Among the top 5 models evaluated, there were common features with one another. All of the top rated units offer these key benefits:

• Ease of installation
• Low initial prices and affordable monitoring programs
• Fast, efficient and well-trained support staff
• Ease of cancellation in the event of dissatisfaction
• Small, waterproof pendant or bracelet monitors
• Numerous additional options that may be desirable

Based on Our Research, These Are The 5 Top Rated Medical Alert Systems:

1 – Bay Alarm Medical

Bay Alarm Medical alert system combines the best aspects of simple, efficient monitoring with impressive performance and support. The Bay Alarm system’s pendant or wristband monitors are both conveniently small and have an operating range of 1000 feet. The units can even be worn outdoors as long as the wearer remains within the operating range of the system. Customer service has the capability to respond effectively in an incredible 170 different languages.

Installation is breeze and a “no technician needed” is part of the sales message for this company. Plug the unobtrusive monitor into a phone line and electrical outlet is as hard as gets to get this reliable system in place.

2 – Lifefone Personal Response Systems

Lifefone Medical Alert System is a long-term provider of this type of device for the elderly, and has been in business since 1976. This is a system that also has an operating range of 1000 feet. This company offers a system that is simple to move when traveling or relocating. A simple call to their response center alerts them to your location.

The Lifefone support center personnel are considered among the best in the industry. They are staffed with well-trained emergency care specialists. Further, they keep a detailed profile of every patient with instructions concerning which relatives or loved are to be contacted in emergencies, the type of medical conditions known to exist, and which medications are taken. These records are all carefully maintained.

3 – LifeStation

Medical Alert System Review Top Choice
Life Station Medical Alarm System company is another highly regarded monitoring sales and support organization which has been in operation since 1977. Two support specialists answer all incoming calls. One individual stays on the line with the elderly client and assesses the situation, while the other contacts the appropriate emergency services. Every support specialist is an employee of LifeStation and 160 hours of training is required before placed in the response center. All calls are answered within 30 seconds of receipt.

The LifeStation units are high quality and easy to install. They lack the range of the former two providers and are effective at distances of up to 400 feet from the monitoring unit. The main unit has a 32 hour emergency backup in the event of a power outage.

4 – Alert1 Medical Alert System

The strength of the Alert1 Medical Alert system is their highly rated UL listed monitoring center. One of the most appealing aspects of the home system is the high powered alert console, which has large easy to see features and excellent volume so that both parties can hear each other clearly. The console has a large emergency button which places the client in nearly immediate contact with a well trained support staff member.

Ease of installation of all equipment is again a hallmark with this company. A nice touch with the Alert1 system is the ability to answer phone calls from the pendant. In low battery conditions, the monitoring center calls clients to ensure they replace the battery with a new one. The console has an operating range of 600 feet and is powerful enough to receive signals from outside the home.

5 – Rescue Alert

Rescue Medical Alert Systems rounds out the top five senior monitoring systems. The strength of the Rescue Alert system is in its powerful monitoring unit which has an impressive 90 hour battery backup system. The console is among the better ones available with a range of 600 to 1000 feet. The pendant or wristband can have soft touch buttons fitted for ease of pressing and notification.

The Rescue Alert offers a 30 day free home trial to make sure it is the right system for the client. This is not a usual or customary offer from most of the companies in this industry.

The call center attendees with this company are all PMD certified. This is the very same training all 911 operators must go through before being activated. Responders at the center can also offer services such as personalized daily calling to remind elderly patients to take medications at prescribed times. They also conduct battery and system tests monthly to make certain their systems are operating at optimum levels.

Signs It May Be Time To Move Your Parent in with You

Every family and every parent is different, and it’s not always easy to tell when the time is right to invite your parent to live with you. Although his or her safety has a lot to do with this intensely personal decision, it is also important to consider your parent’s emotional stake in his or her current residence and weigh that against the possible risks of staying there. You don’t want to your parent to come to any physical harm, but neither do you want to damage or traumatize him or her emotionally.

Ultimately, as long as your elderly parent is of sound mind, the final decision on the matter will be up to him or her. At this stage, your job is simply to help your parent make the right decision.

Physical Considerations

If your elderly parent has recently had an accident or even a number of close calls, it may be time for him or her to move in with you. If an accident happens while he or she is living alone, it may take far too long for anyone to become aware of the situation and for help to arrive.

