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Caregiving MetroWest a program of BayPath Elder Services, Inc

Caregiving MetroWest is a program of BayPath Elder Services, Inc. for MetroWest caregivers.
The site offers Information on all aspects of caregiving; "Caregiving is a complex and demanding undertaking. There are many elements involved in the caregiving role, and we’ve assembled some helpful information on a variety of areas of importance to caregivers.

BayPath Elder Services, Inc
BayPath Elder Services, Inc. administers programs offering  home care and related services enabling people to live independently and comfortably in their homes while promoting their well-being and dignity.
Many BayPath services are free, others are based on one's ability to pay, and some are offered on a fee-for-service basis.

 “This non-profitcorporation is organized to plan, develop and implement the coordination and delivery of services and supportive programs   for persons sixty years of age and over unless otherwise restricted by conditions of grants or contracts, in the City of Marlborough, and the townships of Ashland, Holliston, Hopkinton, Dover, Sherborn, Natick, Framingham, Wayland, Sudbury, Hudson, Northborough , Southboro ugh and Westboro ugh , Massachusetts. The corporation shall endeavor to assist older persons to obtain services including but not limited to information and referral, homemaker and chore assistance, housing services, health maintenance and rehabilitation, nutritional services, legal and advocacy assistance, transportation, emergency assistance, and whatever medical or supportive services may be needed to prolong the life and well - being of older persons in the community and to prevent premature institutionalization."

Talking with a person with Alzheimer's guidelines: five basic ones


Marie Marley is the award-winning author of Come Back Early Today: A Memoir of Love, Alzheimer's and Joy. Her website  contains a wealth of information for Alzheimer's caregivers.
www.ComeBackEarlyToday.com

When relating to a person with Alzheimer's there are many guidelines to follow. 

five basic ones:
1) Don't tell them they are wrong about something,
2) Don't argue with them,
3) Don't ask if they remember something,
4) Don't remind them that their spouse, parent or other loved one is dead 
5) Don't bring up topics that may upset them.


Marie Marley author of Come Back Early Today


Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Diagnosis and Treatment Guideline

Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Diagnosis and ...
www.ghc.org/all-sites/guidelines/dementia.pdf
Group Health Cooperative
Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Diagnosis and Treatment Guideline. 1 ..... Guidelines are systematically developed statements to assist patients and providers in .... new and challenging mental activities, such as a language or musical instrument. .... Many different tools are available for assessing cognitive function.
 
 About Group Health
Group Health Cooperative is a member-governed, nonprofit health care system that coordinates care and coverage. Founded in 1947 and based in Seattle, Wash., Group Health and its subsidiary health carriers, Group Health Options, Inc. and KPS Health Plans, serve more than 600,000 residents of Washington and North Idaho.

"Care Transitions for the Home Care Industry." Ankota software

Chronic Care Management Services:
Here's the deal...  Physicians are starting to be incentivized (and penalized) for their performance with respect to their chronic patients, but there's a reimbursement associated with it. The reimbursement is for patients with two or more chronic conditions in a practice with a certified EMR (Electronic Medical Record) system.  The reimbursement has two levels. The first level, reimbursed at $42/month, requires a 20 minute check-in (e.g., on the phone) with the patient.  The second, reimbursed at almost $100, requires telehealth.

Home care agencies can put a program in place where your best aides are paid $10 for a 20 minute check-in call. If you charge $32 for this service (leaving a $10 margin for the referring practice) and allocate some of the revenue to your staff nurses and for software, you can provide a great service  and make a reasonable margin. Care Transitions Services: You can provide services to help transition patients from hospital to home.  Most hospitals are now being penalized for excessive readmissions   These hospitals can use your help and there are many benefits to your agency.  We have a new white paper  to teach you about the numerous benefits that your home care agency can achieve.
 At Ankota, we love providing home care software, telephony, care plans, scheduling, billing, payroll and all the other basics, but we really love that we can enable your agency to play a broader role in the future oh health care.  We can make a difference together.  Please download our newest free white paper "Why Care Transitions is the Next Big Thing for the Home Care Industry."
About Ankota Ankota provides software to improve the delivery of care outside the hospital, focusing on efficiency and care coordination.

Hiring Home Care Workers: Why Work through an Agency? By Rona S. Bartelstone,

Hiring Private Duty Home Care Workers: Why Work through an Agency

Quoted:
One of the greatest long-term needs of older adults and those with
chronic illnesses is for in-home, custodial care services. These
workers are often referred to as home health aides, certified nursing
assistants and custodial care workers. These in-home workers make it
possible for people with functional limitations to remain at home in a
comfortable, familiar environment. Home health aides (as we will refer
to this class of workers) provide a wide range of assistance with
activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, grooming,
assisting with ambulation or transferring, toileting, feeding and
providing medication reminders. In addition, home health aides help
with what professionals call, instrumental activities of daily living
(IADLs), such as shopping, meal preparation, making medical
appointments, transportation, laundry and companionship.

While it is true that most people would prefer to remain in their
own homes, there are circumstances in which care in a residential or
nursing facility is more appropriate and more cost-effective. For
example, the individual who needs round the clock care because of
treatments or behavioral issues will find a nursing facility or
residential setting likely to be more affordable.

The biggest proportion of people who utilize home health aide services are those
who need several hours per day of assistance, as opposed to those who need full-time care.

Due to the cost and the increasing shortage of home health
aides, many families seeking to hire in-home staff turn to private
individuals rather than working through an agency. While at first
glance this seems reasonable, it can also cause numerous problems and create unexpected liabilities for the family, who becomes the employer.

Great Big List of Caregiver Blogs | Caregiver's Corner July 14, 2010

Great Big List of Caregiver Blogs    

One of the best ways for a caregiver to find answers, reassurance,
and understanding is to connect with other caregivers. To help with
that, here is a list of blogs run by caregivers. If you know of any
blogs that should be added to this list, let us know!