By Zack Demopoulos
4.9
4343 ratings
The podcast currently has 33 episodes available.
Host Zack Demopoulos recently attended a ComForCare national conference and had the opportunity to speak with quite a few owners and operators of ComForCare home care agencies from all over this continent. He shares some great tips from these passionate providers that come from their experience of hiring many caregivers in these series.
In this episode he interviews Renee Henriques, owner and operator of ComForCare in Toronto Canada.
This show is sponsored by ComForCare, a national home care provider that will help you live your best life possible.
In previous Episode 26 and Episode 27 Zack discussed hiring home care to help you care for a family loved one so that they can continue to live at home independently and safely. Home Care is Day 17 of the 30 Day Preparation Plan to care for an aging adult.
Renee shares personal experience with caring for her father.
Zack: That’s Renee Henriques. She owns and operates a ComForCare home care agency in Toronto. We are going to hear more from Renee in this final episode, episdoe 33, of the series Hiring a caregiver to help you care for your family loved one.
Zack: I asked Renee how did she know she was cut out for homecare?
Renee: I have nursing background and have been through the home care experience twice. There was no private home at the time and she could’ve used it and someone to have coached her along.
Zack: Let’s go back to the story about Renee’s father. I asked her what did she learn from that experience.
Renee: Shares the story about how she handled her father who was confused wandering outside knocking on the doors of his neighbors. She had to tell him that he had to move and that it was temporary. She did it out of desperation.
Zack: He was happier in the last five years of his life than he ever was. That is a powerful story and brave of Renee to have made that decision and be honest enough to share that with us. But you ask…what does that have to do with home care? Who runs a home care agency is just as important as hiring that right caregiver. With Renee at the helm of her home care operation and with all that personal raw experience, you will get genuine and appropriate guidance that will steer you in the right direction of your caregiving journey.
Renee: When I meet a family in the beginning of their caregiving journey, they usually do not know where to go and do not understand the system and since I have worked in the healthcare system for a long time I can add that value. I know the person to sign up for assessment for Canada’s offering of free home care. Alzheimer Society has great resources.
Zack: What makes Renee unique is that she offers resources I do not usually hear from others or may not be top of mind, resources that are very valuable for you the caregiver.
Renee: I offer various caregiver support chat rooms that anyone can access regardless of where you are from.
Zack asks her why is this so important?
Renee: This can help calm a caregiver down. Better decision making. It helps in situations where some people may not want care and there are ways to work through that.
Zack: You see, hiring a caregiver is more than just placing someone in your home. A good agency should be able to help you, like Renee is suggesting here, with things like dealing with mom or dad who may be very resistant to having a stranger in their house. Speaking of a caregiver coming to your house, I asked Renee what should a family expect from an agency as far as what they should be providing in way of a qualified and skilled caregiver?
Renee: Caregivers should be bonded, insured. Agency should be credible in terms of required documentation. Ongoing education for caregivers. Ways for the family to get what they need like a schedule and is someone on call 24 hours a day.
Zack: Renee is obviously very experienced. I wanted to take advantage of that and asked her to share with us some unique tips that caregivers should consider when caring a family loved one who may be confused or has dementia.
Renee: One tip is when having a conversation with someone who is confused and they may not want to do what you want them to do is to buy some time. Help them make that decision by making that time short for them. Another tip is to avoid phrases such as “remember when”. Third tip is be aware that they can read your moods. If you are frustrated they will get frustrated.
This was Episode 33 and our final episode in the 5 part series of talking about hiring a caregiver to help you care for a family loved one.
Thank you for listening to the Raising ‘Rents podcast. If you have any questions or feedback, please go to our website www.raisingrents.com and click on the “Contact” tab. Let us know about any topics you want covered. You can also find the show notes and references to anything we talked about. Until we talk again, remember that our parents raised us, the least we can do is help raise them. Talk to you later.
References:
Renee Henriques
ComForCare Toronto Canada
205-2 College St., Toronto, M5G 1K3, Canada
Email:
[email protected]
Phone: 416-966-2100
Fax:
866-298-1289
Sources used in this episode:
Intro/outro music: Arthaiz
Other music: bensound-betterdays drama credit bensound
Website created and managed by Philip Golden
Host Zack Demopoulos recently attended a ComForCare national conference and had the opportunity to speak with quite a few owners and operators of ComForCare home care agencies from all over this continent. He shares some great tips from these passionate providers that come from their experience of hiring many caregivers in these series.
In this episode he interviews Devon Williams, owner and operator of ComForCare in Danbury Connecticut.