Social Considerations

Living alone can often be a source of social isolation for an elderly parent. If your parent has plenty of friends that regularly visit, this may be less of a concern. If, on the other hand, he or she spends practically his or her entire life alone behind closed doors, this may be another incentive to invite him or her to live in your home.

A shriveled social life can also lead to greater vulnerability to stress-related health conditions, specifically heart problems. Moving in with you could actually help improve your aging parent’s health.

Maintenance Considerations

Sometimes even the mundane tasks of daily living can become difficult for an elderly parent to manage on his or her own. Cooking can become a nearly insurmountable object. Doing the laundry can take hours, and shopping can take days.

If you notice that your aging parent’s house is beginning to look dirty and unkempt, this may be a sign that it is time to invite him or her to live with you. This also applies to your parent’s personal appearance. If your usually meticulous parent is beginning to look somewhat disheveled, he or she may welcome the invitation to live in your home where help and care will be much more readily available.

Medication Considerations

If your parent is on a specific medication plan but often forgets to take the pills at the proper time, this may be another contributing factor in your deciding to invite him or her to live with you. Having your aging parent stay in the spare room can help you make sure he or she is faithful to take his or her daily meds.

Familiar Surroundings That Become Alien Environments

One of the advantages of aging in place is familiarity with surroundings where seniors live. However, this can be a compromising situation especially if there are physical debilitations. It takes careful planning to arrive at the best solutions and decisions regarding aging in place. Begin planning by discussing the needs of the aging thoroughly. This should start long before decisions become necessary.

Know Their Wishes Beforehand

Most individuals know their wishes for their senior years well before they reach an age when health changes related to normal aging are apparent. Encourage aging relatives early to make their feelings known on to their families and friends who are involved in their planning for their future. This helps make families and friends aware of an aging individual’s wishes.

Adapting To Changes

One of the most difficult issues for most aging seniors is adapting to radical changes in their lives. Creature comforts they’ve come to rely on and the security of familiar surroundings can help retain vigor and mental acuity and may become the basis for maintaining a routine of good health. Introduce change gradually to a aging individual’s living space. This is one way of overcoming elder resistance to necessary changes.

Drawbacks Of Aging In Place

It’s crucial to understand that all individuals, regardless of age, have a basic human need for independence. Aging seniors find the most difficulty with relinquishing their independence and autonomy. Retrofit their living space with all of the safety accessories that make senior lifestyles less hazardous and more secure. However, the issue of whether the aging can maintain adequate personal care can become obscured in their efforts to retain their autonomy and independence. This issue is a main drawback of aging in place that exacerbates over the long term.

Planning For Aging In Place

Families should discuss how much or how little care is adequate with aging relatives. Many of these seniors prefer to manage their own lives without realizing they may be compromising good health. Planning for aging in place should be practical as well as beneficial to all concerned. A plan of action that has the elements of gradual change according to changing health needs is likely to work best when discussed fully. Plan strategies for aging in place for the short term and long term to cover any potential problems that will arise.

Where To Find The Best Resources For Planning

Fortunately, there are a vast supply of resources that assist families with plans for aging in place. Start with local resources that assist with changes to home design needed to assure safety. This might be a senior citizen resource center in a local town, county or state. There are easily accessible statewide resources for most senior citizen needs. Certain private organizations also serve the aging. Some of these organizations are non-profit, while others are not. Choose the resources that best fit the financial situations of the aged.

Resources For Aging In Place

Regular senior citizen transportation is also available through city, county and state subsidies that make travel safe and affordable. Keep this in mind when driving a personal vehicle by the aging is no longer an option. The federal government also can be prevailed upon for assistance through Medicare or Medicaid. The Social Security Administration also offers assistance to seniors in need. Look for an information clearing house for directives or assistance with aging in place. AARP is one such informational group that provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date information.

Aging In Place – A Mutual Choice

Families with aging parents want to insure their golden years are safe and offer maximum quality of life. This takes advance planning. The crux of discussions should focus on arriving at a mutual choice based upon mutual understanding between the aging and their families.

