|
Is
Personal Care licensed and insured?
How
long have you been in business? Who owns Personal Care?
We need help for my mother at home. Is this what
you do?
We have determined that care is needed. What happens
now?
What is a Service Plan?
How often does the RN evaluate the client?
Do Personal Care Certified Nursing Assistants
assist people in facilities?
When would I use a skilled nurse instead of a
Certified Nursing Assistant?
I live out of state with no local relatives. Do
your services include keeping in contact with me?
Our
biggest concern is the physical and emotional well being of our
parent. What do you do to safeguard your clients?
What does Personal Care do in the event of an
emergency?
Do
I sign a written contract?
Is
the caregiver who comes to my home my employee?
Will
private insurance, Medicaid or Medicare pay for these services?
Return
to top
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . .
Answers: About Personal
Care, Inc.
Q:
Is Personal Care licensed and insured?
A: Personal Care is licensed by the Georgia Department of Human
Resources, Office of Regulatory Services, to provide nursing and
personal care. Our employees are bonded and insured. We carry general
liability and professional liability as well as Worker’s Compensation
insurance. To check the track record of our licensure, log on to
www.state.ga.us/departments/dhr/ors.
Q:
How long have you been in business? Who owns Personal Care?
A: Personal Care was established in 1980 and is co-owned by Martha
Clinkscales and Elizabeth Fairleigh. Both owners are Presbyterian
ministers and actively involved in the day-to-day management of
Personal Care.
Q:
We need help for my mother at home. Is this what you do?
A: Yes, Personal Care provides Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed
Practical Nurses (LPNs), Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and
Home Health Aides (HHAs), who assist with a broad range of daily
living activities. Our staff is closely supervised by the Director
of Nursing. Services vary from medical assistance by an RN or LPN
to household management, meal preparation, grocery shopping, light
housekeeping, and personal care assistance, such as bathing, personal
hygiene, and grooming, which are provided by a CNA or an HHA.
Return
to top
Q: We have determined that care is needed. What happens now?
A: A Nurse Manager goes to the client’s home to meet with the client
and family members. The nurse performs a Need’s Assessment and completes
a Service Plan for care. A copy of this plan is left in the client’s
folder in their home. Information about the needs of the client
is given to the Staffing Coordinator who in conjunction with the
Nurse Manager coordinates the appropriate caregiver schedule.
Q:
What is a Service Plan?
A: A Service Plan is a guide for providing “hands on” care for clients
in the home setting. The Personal Care Nurse Manager evaluates each
new client at no charge to the client and completes a comprehensive
nursing assessment. This assessment encompasses eight categories:
physical; functional; medication; nutritional; social/behavioral;
environmental; resources and safety.
From this assessment the nurse develops the individual Service Plan
with the sections presenting specific information about the client’s
personal needs and hygiene, vital signs, nutrition, elimination,
activities, and other services. The Nurse Manager performs regular
supervisory visits and maintains a current, accurate Service Plan.
The Service Plan is left in the client’s home and when the Certified
Nursing Assistant arrives for her/his shift, the CNA carefully reads
and follows all the directions it contains. There is an appropriate
place in the service plan for the CNA to chart the client’s activities
and actions while she or he is on duty.
If the nursing assistant feels the service plan should be changed
to best serve the client’s needs, she or he will call the Nurse
Manager to request an evaluation for a change to the plan.
Return
to top
Q:
How often does the RN evaluate the client?
A: The Nurse Manager sees each new client within two days
of beginning care. Following this assessment, the client is seen
according to need of the client and the amount of service being
provided. While the State of Georgia requires a home visit by the
RN every 150 days, the Nurse Manager with Personal Care sees clients
as often as once a week.
Q:
Do Personal Care Certified Nursing Assistants assist people in facilities?
A: We are present in private homes, hospitals, apartments, retirement
communities, personal care facilities, and nursing homes throughout
the Atlanta area.
Q:
When would I use a skilled nurse instead of a Certified Nursing
Assistant?
A: Many chronically ill and terminally
ill clients prefer in-home care to remaining in a hospital or nursing
home. When a caregiver is needed to perform skilled tasks in the
home, doctor’s orders are written,
and a skilled nurse is required. These tasks include tube feedings,
intravenous infusions, dispensing medications, wound management,
skilled observations, symptom control and assessments.
Sometimes a client or a client’s family prefers to have the services
of a skilled nurse. Personal Care employs RNs and LPNs to meet these
needs.
Return
to top
Q:
I live out of state with no local relatives. Does your service include
keeping in touch with me?
A: Absolutely. We are available by phone 24 hours a day as well
as by email, info@personalcare.net.
We have clients whose family members live in all parts of the world.
With today's mass communication technology, it is possible to have
immediate access to the office and to those who care for your family.
In addition, Personal Care provides Geriatric
Care Management when family members need additional services
from the Personal Care team.
Q:
Our biggest concern is the physical and emotional well being of
our parent. What do you do to safeguard your clients?
A: The best safeguard is to hire well. We carefully check references
and conduct a criminal background check. We require two interviews,
and conduct a four-hour orientation. All employees are regularly
evaluated and supervised by the Nurse Manager, who conducts a skills
assessment test. Our hiring procedure is a core component of our
25-year success.
