In-Home Care Services (also known as Personal Care Services) provide strictly non-medical care in a home or independent living facility. In-Home Care services are paid for privately by the individual, by a Long term care insurance policy, and sometimes through Medicaid. Home Health services require a physician’s order and are short-term and very specific. These services are provided after a surgery or other major health issue. Home Health Services are paid for through Medicare. Home health does not provide help around the house, but only medical and rehab services. Hospice services also require a physician’s order and have certain criteria that must be met. These services provide home visits by a Dr. or nurse, perhaps bathing assistance, and medication management. Hospice does not provide help around the house or companionship/supervision services.
Yes. At Bridges In-Home Care, we have three levels of care.
- Basic Care includes: Companionship, Meal Preparation, Grocery Shopping, Light Housekeeping, Medication Reminders, Grooming Assistance, Help with Dressing, and Pet Care.
- Moderate Care includes all of the above, plus: Assistance with Toileting/Incontinence Care, Assistance with Bathing/Showering, Stand-by Assistance while walking and Transportation.
- Extensive Care includes all of the above, plus: Total Supervision, Alzheimer’s/Dementia Care, Transferring Client, Bedbound Patient Care, Feeding, Post-Surgery Care and End of Life Care.
The only minimum we have is 3 hours per shift. There is not a minimum number of days required. We have clients that use our services 1 day up to 7 days a week.
We do our best to match caregivers to the needs and preferences of our clients. We take into account what the client’s needs are, the skill level of the caregiver, along with personality and age preferences of the client. We realize that it is not always comfortable to have someone in your home, so it is important to us that we make sure your caregiver is a good fit for you individually.
We are very particular about who we hire to represent Bridges In-Home Care. We have a thorough interview process and screening to determine if a person is a good fit for caregiving and if they have a heart for helping others. We check out personal and job references for each applicant. We do a criminal back ground check on each applicant through a private investigator. We monitor and train our caregivers on a regular basis to ensure the highest quality of care for our clients.
We do an initial consultation and assessment to talk about how we can help. Most people do not know exactly what they need at first, especially if they haven’t had someone help in the home before. We start with a basic plan of care and a tentative schedule, and we adjust as we go along to fit your needs. We are very flexible because we want this to work for you.
There are many things that can be indicators that your loved one needs help. Some things to look for are: Changes in physical appearance; i.e., wearing soiled clothing, unwashed or unkempt hair, dressing inappropriately for weather or occasions. Personal hygiene issues; i.e., infrequency in showering/bathing, unable to get clean, leading to recurrent UTI infections. Weight loss, due to difficulty in meal preparation, disinterest in eating. Increase in falling. Watch for injuries that they may not report to you. Isolation or Depression: disinterest in activities they used to like; trouble getting motivated to get dressed, get out. Forgetting Medications; either not taking, taking too frequently or not frequently enough, taking too much, or at the wrong time. This can be life-threatening depending on what the medication is and what it is prescribed for. Cognitive decline; resulting in difficulty with Activities of Daily Living, safety issues, wandering and trying to do things they are not able to do and causing injury.
No, we do not currently take Medicaid. We take private pay or long-term care insurance.