Ask Important Questions to Decide The Right Actions

When a parent or other elderly or disabled family member suffers from a physical ailment, it may not be too difficult to determine the point at which they need assistance. Making those decisions about a loved one suffering from a mental disability may be more complicated. You will need to ask important questions to decide what actions to take. Is my loved one able to take proper care of himself? Does she remember to take her medications as prescribed? Should he fall or have some other accident, will he be able to call for assistance?

Defining Home Care Stages

Home care is the providing of assistance to people who need it while maintaining their ability to stay in their own home. There are many levels of home care ranging from occasional in-home visits by family members to 24-hour care by a nursing staff and even hospice service for the terminally ill. Home care can be temporary or permanent, possibly escalating from one stage to another over time. One of the primary goals of home care is to help the person receive the necessary assistance while giving up as little freedom and privacy as possible.

Early Stages

In the early stages of someone losing the ability to be fully independent, you will probably just want to check on the person more often. You may find it is important to stop by on the way to work to be sure they have gotten out of bed, showered, had breakfast and taken any morning medications. Perhaps you will decide to also check on the way home to make sure they have taken care of their chores, ate healthy meals and not missed any doses of medication. During this time you will be able to monitor their activity and determine if other steps need to be taken.

Difficulty With Daily Routines

Once your loved one begins having difficulty with daily routines, you will need to consider the options. If there are no medical issues, the solution may be as simple as bringing in a maid service or hiring someone just to spend time with your senior during the day or perhaps stay overnight. Unfortunately, this can become an expensive situation. Even if a family member chooses to be the caregiver, there can still be expenses in the form of lost wages. Medicare will only cover home care when it is deemed medically necessary by a doctor. Things such as assistance with bathing and cooking meals are not considered medical issues.

Care Around the Clock

The next stage in home care may be when the elderly or disabled person needs someone with them around the clock. If a family member will be the caregiver a decision will have to be made whether that person will go live with the person in need or will the person needing assistance be brought to the home of the caregiver. If the caregiver’s home will be used, an in-law suite may be the best option. An in-law suite is a small apartment set up at the residence of a family member where an elderly or disabled person can live while maintaining independence and some level of privacy. This can be a more affordable solution but may need a special design to set up the independent living space or may even require an addition built on the caregiver’s house.

Doctors Orders

If things have progressed to the point where medical assistance is ordered by a doctor, a nurse or nursing staff will be needed. Depending on the medical condition, the elderly person may need constant care. This can be expensive, but fortunately Medicare will likely cover a large part of the expense. Check with your state agency on aging to see what options may be available in your area. If the medical condition is not too severe, it may be possible to only have nursing staff on duty part-time, especially if the loved one is living in an in-law suite or has a family member who can be with them most of the time.

Special Needs for Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Some conditions, like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, may cause a family member to have special needs that will need special arrangements. For instance, a person with dementia may be physically healthy. While it may be necessary to have a nurse on staff part-time, most care can be administered by a family member. Adjustments can be made such as securing exits and making sure power is off to appliances at night to avoid things like the loved one wandering off or turning on the stove and forgetting it is on. Each situation is different and a plan of action will depend on the specifics of the case.

Tips on Hiring  Care Givers

If the decision is made to hire a caregiver, you will need to consider carefully who you choose.

If you hire privately:

• Be sure to insist on at least three references and do not hesitate to verify them.
• Ask about the quality of care given but also inquire about the person’s demeanor and ability to handle stressful situations.
• It would also be a good idea to do a criminal background check. If the person you hire is through a home care agency, be sure they are bonded and that the agency performs thorough background checks.

Making One of The Toughest Decisions

One of the toughest decisions that may have to be made involves what to do as a terminally ill loved one’s health continues to decline. Knowing that death is approaching can in and of itself be a heavy burden to bear. At this point, it may be necessary to seek the assistance of a hospice service. A hospice service will focus on areas other than medical treatment, such as the comfort, dignity and peace of mind of the individual.

What Does a  Hospice Team Consist Of ?

The hospice care team may include nurses and health care aides, social workers and spiritual counselors. There will also be team members who specialize in helping the family cope with the difficult task of helping one they love pass. The team works with the patient’s physician to ensure everything that can done to make the patient more comfortable is done. Hospice has been around for centuries but has become more commonplace in recent years.

Making The Right Decisions For The Loved Ones Well Being

Determining the home care needs of your elderly or disabled family member can be a daunting task. However, it is also one of the most important decisions you ever will face. Maintaining a loved one’s quality of life while assisting them with the consequences of aging or living with a disability is a juggling act that can require constant adjustment. But so long as the patient’s well-being remains the focus of your decisions, the choices made will be the right ones.

