Home Care Provider in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Starting in the Home Care Conversation

Reduce worry and prevent accidents.

The topic of needing home care can be sensitive. It’s a tricky conversation to have with a loved one, but if they need care the conversation will be a big step towards reducing worry, preventing an accident and potentially saving a relationship. Before you engage in this conversation you should make sure you fully understand the need for care and don’t just assume. This seven-question quiz is designed to identify seven risk factors that are most likely to cause older adults to move permanently from their homes to a long-term care setting. Once those risks are assessed you can take action and allow your loved one to live in their home independently for as long as possible.

Letting a loved one know you are genuinely concerned for their well-being might not be enough to convince them of their need for extra care. Here are a few tips that might help ease the tension of this sensitive topic.

• It’s all about timing. Make sure you are both at your best. Choose a comfortable environment and a relaxed time. If tempers start to rise or you can see a new approach is necessary then table the topic for another time.
• Include other relevant family members. Although you don’t want to appear to gang up on a loved one, you should include any family members that are a part of the current care team or are directly impacted by the needs your family is facing.
• Frame the conversation around planning for the future. Talk about what you see going on and ask for your loved one’s input. Do they have concerns about their current situation? Do they have any suggestions? What are their concerns for the future?
• Be prepared. If you are going to bring up the topic of planning for the future or necessary care you should come prepared with several options. Do not make demands about what needs to be done, but rather make suggestions.
• Relate their situation to someone else they know. Have one of their friends had to make necessary changes in their life including extra care or a change in living environment? How does the friend feel about it? How does your loved one perceive that change?
• Consider your relationship.What is your relationship with your loved one? Does it allow you to be direct? Are their underlying tensions that could be counter-productive? Point out to your loved one that receiving extra care will allow for you to rebuild your relationship as a child, spouse or friend instead of continuing to experience the strain caregiving can have on both parties. Remember – be careful not to parent your parent. Treat them with dignity and respect by allowing them to weigh in on their own future.
• Bring in some back-up. Having Freedom Home Care come to your home for an in-home assessment takes some of the pressure off of you when it comes to this touchy topic. Through our assessment we can ask the tough questions that might be uncomfortable for you to bring up. The in-home assessment can be a good conversation starter between family members when it comes to what care is needed and just how much care is necessary.

It can be a hard thing to tell someone you love they need additional care, but keep in mind the end goal is providing your loved one with the best possible care while allowing them to keep their independence and dignity. Take time to plan ahead and think about what the message you want to convey is and how you plan to deliver it. And remember, don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are many resources out there for caregivers.

Is Home Care Right for You?

How do you know if home care is right for you? The signs that you or a loved one may need extra care at home can be quite subtle. It may start with simple things, like forgetting to take medication, and eventually escalate to more severe effects of the symptoms, like wandering.

Thankfully, we’re ready to help you. Take the Guardian Home Care Home Assessment Questionnaire to see if you or a loved one may need additional assistance in your day-to-day activities.

How Much Does It Cost?

When you reach our hotline, we can provide you with the hourly rates of our services and help you find out if the services you need are covered by an insurance plan or benefit. We can assist you in contacting Medicare, Medicaid, or your insurance provider to find out what your policy or benefits include. You can guarantee that we will be with you every step of the way. If you are not yet qualified for Medicaid, we will help you get qualified.

Who Pays for Home Care?

Helping you determine the most convenient payment option for in-home care services is part of our job. With our insurance experts, they can verify benefits eligibility for your loved ones, every week. There are a variety of payment options, such as private pay, Medicaid, Waivers, long-term care insurance, veteran’s benefits, and worker’s compensation.

What Is Home Care?

The effects of aging can take a toll on your senior loved ones when they are unable to get the assistance they need at home. The effects of aging vary from person to person, but overtime, mental or physical degeneration can create increasing difficulties for an elderly to maintain their lifestyle. In many cases, they eventually become unable to fully care for themselves.

When your loved one is currently experiencing this situation, deciding which option to take can be difficult. Your family members may suggest the most common option, which is having them stay at a assisted living facility or nursing home. However, for the senior involved, they may prefer to stay at home, close to their loved ones.

This is where home care comes in. Home care is a type of care option that allows seniors to stay in the comforts of their own homes while still receiving the non-medical care they need to ensure their safety. Availing of home care means you don’t have to stay at a care facility, away from the environment most familiar to you. With a caregiver with you at your place of residence, you can guarantee your overall needs are met, and you are aided with your activities of daily living, when needed.

What Are the Advantages of Home Care?

• You can live in a place that is most familiar and comfortable for you
• You can enjoy a high level of personal independence
• You can maintain friendships and social connections in your community
• You can enjoy the support of family and friends
• You can keep your pets and plants
• You get care from a qualified family member
• It costs significantly less than many other forms of care
• You and your family are more involved in the treatment
• You can experience a higher level of morale when healing at home

Home Assessment Questionnaire

Are your loved ones experiencing any of the following?

