploitation, home care, in-home care providers

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Long Term Care

(Plymouth – Oct 5, 2009) – Long-term care is a subject of growing importance in today’s aging society, since according to the American Society on Aging, after age 65, a full 70 percent of Americans will need some form of long-term care. Not only will long-term care solutions be a major issue for the parents of baby boomers who are now in their 70s and 80s, but baby boomers as well will need to plan for their own long-term care needs.

Live Free Home Health Care, LLC is raising awareness in the local community about long-term care needs and services because we understand the importance that education and planning make in positive outcomes. Too many individuals underestimate both the risk and costs related to long-term care options, or believe the government will cover their needs. Taking action now may enable an individual or couple to experience greater dignity, control and independence over how future care needs are met.

“I’m often asked if Medicare will cover all long-term care costs for seniors and the disabled,” said Jason Harvey, Co-Administrator of Live Free Home Health Care, LLC. “It’s amazing how many people think that, but the answer is, unfortunately, no.” Medicare, a federal health insurance program for disabled adults and adults age 65 and older, has specific rules that apply for payment of care, and the coverage is very limited in scope. “Most people don’t know that Medicare is not intended to cover long-term care,” added Harvey.

There are options available to finance long-term care, though, including:

• A private health insurance or retirement health plan specific to long-term care
• An individual’s own income, savings or sale of other assets
• The family home as collateral for a reverse mortgage
• Veterans; programs for eligible Veterans and spouses
• Care from children/relatives on an informal basis
• Medicaid, a public medical assistance program for people with low incomes and limited financial resources
• County/local resources aimed at keeping people out of nursing homes (where available)

It is very important to plan in advance when it comes to financing long-term care needs. To compare the costs of nursing home care, assisted living and home health care by state, a useful long-term care calculator is available at http://longtermcareinsurance.org/carecalculator.html.

Preparing a long-term care plan may seem daunting, but will help alleviate the burden if and when the time comes and it is necessary. Key areas to consider when developing a long-term care plan are as follows:

• Communication with family and friends
• Comparing and understanding long-term care insurance options
• Decisions on who can be counted on for help
• Establishing clear legal directions
• Focusing on available finances
• Learning what is offered in the community
• Making necessary home improvements
• Taking control of health and personal needs

In addition to providing in-home care services, Live Free Home Health Care, LLC also offers long-term care planning resources and help in coordinating community services outside of the usual home care setting. For more information about when home care is appropriate to help meet long-term care needs, please contact Live Free Home Health Care, LLC.

About Live Free Home Health Care, LLC

Serving Central New Hampshire and the Lakes Region, Live Free Home Health Care, LLC is dedicated to providing top quality care in the comfort of home as an alternative to assisted living facilities or nursing homes. Family owned and operated, Live Free Home Health Care offers a wide range of services, from companion care and assistance with activities of daily living to skilled nursing, and all care is supervised and updated by a registered nurse. Live Free Home Health Care also offers medical alert systems to provide extra peace of mind should an emergency care need arise. Whether the need is for short or long term care, Live Free Home Health Care’s compassionate staff promises to treat each client respectfully and like a cherished family member. For further information, contact (603) 217-0149 or visit www.LiveFreeHomeHealthCare.com.

Tags:   communication, in-home care providers, insurance, long-term care

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Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Advantages of Individual Help

Sometimes life goes more smoothly when you’ve got a companion. Not only does a home helper give you someone to talk to, a companion can help ease your burden, no matter what that burden is. Sometimes as we age we lose our companions and when that happens, life can seem lonely and even unbearable. But it doesn’t have to be that way because nowadays, a home companion is someone you can hire.

Building a relationship

There are many advantages of having someone you can count on provide in home care and building a relationship is one of them. As with any type of relationship, your first experiences may seem a bit awkward and perhaps uncomfortable. After all, you’re total strangers and you’ll need time to get to know one another. You’ve probably got a routine and the in-home carer needs to learn it. But soon enough you’ll hopefully be very comfortable with your home companion. And if you’re not, there’s a good chance you can talk with someone – a family member or the provider of your in home care – to see about finding another with whom you might get along better. After all, this person is coming in your home to help you so it’s important that you’re able to work together. With the same individual coming to your home regularly, you can’t help but develop a relationship with that person. It won’t take long before you’re friends, chatting about nothing, going out to eat or to the movies, and helping you to cope with whatever life delivers.

Remain in familiar surroundings

The fact that this person is coming into your home is perhaps one of the biggest advantages of in home care. Rather than being uprooted, you get to remain in your home, a familiar place that’s filled with your all your belongings and all your memories. That actually can help the relationship with your home companion grow. Your photographs, your decorating style, your pets and the like can tell a lot about the person you are. Knowing more about who you are is what’s going to help your home companion understand you better. By understanding you and your individual needs better, you’ll have someone on whom you can rely to give you the personal attention you need on a daily or regular basis. That personal attention might involve matters of personal hygiene, or housekeeping, or errand running, or help with daily tasks, or friendship or all of the above. The ability to pick and choose the type of assistance you need most and that you want is another of the advantages of individual in home care. There are other advantages, too. Family can relax knowing that you’re getting the care and attention that they aren’t able to provide, alleviating their guilt and their worry.

In-home care is also an affordable option and if you contract the services of a company that’s reputable, licensed and bonded, like Live Free Home Health Care, there’s little chance you or your home will be victimized in any way.

Tags:   home care, home companion, in-home care providers

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