Aging-In-Place Home Solutions is a division of Myra L. Katz & Associates, Inc., a provider of quality interior design services for healthcare and senior living facilities.  After 25 years in business, Myra Katz launched Aging-In-Place Home Solutions in response to changes in the economy and the growing demand for healthcare applications in the home.

“It seems like I’ve come full circle. My parents felt strongly that elders should never feel displaced and we always had grandparents living with us as I was growing up.  My dad, Lester Katz, was a long time builder of multi-family developments in the county. So way before there were senior living communities, his properties were created for seniors living independently.  There were party rooms, pools and guest apartments for visiting family members.  One high rise property even had a popular restaurant onsite and has since been converted to an upscale senior living facility.   Designing healthcare and senior living facilities, along with starting Aging-In-Place Home Solutions, is my way of making a difference.  It’s like a calling.”

Here are some of the latest findings, simply put:

• By the year 2030 there will be 70 million baby boomers over the age of 65, more than all age groups put together.
• In preparation for the largest number of seniors ever, an Aging-In-Place Initiative is expanding in cities across the country with plans for communities to become more “senior friendly”.  This issue has reached a global level.
• Due to stressed economic conditions, there is a trend for extended families to once again live under one roof to save on expenses and to care for the elderly.
• The need for more senior living options, including Aging-In-Place, is increasing for those with dementia-related illnesses as well.
• Waiting lists continue to grow for Alzheimer’s facilities, with the illness now affecting and killing those in their 40’s.

Katz says, “Our service is not design as we think of it.  Instead, we are applying our healthcare and senior living design experience to the residences of seniors, those with disabilities and dementia-related illnesses, allowing them to be safer and more independent in the supportive environment of their own home ….for as long as possible.”  Falls are the #1 cause of death for seniors, but in addition to the many safety concerns, solutions will be recommend for the following issues:

• Memory Impairment
• Mental & Visual Perception
• ADL (Activities of Daily Living)
• Incontinence
• Loss of Motor Skills
• Wandering

A representative of Aging-In-Place Home Solutions will visit with the family and loved one(s) to provide a confidential in-home assessment. Solutions will be recommended to address current needs.  “What sets us apart from similar businesses is that, in healthcare design, we approach the challenges from a different perspective.  And rather than leave it up to your family to get the job done, we will work with you to implement the modifications desired.”   These recommendations can range from the simplest safety and security devices, lighting and finish changes to addressing accessibility issues or preparing drawings for a first floor addition.
“When dealing with Alzheimer’s, it’s important for the family and caregiver to always stay a step ahead of the disease”, Katz says.  “So as the condition progresses, we will be there for your family and loved one again….to address your new needs and suggest additional solutions to lengthen your loved one’s golden years at home.”

Currently Aging-In-Place Home Solutions is a resource to St. Louis Chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association, Jewish Family & Children Services, Lutheran Family & Children Services, and Lutheran Senior Services.  Licensed and Insured.

For a confidential in-home assessment:     
Phone: 314.395.9558
Email: Myra@AgingInPlaceHomeSolutions.com
Web:AgingInPlaceHomeSolutions.com

Solutions to lengthen your loved ones golden years at home.

Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal factor in the aging process, and should not be regarded as something that is sure to happen if one reaches a certain age. Many individuals live to be 100 years old and do not develop Alzheimer’s disease.

The Medical World’s Consensus

Medical institutions such as the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health promote conventional treatments such as the use of cholinesterase inhibitors, anti-anxiety and mood stabilizing medications, and even antidepressants. Additionally, in patient’s who exhibit severe symptoms, psychotropic or anti-psychotic medications may be used.

One will notice that when these medications are recommended by a doctor or other health care practitioner, he or she will state that the goal is to slow the progression of the disease, but little or nothing is said with regard to stopping or reversing its progression. The majority of those in the medical community adhere to a belief that Alzheimer’s disease is irreversible and absolute, and even if medications help to alleviate the symptoms of the disease, nothing will stop or reverse its progression. In recent years, many people have begun to question this belief system, and wonder if perhaps a home remedy for Alzheimer exists.