This show is sponsored by ComForCare, a national home care provider that will help you live your best life possible.
In previous Episode 26 and Episode 27 Zack discussed hiring home care to help you care for a family loved one so that they can continue to live at home independently and safely. Home Care is Day 17 of the 30 Day Preparation Plan to care for an aging adult.
Devon shares that he initially didn’t have the appreciation for what families struggle through.
Devon shares how he got into homecare.
De`Zack—I don’t know about you but I am asking myself how does an Electrical Engineer all of a sudden become a home care provider. I asked him that. He said he met with someone he respected and received their feedback that led him to make this important decision.
Devon shares that that someone sat down with him and told why he thought he would be a great home care provider. It takes being
Zack-how did you get more confident about what you do?
Devon-share that his eye opening experiences shaped his passion and confidence as a home care provider.
Zack-I asked Devon what makes him different from other home care providers.
Devon shares thorugh 10 years of experience he has become an information center.
Zack: One thing Devon does that is very important is that he encourages you to meet with him before you make any decisions.
Devon advocates meeting in a sofa visit or a free consultation.
Zack: What should a family be looking for?
Devon: Clear communication and honest.
Zack: What should a family do when they are caring for someone who is showing some cognitive impairment.
Devon: Family members should seek professional advice from agencies and doctors. Do not battle with them. Refrain from using terms like “remember” or “dementia” or “sundowning”. Don’t be in denial. Accept what is going on.
This was Episode 32. Join us for Part 5, the final episode in this series talking about hiring a caregiver to help you care for a family loved one.
Thank you for listening to the Raising ‘Rents podcast. If you have any questions or feedback, please go to our website www.raisingrents.com and click on the “Contact” tab. Let us know about any topics you want covered. You can also find the show notes and references to anything we talked about. Until we talk again, remember that our parents raised us, the least we can do is help raise them. Talk to you later.
References:
Devon Williams
ComForCare Danbury CT
Phone: (203) 702-1181
Fax: (203) 702-4458
Address:
155 Main Street Suite 201 Danbury, CT 06810
Sources used in this episode:
Intro/outro music: Arthaiz
Other music: bensound-acousticbreeze bensound credit e7
Daughter Anastasia Demopoulos does the opening voice over
Host Zack Demopoulos recently attended a ComForCare national conference and had the opportunity to speak with quite a few owners and operators of ComForCare home care agencies from all over this continent. He shares some great tips from these passionate providers that come from their experience of hiring many caregivers in these series.
In this episode he interviews Alois and Wilbert Smith who own and operate a ComForCare home care agency in Saginaw Michigan.
This show is sponsored by ComForCare, a national home care provider that will help you live your best life possible.
In previous Episode 26 and Episode 27 Zack discussed hiring home care to help you care for a family loved one so that they can continue to live at home independently and safely. Home Care is Day 17 of the 30 Day Preparation Plan to care for an aging adult.
Alois begins talking about how important honesty and trust is when hiring a caregiver and an agency.
Integrity and trust are not the only values and experiences Alois and Wilbert bring into their agency. They have real experiences caring for many family members of their own. Caregivers who have experience caring for their own family tend to be some of the best caregivers and home care providers I have come across. These experiences inspired Alois and Wilbert to start their own home care agency.
Wilbert and Alois did not know about the home care industry and Alois found out through a SBA career coaching session when they conducted a personal background evaluation, they found they were a good match for this industry. They have helped care for two grandfathers, three great grandmothers, and three grandmothers.
Alois talks about Wilbert's mother who had end stage Alzheimers compounded with a UTI and then hospitalized and placed in a rehab refusing to eat and drink.
Fortunately Wilbert's mother had a directive which guided her children on how to handle situations like this.
Alois share that a directive was in place that legally gave the children directions on how to handle decision on her behalf in case she couldn’t.
Zack asks Alois were there any signs that she saw back then or now after the fact that might help caregivers look for? Alois shares how Wilbur’s mom was a meticulous recordkeeper used a notebook on a monthly basis and a calendar on a daily basis to keep records.
Zack asks Wilbert how does he think family members can find home care providers like them, people with family experience, but also care a lot about what they do. Wilbert suggests that you meet with a home care agency in person and you can determine if they really care by the way they communicate with you and take in what you are sharing with them.
Wilbert says that eye to eye is the best way to interview a home care agency and caregiver, not over the phone.
Wibert says that the best question to start off an “eye to eye” conversation is “What do you do?”. Are they meticulous about hiring caregivers, do they have a process that they expose the caregiver to make sure they meet their standards, they have a resemblance of integrity that though they are not there watching them, they are going to do the right thing.
