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I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
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V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
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Mostly Independent
Your loved one may not require home care or assisted living services at this time. However, continue to monitor their condition for changes and consider occasional in-home care services for help as needed.
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Does the whole catheter have to be changed? I would ask his urologist or PCP or doctor responsible for treating the issue requiring a catheter if this can be done at home (I'm not sure it can). If it can, though, the doctor can write a script for home care, but it'll have to be specific so a care agency you select has a nurse who can change a catheter. I'm not familiar with this being done at home and not sure what's involved.
You're not referring to just changing the bag, are you?
Is your husband a Veteran? If so there is a program through the VA called Home Based Primary Care. Once he is on / in the system he will have care at home doctor, nurse, social worker. If he has a life limiting condition and if Hospice is a possibility they would also have someone that could do that as well in your home. If neither of these options are possible his doctor can order home care for this. If that is not an option getting a medical transport to take him to appointments might be last resort. This should be covered but if not, as a medical expense would be deducted when you do your taxes. Also depending on the reason for the catheter there are external ones (sometimes called a condom catheter). Leaving a catheter in is risky due to a much higher rate of bladder infections and this is something that should be discussed with his doctor.
My father is home bound as well. Ask his physician if there are nurses/doctor that do home visits. My father just had a nurse come to the house and she will do follow ups approximately every three months.
Here's how I handle doctor visits with my bedridden and immobile hubby: we rented a patient lift, called a "Get U Up". He is strapped into it. It works on hydraulic power and I have to pump the handle to lift him. Then I can get him into the wheelchair. We have a handicap ramp so I can get him down it and to the community sponsored bus which takes us to his doctor and then brings us back. The only glitch is that I can't get him back up. The ramp is steep and he's a big guy. We have to rely on our son to come over and help. We have put in for an electric wheelchair which should be able to get him back up the ramp. In answer to your question, I would definitely ask for a visiting nurse to come out. Medicare covers this.
I worked as a secretary for a VNA. Our nurses did catheters all the time. Your doctor needs to write an order for this to a homecare agency. Where I live the Homecare agency and Hospice are the same.
If a person is bedridden or otherwise homebound, and has a need for "skilled" services (e.g. nursing care, physical therapy), then the doctor can refer the patient to home health services and Medicare will pay for it. Such services are usually widely available in metro areas and also most rural areas. Many home health agencies also are certified to provide hospice services.
This is different from having a doctor or nurse practitioner come to the house for a medical visit. Those services are much harder to come by, because most clinics find it hard to break even while accepting Medicare payments for house calls.
What Medicare pays for varies from state to state. Texas opted out of paying for long term home health care for the elderly but I understand some states do provide it.
I was most recently a home care RN and we had patients regularly scheduled for monthly home visits to change catheters. I don't know why your hubby's MD said change every two weeks, did you mean observe urine amount or need to get a specimen, or just a visual check to assure it is working. Once home care stops most often a family member takes the person or even a senior bus to the urologist monthly. However, it is more difficult fogr homebound immobile patients that require long term caths to get to the office. I would review the persons insurance coverage and maybe call the insurance providers to discuss this exceptional case and ask them to approve home care visits monthly. Of course you need a physician's order for HC services. With luck you may be able to keep homecare services to do monthly visits but I am not sure. Replacing a catheter for a male patient is pretty easy, changing a female has its challenges. I would call Medicare and ask about monthly foley changes and if you can keep home care indefinitely due to his special circumstances. However rules and regs change over the years and I have been out of home care for almost 2 years now. If insurance won't approve home card monthly visits for catheter change and if he must go into the urologist's office monthly, you may have to hire ambulance transport to get him there. Urinary catheters must be replaced under sterile conditions monthly. This is to prevent infection & leaks from faulty, older latex foley caths, dirty urine collection bags need replacement, etc, the patient may develop a leak and needs it done. That is best practice guidelines. Check about learning to do it yourself if you are inclined to do so but if that's not your thing (which of course is just fine) check out options. The urologist's office may have suggestions too. Good luck!
Hello......my name is Diane from South Florida....first tell me is the catheter a supra pubic catheter that was surgically put in? or the regular way to be polite!!!....ok listen, my husband has been wearing a catheter for three years and this is important for you to know...if your husband constantly gets UTI infections or he tells you the catheter is hurting, it is because it is latex....have the doctor use a silicone one....now everything depends on what kind of insurance you have...we are in Florida and have AVMED...through a referral from the primary since your husband is bedridden, a home health agency will send a registered nurse who has to be very experienced in how to insert the catheter...is your husband a Veteran? If he is you will get all supplies at no cost to you...I am very experienced with catheters...I have a lot of information so if you would like to contact me, private message me....I would like to help you as much as I can...so please contact me right away. I hope you are checking this site so you can read my reply. Diane
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
You're not referring to just changing the bag, are you?
If neither of these options are possible his doctor can order home care for this. If that is not an option getting a medical transport to take him to appointments might be last resort. This should be covered but if not, as a medical expense would be deducted when you do your taxes.
Also depending on the reason for the catheter there are external ones (sometimes called a condom catheter). Leaving a catheter in is risky due to a much higher rate of bladder infections and this is something that should be discussed with his doctor.
This is different from having a doctor or nurse practitioner come to the house for a medical visit. Those services are much harder to come by, because most clinics find it hard to break even while accepting Medicare payments for house calls.
Good luck!
Once home care stops most often a family member takes the person or even a senior bus to the urologist monthly. However, it is more difficult fogr homebound immobile patients that require long term caths to get to the office. I would review the persons insurance coverage and maybe call the insurance providers to discuss this exceptional case and ask them to approve home care visits monthly. Of course you need a physician's order for HC services. With luck you may be able to keep homecare services to do monthly visits but I am not sure.
Replacing a catheter for a male patient is pretty easy, changing a female has its challenges.
I would call Medicare and ask about monthly foley changes and if you can keep home care indefinitely due to his special circumstances. However rules and regs change over the years and I have been out of home care for almost 2 years now.
If insurance won't approve home card monthly visits for catheter change and if he must go into the urologist's office monthly, you may have to hire ambulance transport to get him there. Urinary catheters must be replaced under sterile conditions monthly. This is to prevent infection & leaks from faulty, older latex foley caths, dirty urine collection bags need replacement, etc, the patient may develop a leak and needs it done. That is best practice guidelines. Check about learning to do it yourself if you are inclined to do so but if that's not your thing (which of course is just fine) check out options. The urologist's office may have suggestions too.
Good luck!