Recently I was ill but needed only 4 hours of service per week. When I inquired about that # of hours, I was told that Home Care agencies will only contract for services if you purchase their minimum # hours which were well over what I needed. That put home care financially out of reach. On the other hand, when I was discharged from a hospital bed, physicians were able to order limited visits (in my case nurse visits 2x a week). This, also, was a time limited order. What happens to those who need ongoing, indefinite home care for a chronic condition but for only a few hours a week?
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Called every agency in the county. Finally found the owner of one who was in a chatty mood. She explained to me that there is a major shortage of health care employees in our area, and that they can pick and choose their shifts. And, the CNAs/Home Health Care personnel choose minimums of 8 hour shifts a few days a week on a routine basis. Nothing we could do about it, really. It's a matter of supply and demand.
Some people are able to find people online via FB and Nextdoor.com , but the ones I found tended to have poor backgrounds (putting it mildly) ... so we didn't go with that approach.
So, I do all the care. Other than the Skilled Nursing/PT that Mom's insurance provides from time to time as needed.
My Mom's bedbound/incontinent, paralyzed. Yup, she needs chronic care - and I provide it all 24/7. It is what it is.
The Area Agency on Aging in my county advised me that Medicaid would be necessary to receive further services.
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