50+ Lifestyles

Hidden Homecare Risks – part 2

By Dan Adams
Lighthouse Homecare

Part two of an article about the hidden risks of using private homecare workers

In our April issue, we looked at excerpts from an article by Rona S. Bartelstone, Senior Vice President of Care Management at Senior Bridge in Florida. It is full of important information about the problems and unexpected liabilities that can arise from the use of private individuals, rather than working through an agency, when arranging homecare. This month we continue with more valuable information on that subject.

Abuse and Exploitation

Unfortunately, there is the potential for both physical abuse and financial exploitation when work is being done on behalf of a frail, functionally limited, and often cognitively impaired individual. While most individuals who become home health aides do so out of a desire to help others and to contribute to the community, there will always be those who see this type of work as an opportunity to take advantage of someone. This becomes especially easy when the aide and the recipient of care are isolated in a private home setting with little or no supervision.

Families don’t fail to provide supervision out of malicious neglect. Supervision is often difficult because of geographic distance, lack of expertise, or the close emotional bonds that often get established between the aide and the person receiving the care. Furthermore, families often do not have the time or the resources to do criminal background checks, or to contact references, if they even think to ask for references. Sometimes families are so grateful for the care provided by an aide that they are also vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation.

Agency Supervision

A licensed home care agency has a responsibility to provide ongoing supervision for their employees. This includes helping the aides to understand the changing needs of clients, assuring the proper limits of care according to the practice acts of the various levels of professionals, and mediating difficult relationship issues.

Providing supervision is often as important for the aide as it is for the family. Home health aides often work with very challenging situations in the isolation of the private home situation. There are often issues of different cultural and faith traditions, different expectations about personal schedules, eating preferences and expectations. An agency supervisor can help to clarify the roles of the home health aide, and the expectations of both worker and care recipient. Furthermore, the agency can support the aide in setting appropriate limits on the types of care that can be provided. For example, an older adult might expect an aide to help with dressing changes or high tech care that is legally the responsibility of a licensed nurse.

In situations in which there are personality issues because of cognitive changes or a history of challenging relationships, the agency supervisor is available to provide guidance and support to both staff and care recipient. This can be very fragile, especially if there is a lack of trust or behaviors that are strange to the home health aide. The support of a supervisor can help the aide understand that this is part of the disease process and cope with behaviors so that the aide and the client can have a successful relationship. Often, supportive supervision is the key to making a challenging situation work.

Case Example: Mr. B lost his wife who had cared for him for over 60 years. He needed help with shopping, meal preparation, transportation and an appropriate selection of clothing. His family had hired many aides on his behalf. It seemed that Mr. B would fire every aide after only a few days, always stating that they didn’t know how to do anything right. When Mr. B came to us, the home health supervising nurse spent time talking with him about his needs and expectations.

She learned that Mr. B was unhappy because none of the aides did things the way his wife had done them and this made him feel uncomfortable in his own home. The nurse supervisor explained that everyone had different ways of keeping house. Mr. B was amazed because he thought that all women learned the same routines. Having realized this, the nurse spent more time with Mr. B to find out what was happening that was different from what his wife had done. Amazingly, small things like letting dishes air dry on the counter, versus drying them and putting them away, were distressing to him. By going through the daily routine and learning about Mr. B’s expectations, the supervisor was able to provide clarification to the aide and the first one placed in the home was able to be successful and have a multi-year relationship with Mr. B.

The employer, whether it is a private individual or an agency, has a great deal of responsibility in hiring and managing a home health aide. This includes responsibilities that are financial, legal and involve governmental regulations. When a family is ready to hire home health aide services, they need to make a basic decision about the source of such assistance. This decision needs to take into consideration the type of help needed, the financial and tax implications, the need for supervision and the relative vulnerability of the person receiving the care.

If the family is unwilling or unable to assume the full range of responsibilities, they would be better off working through an agency. If the family chooses to hire privately, they need to consult a lawyer and an accountant to assure that they make proper arrangements for all of their obligations. In addition, they need to stay involved in the relationship to assure proper care and a mutually supportive relationship.

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At Lighthouse Homecare, we provide free consultation and can help you with all of your in-home and in-facility care needs. We’ve even added a case management division for those not quite ready for homecare but could use assistance in wading through all of the in’s and out’s of your loved ones care needs.