Tag Archives: home health NJ

Getting Quality Home Health Care In New Jersey: Ask The Right Questions

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For many New Jersey families the choice of providing live in care for an elderly family member is a much preferred option since home health care provides many obvious benefits for the client as well as the family when compared to a nursing home. The real challenge is choosing an agency who is competent, trustworthy, and caring. This is not a babysitting job, as the client will have very specific medical needs and the caregiver must be ultra-attentive to them. At the very least, this caregiver will need to know how to provide companionship, monitor medications, assist with personal grooming and meal preparation and perform other tasks relating to activities of daily living. Many states require home health care providers to be licensed or certified, but regardless of state requirements, a concerned family member should have very stringent standards when vetting caregivers. Thankfully, there are reputable NJ home care agencies using the best standardized screening procedures available to provide you with these experienced and skilled professionals.

Why Do This All By Yourself When You Do Not Have To?  

Obviously proper screening is essential, but how does one go about it? Even if a prospective caregiver hands over a stack of references and credentials, how do you know if these items are adequate or authentic? You need to have a thorough verification process in place to make sure the person is legitimate and trustworthy, but in reality, most people are not qualified to do this. Even the most resourceful and intelligent person would need some help, especially if this is the first time he or she has ever had to perform this task. Fortunately, there are agencies in New Jersey who specialize in hiring qualified, experienced care providers so that all you have to do is evaluate the company itself.

Now You Need to Choose the Right Company

When choosing a home health care agency, it is important to scrutinize the company’s history and procedures. A truly exceptional agency will only employ Registered Nurse (RN) supervisors and certified aides who pass thorough background screenings and skill assessments, and they will use standardized procedures to ensure that all employees will provide a consistent level of care. Additionally, the agency will handle all of the business management paperwork like payroll and tax forms and bonding. Most importantly, the best home health agencies provide personalized care that fits the client’s needs. This is especially important with patients who suffer from illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease or terminal illnesses because the provider’s skill set should include experience with the specific physical, mental, and emotional features of such conditions.

When you are considering a home health agency, be sure to ask up front about the company’s certifications and licenses and its screening procedures. Make sure that the company requires its nurse supervisors to have state licensing (RN) and that home health aides are supervised by them. The company should also make sure that the providers have appropriate insurance and bonding. Rest assured that your loved one will receive the best possible care if you ask the right questions when evaluating New Jersey home health care agencies.

Expert Home Care NJ – Helps Seniors Plan Home Care

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At Expert Home Care in New Jersey, our senior clients tell us they object to long term care planning because they believe Medicare or the Veterans Benefits Administration will take care of them. While this is true to a certain extent, these people simply don’t understand the limitations of these government programs.

Here are frequent quotes taken from individuals in NJ who have voiced misconceptions about long term care planning.

“Uncle Jimmy got along just fine with the government paying his care”

“I can give away my assets and have the government pay for it”

“We have a trust and all of our assets will go to our family so the government will pay for our care”

“I’m not interested in home care or assisted living, just stick me in a nursing home and Medicaid will pay the bill”

“Long term care insurance is too expensive”

Government could be more involved in providing care but our constipated system of delivery prevents this from happening. The National Aging Network, a government-sponsored program, is in the best position to help people receive long term care in their homes. And studies have shown that the cost of providing this kind of care is significantly less than the cost of providing nursing home care through government programs.

Unfortunately, for every dollar that supports a person through the Aging Network the government spends about $270 supporting a person in a nursing home. Because it has inadequate funding, the National Aging Network must confine its valuable services to people who have little income or for social reasons are disadvantaged. Moderate and middle income Americans can receive some services from the network but are mostly excluded from the more valuable caregiving services.

We believe the public’s misunderstanding of Government long term care programs is an impediment to proper long term care planning. When people understand the limitations of relying on government programs they are most likely to be more motivated to plan for the future by making provisions in advance and providing advance funding to pay for care. Prior planning also allows people to have a choice in their care setting and in the type of services they receive.

New Jersey Medicare Fraud

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New Jersey’s Expert Home Care for Elders and Seniors provides care for your aging loved ones since 1984. Please call us when your loved one needs help – 800-848-2336.

Medicare Fraud in New Jersey

Medicare Fraud was a growing problem back in the 1990′s. Exposing those who participate in Medicare fraud in New Jersey was essential to helping to control the problem. In 1990, the Florida Legislature passed a law with an amendment that allowed anyone with a medical degree from outside the United States, who was not licensed as a physician, to become certified as a physician assistant in Florida.

There were 960 foreign medical graduates (FMGs) who took advantage of this opportunity before the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants got an injunction and stopped this major mistake.

In 1994 the Legislature passed a law that would require those FMGs to pass an examination administered by the state similar to the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants examination required to become a nationally certified physician assistant.

Of the 900 or so who took that exam, 60 passed. The remaining lost their privilege to practice medicine in Florida. Of those remaining 60, 15 have been convicted of Medicare fraud, and several more have been convicted of other major medical offenses. They have since lost their privileges. The physician’s assistant in the story was one of the foreign medical graduates and never nationally certified.

Medicare Fraud read story