The continuity of caregivers for a client is of utmost concern to
assure emotional well-being. Weekly team meetings, supervisory visits
and continuing education for the staff also assure quality care.
Return
to top
Q:
What does Personal Care do in the event of an emergency?
A: There are four steps a caregiver takes in a crisis: 1) Call 911;
2) Call the doctor; 3) Call the family; 4) Call the office. The
caregiver is instructed to use her best judgment in whom to call
first. Should the caregiver call the office prior to calling you,
the office would probably be the source of the call to you.
Q:
Do I sign a contract?
A: The State of Georgia Department of Human Resources, Office of
Regulatory Services, requires a written service agreement. This
is provided primarily to inform and protect the client. The needs
of the client as well as the requests of the family are documented.
The amount of time the care is to be provided and the hourly cost
are recorded.
Return
to top
Q:
Is the caregiver who comes to my home my employee?
A: Personal Care is the employer of all of our caregivers. We bill
weekly and pay all employees weekly. The client is never to pay
a Personal Care employee. Personal Care is responsible for all employee
compensation and all benefits.
Q:
Will private insurance, Medicaid or Medicare pay for these services?
A: Medicare and Medicaid do not cover
these services. Some long-term-care insurance policies will pay
for our services. If you have a long-term-care policy we assist
you with the proper documentation to submit claims for your reimbursement;
however, we require payment at the time services are invoiced.
Return
to top
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
Questions:
Services of Personal Care
Q:
What are the services of the Certified Nursing Assistant?
A: Among the many services the nursing assistant performs are assisting
with grooming and hygiene; monitoring vital signs and medication;
assisting with proper body movement and daily exercise; assisting
to appointments; providing security to assure safety and well being;
seeking the right help in emergencies; preparing meals; and performing
the day-to-day cleaning and laundry. The Care Plan developed by
the Registered Nurse will address the specific needs of your family
member.
Q:
Are Personal Care nursing assistants allowed to give shots and medications?
A: A nursing assistant cannot give shots or set up medication. However,
an RN or LPN is licensed to set up a medication schedule that the
nursing assistant can follow. Our RNs and LPNs are available to
administer shots.
Return
to top
Q:
Do your services include taking clients to a medical appointment?
A: We assist our clients when they go to the doctor. Because of
insurance regulations our employees are not allowed to drive a client
in the employee’s car. When a client
has given permission for the caregiver to drive his/her car, the
caregiver can drive the client’s car
to appointments. Should the client not have a car, the caregiver
and the client will go in a taxi.
Going to appointments in a taxi has many advantages. One advantage
is that the driver will take the person directly to the door and
leave the client and the caregiver at the door to the office building.
This eliminates the challenge of parking and either leaving a client
unattended at a curbside or negotiating a wheelchair from the parking
lot to the doctor’s office. Should
a client be confused, it is safer for the client and the caregiver
if someone else is driving and the caregiver can devote full attention
to the client.
Return
to top
Q:
What are the services of the Skilled Nursing staff?
A: Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses provide similar
services to those that are offered in the hospital. Doctor’s orders
are required for skilled nursing shifts. RNs or LPNs can assess
blood pressure, pulse and respiratory status; monitor medication
regime and administer medication and injections; monitor nutrition
and hydration; monitor bowel and bladder functions; monitor Diabetic
needs (check glucose levels and administer insulin); perform dressing
changes for wound care; perform catheter, colostomy and ileostomy
care; draw blood; perform tube feedings; administer IV and antibiotics
therapy.
Q:
Will you perform a home safety check to ensure there are no obstacles
that might injure the client?
A: A home check to ensure safety is included in the care plan. In
addition, you may print our Home
Safety Tips checklist.
Q:
Do you provide home health care medical products?
A: Personal Care recommends that families work with the medical
supply company closest to their home. Should this not be available,
there are a number of medical supply stores and pharmacies that
we recommend. Rental or purchase is based on individual preference
and may be reimbursable through Medicare.
Return
to top
Q:
Does Personal Care provide Geriatric Care Management?
A: We have been providing Geriatric Care Management for many years.
Personal Care performs the day-to-day tasks that are often too demanding
for the busy people who are charged with the task of caring for
an older adult. We work daily with family members, senior living
administrators, nursing directors, trust officers, physicians, social
workers, and other professionals who care for the elderly.
A Registered Nurse meets with your family member and you to identify
the needs and to develop a plan to appropriately address the needs.
Through this extensive interview process, the client’s needs are
identified and a plan of care is developed to appropriately address
the specific psychosocial needs. Further, the Care Manager will
identify and coordinate community resources and support groups.
Other services of Care Management include providing significant
others (family, guardian, institution) information about the client’s
condition and the cycle of probable events. The Care Manager can
also make recommendations regarding a variety of long-term-care
facilities. Practical matters like grocery shopping and medication
pick-up and delivery are available as well.
Personal Care holds membership in the Atlanta Chapter of the National
Gerontological Nursing Corporation, Inc., and the National
Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers.
Return
to top
|