Another Viewpoint

What if a remedy for Alzheimer exists that can prevent, stop, or even reverse the progression of the disease? If an Alzheimer treatment is available through which this could be achieved, those whose lives have been touched by Alzheimer’s disease owe it to themselves to explore this possibility. Although the medical community is typically rigid with beliefs about Alzheimer, if one searches on Google for Alzheimer’s natural cures, he or she will find possible light at the end of the tunnel.

There are many alternative non-drug treatments that are simply not being acknowledged for the benefits they are able to offer Alzheimer’s patients. These Alzheimer remedies can be used to decrease the emotional disturbances, mental incapacitation, and nomadic behavior typically seen in those with the disease.

There are several kinds of Alzheimer’s natural treatments, but most fall into one of two categories.

1. Alzheimer prevention remedies to help prevent the disease without traditional medicines.
2. Alzheimer treatment that focuses on stopping, or even reversing the progression of the disease.

As previously mentioned, most medications used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease attempt to slow the disease down, but never mention improvement or reversal. However, there is hope for improvement or reversal of the disease through the use of Alzheimer’s natural cures.

Everything from making changes in one’s diet and exercise program to the use of certain high potency vitamins can help to prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease later in life. It is possible if one makes certain adjustments at a young age, he or she will never be in need of an Alzheimer cure. Those who are currently suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and wish to try a remedy for Alzheimer that is natural, will be happy to know that many such remedies exist. If one conducts the aforementioned Google search, he or she will find a wealth of such treatments from which to choose.

Exposing the Myth

Individuals suffering from this debilitating disease, as well as their families, owe it to themselves to obtain a thorough education on each natural remedy for Alzheimer. There are many possible cures out there, and one will never know their potential unless he or she takes action and breaks through the barrier of myths surrounding this dreaded disease. It just may not be as hopeless as patients are lead to believe. It may be that an effective Alzheimer remedy is right under the noses of many in the medical profession who have simply failed to acknowledge its possibilities. This is why individuals must take action themselves!

Modular Mother In Law Suites

The Rockfall Company, LLC, a Connecticut-based modular builder and home remodeler, has developed and is currently introducing a modular home addition that can significantly affect the lives of thousands. Their specially-trained staff of Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists (“CAPS”, a designation awarded by the National Association of Home Builders in cooperation with AARP) has been focused on the goal of keeping the elderly and handicapped out of institutions, and they may have indeed taken a major step forward. A visit to the company’s website, www.palsbuilt.com will present a more complete description of their “Practical Assisted Living Structures”(PALS) modules.

These units are modular home additions designed to quickly (e.g. in a matter of days following delivery) and inexpensively modify virtually any home to provide the homeowner with a specially-adapted bathroom, bedroom and living space for use by an elderly or handicapped family member in need of such accommodations. Rockfall recently installed the first of these units in the home of a disabled veteran in West Haven, Connecticut and a second in the home of another disabled vet in Bristol, CT. Both installations are highlighted on the website, and more are in the works, including one being considered by a family living with MS and another with an elderly (94-year old) mother. These pre-manufactured modules, when coupled with the home-delivered skilled and custodial services provided by home care agencies and medical equipment suppliers, offer very low-cost alternatives to nursing homes and other institutional providers. While the basic module offers complete bedroom, living room and bath accommodations, the possibilities for expansion are practically limitless including specially-adapted kitchen facilities, patient transfer accommodations, 24-hour patient monitoring capabilities, caregiver accommodations, etc.

Essentially, PALS modules can:

1. Save millions in state-supported payments to institutional healthcare providers for Title XIX (Medicaid) and other programs (e.g., In Connecticut alone, where the average cost of a year’s stay in a nursing home is approximately $135,000, annual payments to institutions for long-term care exceeded $1.5 Billion in 2008. Moving only 10% to a PALS unit could save this one state in excess of $100 Million!);
2. Bring thousands of people home to the safety and care of their loved ones and families;
3. Be funded, in whole or in part, through federal programs such as the DHHS “Money Follows the Person” (MFP) demonstration currently in progress and through other state and federal programs yet to be developed;
4. Create new jobs resulting from an expanded demand for homecare services as well as for services involving building, transporting, installing and maintaining the modules; and
5. Reduce the demand for 24-hour institutional care replacing it with less-expensive intermittent home-delivered healthcare related services.

