Home Care Daily - National Home Care Industry News

To look at the robot, a person old enough might think back to the late 1980s and some Hollywood movies depicting such advanced technology, but these robots aren’t about bringing entertainment or fetching a cold beverage from the fridge; these latest innovations are designed to provide a level of support, care, and assistance to aging seniors at home.

When the federal government, under pressure from the Obama administration, imposed fines against hospitals that didn’t reduce readmission rates, it was originally labeled as destructive, that the policy was going to force hospitals out of business because there was little that could be done. However, nearly a decade on, the results of this push has found that when hospitals put more emphasis on improved quality of care and support for patients at home, costs are lowered and the risk of a readmission does decrease.

While there are news stories about home health aides taking advantage of their aging clients, it’s not often that one who seemed completely dedicated to helping make a difference turns out to be an associate of a ruthless Russian mob boss. However, that’s the case for a woman who was known as ‘Anna’ to an elderly couple in upstate New York.

It’s one of the biggest fears and concerns among elderly and disabled men and women who need support and care at home: being victimized by crime. While home care agencies across the country are taking a more active and vested role in screening backgrounds for potential home care aides and other workers, that doesn’t apply to all agencies.

Younger generations are often considered more technologically ‘savvy’ than their parents or grandparents, and for aging men and women, struggling to get to a doctor has made living at home comfortably more challenging. Now, though, more patients can connect using Skype or other telecommunication tools, but too often that technology has been a hurdle for some.

A program that started in one state not too long ago has been copied by several others, and there are a number of elderly and disabled advocates who applaud these others, while some agencies and caregivers question whether this is an invasion of privacy. The program involves states offering hidden cameras on loan to those who may suspect abuse or neglect, but can’t prove it.

Join us on the Valerie V Show FB Page (fb.com/valerievshow) for an Interview with Lee Horner on June 20th at 3pmET. If you are a home health care agency, you do not want to miss this! 

As the home care industry becomes one of the leading job creators in the country due to an explosion in demand, thanks in large part to the Baby Boomer generation now retiring, recruiting new aides (caregivers) has become a growing challenge for some agencies. With stagnant wages, slashes to reimbursement rates for these services by Medicaid, and other funding challenges, some companies have struggled to find quality, experienced, and dedicated home care providers as well as visiting nurses.

A home care aide in Montana is facing a series of charges for an assault that took place in an elderly client’s home. Neighbors reported to police that they heard a loud argument and, some time later, a fire began moving through the residence. Holly Lasher was reported to have told those neighbors to not help the elderly woman, who was struggling to get out of her house.