Wilbert advises in order to avoid a crisis, be observant in the (care recipient’s) environment and look for things as simple as trip hazards to prevent falls.
Alois: Being observant is critical. We could have intervened earlier with Wilbur’s mom if we had seen how about her notebook taking had gotten.
Wilbert: You need to have another family member with you because they may see something you missed.
This was Episode 31. Join us as we continue the series for the next episode where we continue talking about hiring a caregiver to help you care for a family loved one.
Thank you for listening to the Raising ‘Rents podcast. If you have any questions or feedback, please go to our website www.raisingrents.com and click on the “Contact” tab. Let us know about any topics you want covered. You can also find the show notes and references to anything we talked about. Until we talk again, remember that our parents raised us, the least we can do is help raise them. Talk to you later.
References:
Alois and Wilbert Smith
ComForCare Great Lakes Bay Region, Michigan
Phone: (989) 752-5501
Fax: (989) 752-5503
Address:
515 North Washington Avenue
#404
Saginaw, MI 48607
Sources used in this episode:
Intro/outro music: Arthaiz
Other music: bensound-pianomoment WARM CREDIT BENSOUND
Host Zack Demopoulos recently attended a ComForCare national conference and had the opportunity to speak with quite a few owners and operators of ComForCare home care agencies from all over this continent. He shares some great tips from these passionate providers that come from their experience of hiring many caregivers in these series.
In this episode he interviews Su Madan, owner and operator of a ComForCare home care agency in Canton, Massachusetts..
This show is sponsored by ComForCare, a national home care provider that will help you live your best life possible. https://comforcare.com/
In previous Episode 26 and Episode 27 Zack discussed hiring home care to help you care for a family loved one so that they can continue to live at home independently and safely. Home Care is Day 17 of the 30 Day Preparation Plan to care for an aging adult.
Su shares with Zack about her family and how it shaped who she is today.
Su took care of her grandfather who lived up to 99 years old in India. She knew the right step in home health to take when she came to this country from India.
Su refers to her home care providing experience as getting an extra family member to help out when someone is unable to be there.
She emphasises before placing someone in your own home for caregiving, make sure person coming into your home has been vetted and has insurance. For example workers compensation in case they get injured on the job. They need to be fully screened. And they need to be compassionate.
Su shares that you will know if someone has compassion or not by the way they greet you, shake your hand, look into your eyes and smile.
Su stresses that you should do your due diligence with an agency--check their referral sources, do they do do anything for their community besides their services, speak to some of their current clients, and check with the Council of Aging for how good their reputation may be.
Su best advice for family caregivers is to be proactive and try to help mom and/or dad avoid that fall is very important.
She also warns about caregiver burnout which Zack has seen many times with the families over the past years.
This was Episode 30. Join us as we continue the series for the next episode where we continue talking about hiring a caregiver to help you care for a family loved one.
Thank you for listening to the Raising ‘Rents podcast. If you have any questions or feedback, please go to our website www.raisingrents.com and click on the “Contact” tab. Let us know about any topics you want covered. You can also find the show notes and references to anything we talked about. Until we talk again, remember that our parents raised us, the least we can do is help raise them. Talk to you later.
References:
Council of Aging
Su and Summit Madan
ComForCare
Phone: (781) 821-2800
Fax: (617) 356-8294
Address:
399 Neponset St, Suite 208
Canton, MA 02021
Sources used in this episode:
Intro/outro music: Arthaiz
Other music: bensound-acousticbreeze bensound credit e7Daughter Anastasia Demopoulos does the opening voice overWebsite created and managed by Philip Golden
Host Zack Demopoulos recently attended a ComForCare national conference and had the opportunity to speak with quite a few owners and operators of ComForCare home care agencies from all over this continent. He shares some great tips from these passionate providers that come from their experience of hiring many caregivers in these series.
In this episode he interviews Tom Bolonder, owner and operator of a ComForCare home care agency in Annapolis Maryland right on Chesapeake Bay.
This show is sponsored by ComForCare, a national home care provider that will help you live your best life possible. https://comforcare.com/
In previous Episode 26 and Episode 27 Zack discussed hiring home care to help you care for a family loved one so that they can continue to live at home independently and safely. Home Care is Day 17 of the 30 Day Preparation Plan to care for an aging adult.
Tom share:
Tom shared questions you should be asking a home care agency in hiring a caregiver for their family loved one:
Thank you for joining us for Episode 29. Join us for the next episode where we continue our series on hiring a caregiver to help you care for a family loved one.
