Types of Home Care Aid – Part Two

Frank C. writes in:   “My mother is unable to bathe or dress on her own.  What kind of service is best for her?” 

A great opening question to this month’s discussion on Personal Care.  The previous month discussed the responsibilities of Companion Care aides which are non-medical.  Personal Care or Home Health aides are trained to provide more assistance for individuals requiring a more ‘hands on’ level of care.  An assessment of the client in their home by the agency’s Clinical Services Director is the part of the process to help determine the best care ‘fit’ for the individual situation.   Additional instructions for personal care in the home may also include physician orders and/or other healthcare professionals.   Part Two of this series focuses on Personal care.

What is Personal Care?

Personal care generally involves working with individuals who cannot live alone without help. The nature of the assistance requires physical interaction between the client and the aide.  Personal care/home health aides complete both a training program and a competency evaluation or state certification program. Training includes information regarding personal hygiene, safe transfer techniques, reading and recording vital signs, infection control, basic nutrition and much more.  Requirements for certification may vary by state.  They receive detailed instructions explaining when to visit patients and what services to perform. Personal care/home health aides are largely employed by facilities and agencies and are under direct supervision of a medical professional, typically a nurse.

Personal care is available and utilized by all age groups who are unable to live independently without significant assistance in their activities of daily living or ADLs.  Depending on the circumstances the aides can be assigned on either a short or long term basis.  Discharged hospital patients who have relatively short-term needs as well as those with chronic medical conditions are the primary recipients for personal care.

As implied by the job title, the primary focus of a Personal care or Home Health aide is providing personal/hands-on care as well as emotional support and encouragement to the client. Personal care/home health aides help keep the household running as normally as possible and enable the individual to remain in the comfort of their home environment. Personal aides also provide respite care for the family caring for a convalescing adult and/or child.  Personal care is also appropriate within Assisted and/or Independent Living facilities where more individualized personal assistance is needed and either cannot be provided by the facility or is otherwise not available. Personal care/home health aides also assist in hospices and day programs and help individuals with disabilities go to work and remain engaged in their communities.


The Personal/Home Health aide may do light housekeeping for the safety and comfort of the patient - not heavy full housekeeping.  Aides also may help clients get out of bed, bathe, dress, use the toilet, and groom.  Personal aides also plan meals which can include special diets, shop for food, and prepare meals. They will also accompany the client to doctor appointments and social activities.  They report changes in the patient's condition to the family member and/or nurse supervisor and keep records of patient care.


Unlike companion care, the personal care duties are more physically demanding and daily routines can vary greatly. They may go to the same home every day or week for months or even years and often visit multiple clients on the same day. However, some aides may work solely with one client who is in need of more care and attention. In some situations, this may involve working with other aides in shifts so that the client has an aide throughout the day and night. Aides also work with clients, particularly younger adults at schools or at the client’s work site.

Home health aides and personal and home care aides generally work alone, with periodic visits from their supervisor. Aides are responsible for getting to patients' homes, and they may spend a good portion of the work day traveling from one patient to another.   Many of these workers work part time and weekends or evenings to suit the needs of their clients.  

                               Warmest Regards and Happy Spring Holidays at Home,

                                              

                                          Catherine Stelianoudakis Prochaska, CSA 

                                              Send Home Healthcare related questions to:

                                                                                                                                                         

                      Email:  homefront67@live.com

                                                                  

                      

CareMinders Home Care - Whiting, NJ - Home Health Care in Whiting, New Jersey

CareMinders Home Care - Whiting, NJ - Home Health Care in Whiting, New Jersey

Types of Home Care Aid – Part One

Happy February--The month of showing love and care for those you hold in your heart..

Renee H. writes in:  “I’d like to get some help for my father, but I don’t know what kind of assistance is best.”

Great question and one I am frequently asked when someone inquires about home care!  Care aide responsibilities are not all equal.  Depending on what is needed, care can range from a non-medical companion to a full time skilled nurse or other professional.  An assessment of the client in their home by the agency’s Clinical Services Director is typically part of the process to help determine the best care ‘fit’ for the individual situation.    The Clinical Services Director is a Registered Nurse who is well experienced in home health care.  Part One of this series will discuss companion care.

What is Companion Care?

Companion care generally involves working with a mostly healthy individual who requires assistance in some of his or her Activities of Daily Living otherwise known as ADLs. The nature of the assistance is non-medical. A companion aide does not usually become involved in the more detailed aspects of patient care.  Companion care is not limited to the elderly and is available to all who just need some extra help on either a short or long term basis.


As implied by the job title, the primary focus of a Companion is providing emotional support and companionship to the client. In addition to their regular duties, they help the elderly client to live as independently as possible. Elder caregivers provide companionship services and help keep clients mentally healthy and alert by having conversations with them, playing games (crossword puzzles, board games, cards, etc.) and assisting them to be as physically active as is possible.  A companion aide can provide much needed respite care for the family caring for a convalescing adult and/or child.  Companion care is also appropriate within Assisted and/or Independent Living facilities where more individualized care is needed and either cannot be provided by the facility or is otherwise not available.


The companion may do light housekeeping for the safety and comfort of the patient - not heavy full housekeeping. They will clean and/or straighten a client's room, kitchen, and bathroom, laundry, and change bed linens, and remind the client to take their medications.  Companions also plan meals which can include special diets, shop for food, and prepare meals. They will also assist the client with activities outside the home, including driving to markets, doctor appointments and social activities. They may interact with other family members, particularly by reporting changes in the client's condition to the family member and just as importantly, the agency that employs the aide.


Companion aides perform many of the same job activities as those of a Home Health Aide but will not have the training or experience with patient care. Unlike home health aides, the companion position is less physically demanding as the overall condition of the client is healthier and more mobile.   A companion's role is more that of friend and confidante.  They help relieve the loneliness of an older adult who lives alone, reduce the workload of a family caregiver and bring peace of mind to family members concerned about the overall well being of the individual.