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RESPITE STAYS
Respite stays provides short-term or temporary care
on a short term basis to provide relief, or respite, for the
regular caregiver. Most assisted living and nursing homes
will provide respite care if accommodations are available.
As an alternative to having an individual in a facility for
respite is to have the person remain in his or her home and
hire someone from an agency or a private individual to
provide the care at home.
Supportive Services
IN-HOME CARE
In-home care services are available to assist
individuals with personal care, companion care, and
housekeeping and/or respite care. In-home care is a
private pay service, but there may be funding assistance
through pubic programs. One major myth is that Medicare
pays for in-home care. Medicare DOES NOT pay for in-
home care for the person who requires general assistance
with activities of daily living (ADL’s). There are limited
reasons why a person may receive in-home care with
Medicare as the payer however, these rules are complex.
The person must primarily require “skilled services,” those
of a registered nurse and/or a physical therapist, and then
as a supplement the person may receive aide services. A
physician must order these services and they are generally
only for a short duration.
MEDICAL ADULT DAY CENTER
These programs provide a medically supervised
day environment where participants can receive social
activities, meals, and assistance with personal needs.
Most medical adult day care centers are open Monday
through Friday during the day and allow full-time
caregivers an opportunity to continue their daily work
routine while providing supervision and care for the
elderly or disabled person.
EQUIPMENT/ASSISTED DEVICES
Equipment/Assisted Devices, including walkers, stair
glides, wheelchairs, toilet lifts and adaptive utensils can be
borrowed from the Howard County Loan Closet, rented or
purchased from community groups or private companies.
HOME-DELIVERED MEALS
Home-deliveredmeals are nutritionally well-balanced
meals delivered to individuals in their homes who are
unable to leave their homes due to age or disability.
HOME MODIFICATIONS
There are several types of home modifications a
person can do the home that can enhance safety and
accessibility. Examples of home modifications are
installation of certain home mobility aids such as ramps,
rails, non-skid surfacing, grab bars and other devices that
facilitate mobility.
PERSONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEMS
Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS)
allow for individuals to secure help in an emergency
through electronic devices and a response center.
The system is connected to a person’s phone and
programmed to signal a response center once a
“help” button is activated. The individual may
wear a portable “help” button to allow for mobility.
HOME HEALTH CARE
Home health agencies provide skilled nursing and
rehabilitative care such as physical, occupational and
speech therapy. As a supplemental service the person
may receive in-home aide care. A physician must order
these services and they are generally only for a short
duration. When physician-ordered, these services may be
reimbursed by Medicare.
PALLIATIVE CARE
Palliative care is a relatively new medical specialty
and the goal is to improve the quality of life for both the
patient and the family. A person may have a temporary
or long-term serious illness. Examples of conditions may
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H OWA R D C O U N T Y C A R E G I V E R G U I D E