Thank you for listening to the Raising ‘Rents podcast. If you have any questions or feedback, please go to our website www.raisingrents.com and click on the “Contact” tab. Let us know about any topics you want covered. You can also find the show notes and references to anything we talked about. Until we talk again, remember that our parents raised us, the least we can do is help raise them. Talk to you later.
References:
Tom and Sue BolanderComForCare
Phone: (443) 906-6282
Fax: (443) 906-6284
Address:
846 Ritchie Hwy, Suite L-2
Severna Park, MD 21146
FACEBOOK PAGE
Sources used in this episode:
Intro/outro music: Arthaiz
Other music: bensound-acousticbreeze bensound credit e7Daughter Anastasia Demopoulos does the opening voice overWebsite created and managed by Philip Golden
Host Zack Demopoulos launches his 30 day preparation plan to care for an aging adult. He continues with Day 17 where he talks about hiring a professional caregiver. Specifically how to choose a home care agency, what to look out for, what to ask, and how to protect your family.
In Part 2 we will cover questions that you should ask a home care agency before you hire them, what the next steps are after you have identified the right home agency for your parent or parents, the different type of options for shifts including 24/7 or live in’s, how to protect your family when aides visit their home, what home care costs, and the pro’s and con’s of hiring a caregiver privately.
This show is sponsored by ComForCare, a national home care provider that will help you live your best life possible. https://comforcare.com/
This is Part 2 of Day 17 of the 30 Day Preparation Plan to care for an aging parent. The Prep Plan is all about helping you the family caregiver provide your loved one with the best comfortable safest and efficient caring environment in which they can grow old in.
The topic we continue with today is one option for long term care which is home care.
If you have not had a chance to listen to Days 1 through 16, please go back to Season 1 and check out these episodes. Also in Season 1 we introduce the 9 beginner steps in raising your parents. http://raisingparentspodcast.com/page/5/
We also discussed on the Day 14 Episode how your parents can age in place—what to consider so that they can live at home independently as they get older in a safe environment and with dignity. Be sure to check that show out to if you haven’t already. http://raisingparentspodcast.com/episode-023-day-14-what-is-aging-in-place-for-mom-dad/
So now you have done your initial research and you have a few home care agencies that you want to ask questions. Here are a list of example questions you should be asking a home care agency you are considering to hire:
Next steps: Nurse conducts an initial assessment of whom is receiving the care and they create the care plan. The agency then matches from their qualified staff who would be the best choice. Ask about this process.
Typically you can find aides to do pretty much any kind of shift you need. As little as one hour or two per day or week, shifts that match your working hours, overnight staff, weekend help, around the clock 24/7 or someone who lives with your parent. Important to note that someone who lives with someone they are caring for is NOT considered working around the clock. Zack reviews these types of shifts.
Must protect your family. First of all, even though agencies will tell you they are bonded and insured, you still want to eliminate any chances of theft. I would make sure all valuables are locked up. I would also make sure any information with social security numbers and confidential information that can lead to identity theft be out eyesight. Warn your parents of any suspicious behavior and how they must report it immediately. Never never give an aide money or credit cards unless you know about it and it is for an exact purchase—like groceries. No check books should be out. Make unannounced visits all the time with no real schedule. The aide should never know when you are coming. The agency should be making unannounced visits as well and report to you anything they observe.
Zack reviews what homecare can cost and some ways to pay for it.
The Survey Showed That The Most Expensive States As Far As Senior In-Home Care Is Concerned Include (Average Costs): North Dakota – $27 Alaska – $26 Hawaii – $25 Massachusetts – $25 Minnesota – $25 Rhode Island – $25 While The States With The Least Expensive Senior In-Home Care Services Include (Average Costs): Louisiana and West Virginia – $16 Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi – $17 Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee – $18
Other issues around cost: Be sure to ask the agency about all costs involved. Is there a charge for the nurse when they conduct assessments? Most agencies include the cost in their rates. Others do not. Is there a deposit required? Is it 100% refundable. Some agencies ask for two weeks of service in advance. How is payment received? Credit card? Automatic electronic withdrawal from checking accounts which is convenient for long distance caregivers. WHat is the cancellation policy and are there any costs involved with that?
Hiring a family caregiver has a lot of upside.
The down side?
Hiring a private aide is also affordable but like the family caregivers has some risks:
Be extra diligent in your evaluation of that option and know that you will need to closely manage the situation to make sure it is a good option.