Cost Comparison

The relatively low cost of these units, amounting to a fraction of the cost of institutional care, even when you include home-delivered caregiver and equipment costs, will make PALS modules a very attractive option for many thousands of users, to scores of third-party healthcare payers and governmental programs, and to organizations supporting people with disabilities (e.g. DAV, National MS Society, MDA, ALS Association, etc.). Additionally, the raw cost of a PALS module is significantly lower than the cost of conventional building modification. For example, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced the granting of awards under its Assisted Living Conversion Program in four states to modify existing housing units to accommodate residents needing assisted living amenities. Conversion costs per unit in those awarded projects ranged from $102,000 to $362,000. Basic PALS units, including shipping and installation with exterior siding to match the host home, would cost the homeowner or supportive program less than $60,000 each!

Article by:
John P. Ruocco, Director
Resource Development and Government Liaison
The Rockfall Company, LLC

What are your thoughts about modular mother in law suite additions? Leave a comment below!

Robot aging in place is a unique concept that is revolutionizing eldercare. With millions of baby boomers approaching their golden years but still valuing the high degree of independence by which their lives have been characterized, robotic technologies are being developed to enable the elderly to receive the assistance they need while allowing them to still live at home.

Robots For Aging In Place

Tokyo is at the heart of these innovations. With 22 percent of their population already over the age of 65, they are actively searching for ways to improve the quality of life for seniors. In 2007, Secom Co. introduced a new caregiving innovation called My Spoon. A feeding robot, it assists the elderly and disabled with eating by feeding them with a fork and spoon that is controlled by a joystick.


For those struggling with the need to use a wheelchair, Fujitsu, Ltd. and Aisin Selki Co. has introduced the TAO Aicle intelligent wheelchair. The wheelchair is programmable to travel to preset locations and uses sensors to respond to obstacles, red lights, and other daily travel issues. Another, from Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology responds to basic commands, making it possible for the wheelchair-bound to get around without overexerting themselves directing the chair manually.

At MIT, researches recently created Domo, who is designed to assist in daily household chores. Built with a motion-tracking system and spring-loaded actuators, which make it possible for Domo to lift, carry, and place items. Domo is able to determine the size of individual items and uses those measurements to enable it to pick up each item appropriately and put it away efficiently in the pantry, refrigerator, or medicine cabinet.

Even cars are being designed to accommodate the elderly. Doors are being modified and supports added to assist those who are wheelchair bound or have difficulty walking in getting into or out of the car.

In an effort to generate better quality of life for seniors, other technological solutions are being developed, such as the use of lifestyle monitoring sensors (LSM), which follow a person’s daily routine to learn what the person needs. The robots equipped with LSM, it is hoped, will become companions for the humans who own them. Essentially, the robotic companion and human would begin to communicate and understand one another. Over time, the robotic companion would be able to generate cognitive activities for the person to engage in and to assist or even complete household chores. The companion would be able to remind the person when to take medications, provide a constant link to family and friends outside the home, and would have enough knowledge of a person’s routine to understand that deviations in that routine could indicate a problem with an individual’s physical or mental health and alert the proper relatives or services. To make the companion seem less like a technological innovation and more like a trusted member of the family, technology is being developed to provide the robot with facial expressions and body language for the person to read, just as the robot learns to read theirs.

A recent study in Spain revealed that 80 percent of those over 65 prefer to stay in their own homes as they age. These results are similar across the globe, but with children moving further afield and family members becoming more distant, the possibility of a relative serving as caregiver is diminishing. These technical innovations are allowing more elderly individuals to live at home for longer periods, making aging in place a possibility that just ten years ago seemed far more distant.

Share your thoughts on Robot Aging in Place, Would this really be helpful for elder home care?

Whether a family is looking for a home providing twenty-four hour care for an elder family member or an entrepreneur sees an opportunity to start a business helping people, it is vital that everyone understand the requirements to operate a home health care business. Taking advantage of free samples of home health care business plans during start up will eliminate costly mistakes and lead to a well run home care business.

Residents

Most states have a limit, usually around six or seven individuals, on the number of non-related adults to be housed in a resident care home. These adults are comprised of seniors needing help as they age or individuals disabled physically or developmentally.

Adults who are loud, abusive or disruptive may have difficulty finding a home since the idea is to retain a comfortable and friendly environment for the residents.