• Becoming lost in places you are familiar with
• Becoming confused about people, time, and place
• Experiencing problems with mobility
• Eating poorly and unable to maintain proper hygiene
• Failing to accomplish house cleaning and chores
• Feeling lonely or depressed
• Having difficulties with medication management
• Having problems with preparing meals or sticking to dietary restrictions

Our Care Services at Guardian Home Care

According to the national aging in place council (NAIPC), over 90 percent of older adults would prefer to age in place rather than move to senior housing. And this is true particularly for the baby boomer generation as they get older.

Guardian acknowledges the challenges for aging in place that’s why our experienced and compassionate caregivers are so vital and they are here to bridge the gap between the desire and reality of those people who wish to stay independent and to help make life easier for you and your loved ones who wish to remain in the comfort of your own home.

MetLife Mature Market Institute states that over 40 percent of those aged 65 and over are limited in activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, and eating. This also includes limits in certain areas such as shopping, meal preparation, and household chores.

Guardian provides a variety of home care services, as part of our continuum of care by our carefully screened and exceptional caregivers who are compassionate, highly skilled and very well trained to assist and provide you with the best care possible that is tailored for your needs. Our guardians cover everything from simple companionship activities for a few hours a day to 24/7 live-in support and care for patients in need.

Including those:

• Living with chronic diseases and conditions, such as:
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
  • Arthritis
  • Cancer
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) and Other Respiratory Diseases
  • Depression
  • Diabetes
  • Heart Diseases
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Obesity
  • Osteoporosis
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Stroke
• Living with memory care issues such as Dementia
• Requiring post-hospitalization care such as patients recovering from surgery or illness
• Living with developmental disorders such as Down syndrome or other intellectual disabilities

What Can My Guardian Do for Me?

What Are the Different Terms of Care?

• Short-Term Care

  This is for seniors who are beginning to have difficulties completing their daily tasks due to age-related conditions. A guardian can check on them 2 or 3 times a week for a couple of hours. He or she will check if all the necessary chores and other duties are being done while providing assistance when needed.

• Long-Term Care

  This type of care is for seniors who may need help every day. Our guardians can support them in accomplishing their activities of daily living or simply be a watchful companion to ensure their safety at home.

• Overnight Care

  We provide overnight care for seniors who may need specialized assistance and supervision overnight due to their condition. You can be assured that our guardians can stay awake and alert throughout the night to monitor and aid them.

• Live-In Care

  This is for seniors who may need round-the-clock assistance at home; otherwise, they may need to go to an assisted living facility or nursing home. Our guardians will constantly watch over them and provide the assistance they need to remain in the place they call home.

• Respite Care

  Should the primary caregiver or family members need temporary respite, our guardians will take over their duties, rendering the same level of care your primary caregiver provides. Give them their much-needed break, and enlist the help of our respite caregivers.

How Can I Arrange and Pay for Services?

We at Guardian Home Care can make the process of arranging and paying for home care easier for you by managing your paperwork and coordinating with your insurance providers to determine the level of your coverage. You can also rest assured that we bill the appropriate plan directly and can help you in acquiring a reimbursement from your long-term care insurance providers.

• Medicaid

  This is a state government program that provides medical assistance and healthcare insurance to patients, which includes families and children, who meet the income eligibility requirements.

• Veterans Benefits

  When availing of Veterans Benefits, it includes a wide range of care options, which includes home or community-based care, long-term care, and nursing homes or facilities. Your eligibility for any of these services will be determined based on your need for non-medical assistance, on-going treatment, and the availability of such services in your location. Furthermore, your financial eligibility, service-connected (VA disability) status, insurance coverage, and/or ability to pay will also be considered.income eligibility requirements.

• Workers Compensation

  You and your dependents can use Workers Compensation in an occurrence of an injury or death arising out of and in the course of your employment with a company. Your employer and their insurance carrier will cover expenses, such as necessary and reasonable medical treatment, benefits of permanent disability, and loss of wages during the period of rehabilitation and when documented. Should you be injured under the employment of an uninsured employer, you or your family member can apply for medical and temporary benefits from the Division’s Uninsured Employer’s Fund (UEF).

• Private Pay

  Should you want to pay for your home care services without the help of any insurance plan, Guardian Home Care provides you with Guardian Gold, our exclusive private pay program with white glove home and concierge services, where you can experience an optimal level of care.

• Long-Term Care Insurance

  Applying for long-term care insurance means you get coverage for the cost of your care beyond a predetermined period of time. Unlike the tradition health insurance plans, long-term care insurance plans are designed to cover long-term services, which includes skilled and non-skilled services in a variety of settings, whether it’s at home or in a care facility.

• Insurance Companies

  We coordinate and accept reimbursement from big health insurance payors in the country. This includes workers compensations, auto insurance, and employer and consumer plans.

For more information about home care and our services in general, or to book a free consultation don’t hesitate to call us at 215-444-7544 or contact us today.