Here is the last piece of advice if this applies to you: If it is not urgent or an emergency to hire a caregiver whether it is private or from a home care agency, take your time and do your research. That way the head will work equally as the heart. This is an emotional process and a very important decision to make. Take it seriously. The good news is that there are many good agencies out there so doing your research will reveal good choices.
So that’s Day 17. Join us for Day 18 as we talk about another long term care option: Adult Day Care Centers.
Thank you for listening to the Raising ‘Rents podcast. If you have any questions or feedback, please go to our website www.raisingrents.com and click on the “Contact” tab. Let us know about any topics you want covered. You can also find the show notes and references to anything we talked about. Until we talk again, remember that our parents raised us, the least we can do is help raise them. Talk to you later.
Sources used in this series: Intro/outro music: Arthaiz
Other music: Philipp_Weigl_-_01_-_Subdivision_of_the_Masses, Blue_Dot_Sessions_-_06_-_Wahre Daughter Anastasia Demopoulos does the opening voice over Website created and managed by Philip Golden
Host Zack Demopoulos launches his 30 day preparation plan to care for an aging adult. In Day 17, Zack talks about hiring a professional caregiver. Specifically how to choose a home care agency, how, what to look out for, what to ask, and how to protect your family.
You finally have come to the realization that you need to hire some outside help to care for mom or dad.
As a home care provider myself, and having hired over 500 aides in 10 years, I will tell you the good news—most of the horror stories you have heard are not true or can be avoided. The bad news—-you still have to manage the aides no different if you let a plumber into your house. But we’re going to talk about how to do all of this the easiest way possible, how to find a good agency, what to ask and look for, and how to protect your family on this episode of Raising ‘Rents Podcast.
This show is sponsored by ComForCare, a national home care provider that will help you live your best life possible. https://comforcare.com/
This is Day 17 of the 30 Day Preparation Plan to care for an aging parent. The Prep Plan is all about helping you the family caregiver provide your loved one with the best comfortable safest and efficient caring environment in which they can grow old in.
The topic today is one option for long term care which is home care.
If you have not had a chance to listen to Days 1 through 15, please go back to Season 1 and check out these episodes. Also in Season 1 we introduce the 9 beginner steps in raising your parents. http://raisingparentspodcast.com/page/5/
Back on the episode that was Day 14 of the 30 Day Preparation Plan To Care For An Aging Parent we talked about how your parents can age in place—what to consider so that they can live at home independently as they get older in a safe environment and with dignity. http://raisingparentspodcast.com/episode-023-day-14-what-is-aging-in-place-for-mom-dad/
It really is what most people prefer— to remain living at home as they get older.
In the beginning the family caregiver steps in. It could be the spouse. It could be an adult kid who lives nearby or even a long distance adult kid. After a while though, that is just not enough or practical.
When we plan for long term care as someone ages, the first goal should be that they stay home or if the situation calls for it, in someone’s home. Anywhere but a facility if it can be helped is usually the most effective option to begin with. But to make that happen, besides being the family caregiver, you need help. It is time to hire a caregiver, a professional aide from a reputable home care agency.
There are two types of services that come to the home—typically referred to as home care and home health. Home care is considered non medical and home health is considered medical, that is, it is prescribed by a medical provider like a doctor...services like physical or occupational therapy, skilled nursing, administration of medicines, wound care and monitoring of health status. Usually these services are part of a care plan following a hospitalization. By the way, these services are usually paid for by medical insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid, because they are prescribed by a doctor and typically associated with a hospital discharge.
In this episode we are only talking about home care the is non medical. Services like Helping with adult daily activities or referred to as ADL’s in the industry, things like grooming, dressing bathing and using the toilet. There are others services as well such as assistance with safely managing tasks around the house like preparing meals, shopping, medication reminders, assistance with walking or transferring from a bed to a wheelchair, assistance with chores like light housekeeping and then there is safety supervision such as fall prevention and monitoring someone with dementia. There is also Companionship which include things like engaging in conversation and helping them with their hobbies—gardening, reading a book, listening to music. Some agencies will even allow their aides to drive a client’s vehicle or their own vehicle to run errands, do some shopping, and transport to doctor appointments.
Different terms for a caregiver: aide, companion, home maker, home care aide, certified nursing assistant or CNA, Home health aide, or Certified Home Health Aide CHHA. It varies depending on which state you live in and how they are regulated. For example in New Jersey a CNA is an aide that works in a hospital or facility like skilled nursing and a CHHA is the aide that works in a private residence. New Jersey leans heavily towards protecting the consumer by regulating home care agencies and their employees—that is good news for a family that needs to hire an aide.