Level of Care

Potential residents may need to be screened based on the care they require versus the level of care the home is designed and qualified to provide. For adults requiring more acute care, some homes are staffed with twenty-four hour professional nursing. The care provided by home care facilities will vary but typically the basics are room, board, daily living and personal needs, laundry services, and some social activities.

Home Health Care Licensing

As part of the licensing process, states mandate providers submit to inspections of their facilities by state social services or health department professionals as well as fire department or building inspectors. These inspections are conducted to ensure cleanliness, adequate facilities for the requested number of residents, and a sufficient number of qualified staff.

The qualifications and the time provided to meet them will vary by state. State Health departments should be able to provide step by step guidelines to meet licensing requirements and the associated fees. Don’t forget about obtaining a local business license.

Employees

Background checks will need to be run on all employees prior to hiring and these records are subject to inspection by the state. Most states will require licensing for individual providers working in the home.

Personnel records of employees need to be maintained and there are some excellent home health care programs available. These programs include modules for scheduling, payroll, and taxes.

Payment

Invoicing requirements for insurance companies can seem onerous but once again, there are software programs available to help ensure timely payment of invoices. In many cases, insurance companies will be supplementing medicare and/or medicaid payments from the federal or state governments. Since cash flow is the life blood of any business, creating and maintaining accurate billing records will be of paramount importance to the financial health of the home.

Home Health Care Scheduling Software

Keeping track of everything from medications, physical therapy, lab tests, doctor visits, diets, and billing can be overwhelming. Home health care scheduling software is designed to provide individualized schedules for each resident as well as automated billing processes, allowing the staff to focus their energies on the residents.

The cost and quality of home health care can vary dramatically. Take time to investigate several facilities before making a life changing decision for a senior family member. This will likely be their last home and the goal should be to make this final chapter of their life as enjoyable as possible.

In order to be successful in the senior care business, individuals need to take the appropriate steps in building a solid home health care system. If you are looking to start your health care business from scratch, you should follow the steps listed below:

1.Target Location

You should conduct research on the senior population surrounding your area in order to target a densely populated area of individuals who are 65 or older. You can start by checking local housing communities who are specifically leasing to the senior population. Generally these housing units are located near retirement communities, which will give you a good indication as to where you can market your services. Moreover, you can check the census profiles in your local area, which will provide hard statistical data.

2.Get Licensed

Each state has it’s own rules and licensing regulations, therefore you must research your particular state’s guidelines. Your state will assist you in getting the proper license in order to operate a senior care business within your home.

3.Hire Help

Once you become licensed and certified to perform home health care services in your home, you will need additional help. Therefore you will need to hire employees to aid in providing care and assistance to your clients on a daily basis. You may want to hire part-time employees or hire on an as-needed-basis, just until you build enough clientele for some of them to work full time.

4.Conduct Background Checks

You will need to conduct thorough background checks on all employees before they can begin working for you. There are many great companies that can provide you detailed background reports such as HireRight.com, USSearch.com, or Intelius.com. These companies check for criminal records, employment verification, and motor vehicle checks. This information will be extremely useful to you because they will also be responsible for the lives of your patients.

5.Apply For Medicare and Medicaid Acceptance

In order to be able to accept Medicare and Medicaid insurance, home health care businesses need to obtain additional licensing and certification. However the first step that you must do to get accepted is to apply with your state’s Medicare agency. Then you will have to get a surety bond from a surety company. Next, the state will come out to your home and inspect it to verify whether it is up to health and safety standards. However, in order to be accepted, make sure you have at least 7 clients, 3 months of operating capital, and steady in-coming revenue.

6.Apply For Private Insurance Acceptance

Private insurance has their own rules, so you will have to go to them directly. Some of the major private insurance companies are companies such as Blue Cross, Blue Shield, and Aetna. You can call the health insurance companies to get a list of health and safety codes so that you can make sure that you meet their specified standards.

If you are interested in more information on how to start a home health care business, or how to build a senior care franchise, you may visit these additional resources.

Own a Home Care Franchise
www.HomeCareSeminar.com

Billing For Home Care
www.HAS-Software.com

Home Health Care Manuals
www.HomeHealthManuals.com

Starting A Home Health Care Business
www.ATouchOfBusiness.com