The agency has to be licensed and regulated under the Division of Consumer Affairs, renew on an annual basis, comply with strict requirements like having a RN on staff who supervises the aides and carrying the right insurance, and starting in 2019 agencies in New Jersey must be accredited which is an extra step in meeting the highest quality standards in the home care industry.
The CHHA is regulated under the Board of Nursing, must renew their certification every two years, has to successfully finish a course and gets fingerprinted and background checked. The state also monitors CHHA’s and agencies for any criminal activity and reports it on their site
Best way to search an agency is plugging in your state with terms like home care agency, home care aide, caregiver as a start. Some of the state government departments offer information about how to pick an agency and what a home care aide is. You can check out the one New Jersey provides as good reading—just remember that it is specifically for New Jersey but a lot of it is applicable to general home care knowledge. https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/hhh/Documents/A-Consumers-Guide-to-Homemaker-Home-Health-Aides.pdf
We get calls to our own home care agency from stressed adult kids all the time who were told by a discharging personnel like a social worker from a hospital or rehab center that their parent is being released tomorrow and they will need home care.
Zack’s personal experience: After calling the Employee Assistance Program at my job years ago it was suggested to me to hire an agency for my father who was in North Carolina and I am in New Jersey. I went about it blindly hiring the first agency I spoke to without doing any research, not knowing what they do, what they require, what they cost. It was stupid when I think back on it.
It really pays to do your research. I would recommend no less than speaking with three agencies and if possible having a face to face meeting with them.
Speaking about associations, if your state has one, which most states do, that is a great resource to check in with and ask questions or ask for their membership list. Typically associations like these only have members that are very reputable and credible but do not assume that—you still need to do your research. Go to their websites, check out their list of members, read some of their resources, and even reach out and ask questions. https://www.hhsanj.org/ and https://www.homecarenj.org/
Each county also typically has some type of resources for elder care, usually called the area agency on aging. They also can provide lists of home care agencies they have worked that are reputable. They are also a great resource to answer questions you may have about how to pay for some of these services such as the Veterans Administration https://www.benefits.va.gov/pension/aid_attendance_housebound.asp and Medicaid https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/hcbs/index.html
There are plenty of other places to find lists of home care agencies. There are publications that you can find in hospitals, libraries, senior centers or online. Just keep in mind just because they are listed somewhere doesn’t mean they are endorsed by anyone or anything in particular. It usually means they paid for an ad to be on that list. One professional publication that is nationwide that I have had a great experience here in New Jersey is the Senior Blue Book https://www.seniorsbluebook.com/. https://www.seniorsbluebook.com/local/newjersey/. The book lists many reputable home care agencies that the publisher of the book personally vouches for. By the way, the book also has multiple resources of other areas of need such as medical home care services, housing, and moving services just to mention a few.
The internet has plenty of information too. As you plug in “Home care” into your browser and the geographical area you are searching for, you will get a long list of options. Some referral sites will pop up too.
Another great source are Social workers. They usually have a list of reputable home care agencies, or at least ones they have had their discharged patient or resident use and there have not been any issues they know of.
And don’t forget your EAP —-Employee Assistance Program. Most companies now offer that to their employees. They usually can also provide you some guidance as to where to look and perhaps offer a few recommendations.
There are major franchise home care chains. Typically these are considered reputable because they not only follow their own states regulations but have to follow their franchise system requirements that usually are more strict than what the state requires.
I recommend you have at least two if not three or four to evaluate and now you should call them. Because most of you work, you will probably have to do this after hours. Not to worry. Most agencies tout they are 24/7 and this is the first test to see how 24/7 they are.
Once on the phone, you should be prepared to ask questions. They will go into their pitch I am sure but a very good agency will listen to you first, ask clarifying questions, then proceed to share with you what they can do. And this is very very important to me...I hope it is to you. I would at the very least ask them to meet you, preferably in your parent’s home or where the care will take place. And if you can’t meet them because you are long distance, get another family member or responsible decision maker to be there.
The face to face meet and greet is important for a few reasons. It will give you a good impression of who you are dealing with, it will equally give them the same impression and put them in a better position to help your family. Are they professional? Are they the owners? Are they more educators or are they trying to just make a sale. It will also help start a relationship for your parent or parents—remember this is their home and they probably did not ask for someone to be sending someone into it. As the owner of a home care agency and with many years of experience, I also like to give safety suggestions by inspecting the home for fall prevention—regardless if they pick me or not. Home care providers are usually very knowledgeable with this and should offer.
This was Day 17 part 1 of the 30 Day Preparation Plan to care for an aging parent. Tune in for the next episode when we continue to talk about Home Care. In this episode I will share with you questions that you should ask a home care agency before you hire them. We will also discuss what the next steps are after you have identified the right home agency for your parent or parents, the different type of options for shifts including 24/7 or live in’s, how to protect your family when aides visit their home, what home care costs, and the pro’s and con’s of hiring a caregiver privately.
Thank you for listening to the Raising ‘Rents podcast. If you have any questions or feedback, please go to our website http://raisingparentspodcast.com/ and click on the “Contact” tab. Let us know about any topics you want covered. You can also find the show notes and references to anything we talked about. Until we talk again, remember that our parents raised us, the least we can do is help raise them. Talk to you later.
Sources used in this series: Intro/outro music: Arthaiz
Other music: Philipp_Weigl_-_01_-_Subdivision_of_the_Masses, Blue_Dot_Sessions_-_06_-_Wahre Daughter Anastasia Demopoulos does the opening voice over Website created and managed by Philip Golden
Day 16 of the 30 Day Preparation Plan To Care For An Aging Adult: Senior Scams
Zack shares a personal story of a scammer calling his cell phone.
Scammers are getting more and more creative. Easy targets are people with cell phones (because they always pick up) and your aging parent who are at home and answer the good old fashion land line.
Latest scam is about the new Medicare issued card—something every older adult may fall for.
This is Day 16 of the 30 day preparation plan to care for an aging parent and the topic is senior scams. If you have not had a chance to listen to days 1-15, please go to season 1 http://raisingparentspodcast.com/page/7/ and check out those episodes. We also talk about the 9 beginner steps in raising your parent in season 1.
2.7 million reports of fraud and identity theft were reported in 2017 according to FTC Federal Trade Commission costing victims a total of $328 million. Those are the reported ones. That doesn’t count the attempts. Senior citizens are targeted more frequently than any other age group according to the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs.
A very popular scam is during tax season—“This is the IRS calling”.
Here are the top 10 scams of late (National Council on Aging - NCOA): https://bit.ly/1MVdQKR
Some others not mentioned by these folks are the one about a scammer calling as a utility company telling the victim that they are past due and need to pay now before cutting off the power.
Then there is the one posing as the NJ Motor Vehicle Department telling you your driver license has been suspended and that a payment is needed to get your license back.
There is also the ones that give out a customer service rep for big names like Amazon and you google search the number and it takes you to a fake webpage that makes you think it really is Amazon and it will ask you for your information.
The latest one should also get your attention. It’s about the new Medicare card and since about 44 million Americans are enrolled in Medicare that is a pretty big target group to go after.
Medicare will not call you. They just don’t. Everything will be sent written in the old fashion snail mail style. So never never talk to anyone on the phone if they say they are Medicare. By the way the IRS does not make phone calls either. They use snail mail too.
https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/New-Medicare-Card/index.html
If you haven’t seen a Medicare card ask to see your parent’s. If they haven’t received their new ones yet and you are looking at the old one, you will see the problem right away. Their social security number is on it. Medicare has always advised that you carry your card. This has been one of the biggest causes of identity thefts known for a long time. We all misplace our purses and wallets, especially as someone ages. And of course they are stolen as well. And scammers used to ask Medicare beneficiaries to read the number off the card over the phone. Today you probably notice that the social security number is hidden practically on everything. At the very most you will see xxx-xx- and the last four digits. This makes it tougher for bad people to steal your identity.
So the CMS or the Center For Medicare and Medicaid Services has wanted to change this for quite some time but it was going to be very expensive to do so and they did not have the funding. Luckily they found some cash and started changing the cards as of April 2018. It is going to be a gradual process since there are so many folks who have a Medicare card. They plan to take one year to do this. But they are mailing them out automatically free of charge starting in one geographic area and moving to another. When they receive their new card, they are being asked to destroy the old one. Just make sure your parent does not destroy their social security card or health or drug plan cards. Just the old Medicare card with the Social Security number on it.
Other things to know:
Here are some of the things scammers will do--tell your parent there is a fee for the new card and ask them for their credit card or banking information to pay for it. Or they will call and ask to validate their information including credit card and banking information before they send out the card or give them a refund for the old one. The will tell them they cannot use the card until they activate it and they need to give them some information first to do that.
The problem is that many older adults will get embarrassed if they have been scammed and won’t tell anyone. Or they will not know where to turn to tell someone they have been scammed.
After hearing so much about the new card, and relying heavily on your Medicare benefits, you can be easily convinced that your Medicare may be at jeapordy if you do not do what the caller says. With healthcare costs so high no one wants their Medicare in jeapordy and you may fall for it.
How do they protect themselves from fraud? Tell them not not share your new Medicare card or MBI with anyone. Keep your card in a safe place and do not carry it in your purse or wallet unless you need it that day. Only give your MBI to people you trust and who legitimately need it such as doctors, pharmacists and health care providers. So this is worth repeating….Scammers may call to ask you to pay an activation fee for the new card. The card does not need to be activated and there is no fee! Scammers may call to ask you to update or confirm your address or Social Security Number. That is not necessary. The card is good to go once it is sent to you. Never give your Social Security number or address to anyone over the phone! Never send money or give personal information in response to an unsolicited request.
If you suspect something you can Search online for phone numbers or company names and put “scam” with it to see the latest. Most seniors are not aware of the latest scams.
Best thing to do is to Report anything suspicious to the FTC: 1-877-382-4357.
You can also sign up for scam alerts: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts
Now that mom or dad know how to use a cell phone and can text, scammers are hitting them up too.
It’s not necessarily that someone is fooled or not so smart. As you get older, you may get in a vulnerable moment where you are wishing it was true...how great it would be to get some extra money to have a little more retirement money or leave something for your family—so the sweepstakes check is tempting. Or even how they may not want to bother you again for something and they try to handle this alone….like activating their Medicare card. Hey mom and dad...bother me! That is not a problem at all….but getting scammed is.
Please give me some feedback on what you think of the show so far or topics you may want to hear about in the future. http://raisingparentspodcast.com/contact/
And remember, our parents raised us. The least we can do is to help raise them. Talk to you later.
Sources used in this series:
Host Zack Demopoulos prepares to kick off Season 2 of Raising ‘Rents but before he does he shares a bonus episode on the transition of care for a family loved one who has been hospitalized and is being discharged. This one is a personal story about Zack’s Mom. It is the first time he is sharing on a personal note and plans to do more in the future.
Show Notes:
Sibling dynamics--Zack has to work with his brother to care for their mother who has been hospitalized with a contagious virus that has weakened her and heart problem called supraventriculartachycardia. His brother lives in North Carolina near their mother and along with his wife is the primary caregiver. Zack lives in New Jersey and is a long distance caregiver.
Cost of caring, especially as a long distance caregiver-- Zack walks through what it takes to leave New Jersey on short notice to help his brother care for their mother.
Challenges of your mother telling you she wants to go home from the hospital and there is no clear plan yet.
Hospital case manager--very important you meet with them early and have them help you start planning for your family member’s hospital discharge.
Doctor says his mother can go home but with a plan that includes 24/7 care which Zack knew would not fly with his mom.
Zack reviews options with his mother which include going home with 24/7 care which she did not want nor can a family member help her with or go to a subacute rehab facility which she immediately rejects because she considered that to be a nursing home.
He convinces her to agree to go to a subacute rehab facility. Case manager gives Zack a list of recommended facilities. He is not familiar with any of them being from out of town. He reaches out to his home care provider peer and friend in Charlotte ComForCare Charlotte NC and received recommendations, two of them being on the list. Zack also asked the doctor who replied that she did not know anything about them but if it was her mother, she would go to each facility in person and check them out and make a decision from there.
Zack’s brother wants their mother to go to a rehab facility by his work so if need be he can run over briefly and see her. It was mostly about location than anything else. Zack instead tries to use factors such as how good the Physical Therapy is, is subacute separated from long term care (nursing home), how many aides are there per number of patients, and if a private room is available that is paid for by Medicare. Sibling dynamics once again come into play here.
After selecting a subacute facility, Zack is ready to take his mom there. Very important that you get the discharge plan documents from the Director of Nursing or Case Manager so that you can share it with the facility. Discharge plan has special instructions and lists medications, some of them could be new since her hospital admission.
Thank you for listening to the Raising ‘Rents podcast. This was Episode 25. If you have any questions or feedback, please go to our website www.raisingrents.com and click on the “Contact” tab. You can also find the show notes and references to anything we talked about. Until we talk again, remember that our parents raised us, the least we can do is help raise them. Talk to you later.
Sources used in this series:
Host Zack Demopoulos launches his 30 day preparation plan to care for an aging adult. In Day 15, Zack talks about what is involved when it is time for your parents to down size and move.
The podcast currently has 33 episodes available.