CNA/ Home Health Care

Seannie · ‎05-19-2010

Hi all,

Hope someone has experience since I have zero. Elderly couple living at home. Wife is bedridden, incontinent, blind and mostly deaf. Husband feeds her, and with help of 60-year-old son living there, changes diapers 2x daily, sponge bath 3x weekly. Wife is obese, difficult to roll over to change her or bed linens.

After 8 years, son is leaving town.

My question--can in-home help be obtained for 11/2 to 2 hours daily--someone who is willing to work with a large bedridden patient? The family says no nurse aide wants to deal with a heavy person.

Thanks again friends, Seannie

tucsongal · ‎03-10-2010

@Seannie Yes but the care will not be covered by insurance unless they have a long term policy. I would look into an agency that utilizes CNA’s who should be experienced. It sounds like she needs more than once daily care; some agencies will come in mornings and evenings for a couple hours. I should add that depending on the area it might be more difficult, e.g. if very rural.

Based on the information you’ve given, I’m not sure if this will provide the care she might really need. But it’s a place to start if they are set on having her stay at home.

nana59 · ‎05-12-2012

sounds like she needs more than a couple of hours of nursing care....maybe time to look into a nursing home facility....can't imagine her elderly husband dealing with this responsibility....just my opinion.....

Mindy D · ‎05-23-2010

@Seannie wrote:
Hi all,
Hope someone has experience since I have zero. Elderly couple living at home. Wife is bedridden, incontinent, blind and mostly deaf. Husband feeds her, and with help of 60-year-old son living there, changes diapers 2x daily, sponge bath 3x weekly. Wife is obese, difficult to roll over to change her or bed linens.
After 8 years, son is leaving town.

My question--can in-home help be obtained for 11/2 to 2 hours daily--someone who is willing to work with a large bedridden patient? The family says no nurse aide wants to deal with a heavy person.

Thanks again friends, Seannie

@Seannie @Sometimes you can find someone that works for an agency that is willing to take on a couple more hours for themselves on the side that is willing to do only two hours. Agencies usually send someone for a minimum of four hours. I have taken care of two family members with the same needs as you described for many years. It's very hard to find a two hours a day person. Expect to see four hour minimums. I can't speak to changes in home care that have come about since the pandemic because I took care before it. Unless the person is super, super obese, what I say will apply to most obese persons. One poster suggested Visiting Angels. You could try them first.

Some counties have programs that send home health workers. These programs vary as to who is eligible and what the workers will do, how long the worker will stay, how often the worker will come. You can check.

Deree · ‎06-30-2018

Call your local Department of the Aging for options and assistance.

Wear a mask. Social distance. Be part of the solution - not part of the problem.

ScrapHappy · ‎03-28-2010

The first thing I would do is contact the woman's doctor. Since she is obese, bedridden and incontinent, she may have bed sores. She is blind and almost deaf...I'm pretty certain there are medical issues that can be addressed in a home setting. The doctor would need to "write" an order for home care evaluation. A nurse comes out to do evaluation as what needs she may have. A medical need has to be found. In some cases, Medicare will pay for some home visits but not many and not for long periods of time. Once that ends, it's private pay. RN's usually do the evaluations and are the case managers of care. LPN's and CNA's perform the physical care.

Anonymous032819 · ‎03-29-2019

Do you have Visiting Angels in your area? https://www.visitingangels.com

You can schedule a consult, for the number of hours per week, that they will come out to help.

I used them with my dad, and they were great.

Hope this helps!

The Sky looks different when you have someone you love up there.

Still Raining · ‎03-30-2014

Can they request an evaluation of her AND his needs and capabilities? If she is 100% bedridden, DH will not be able to properly care for her.

moonandthestars · ‎03-11-2010

@Seannie

Good answers so far. I would agree with the poster who said that the woman's doctor should be contacted. It seems clear that this woman would need assistance - living at home. The dr's office can write orders for the home care - also probably add in some physical therapy - and with the doctor's order there will be insurance coverage. Yes, it is limited to how many visits and for how long. But even after that period it can be re-evaluated and re-submitted. The professionals usually know how to handle it. It's been quite a few years since my experience with this sort of thing - but I do urge you or their family to contact her dr and elderly services in the area. When I was in the midst of this, there was also the catholic charities organization that also provided some care / companionship / conversation. I'd be shocked if home health care would be refused to help someone who was very overweight. Obviously it would need to be someone who had some strength and good techique. Fingers crossed she and her husband get the assistance they obviously need.

Meowingkitty · ‎06-19-2010

@Anonymous032819 wrote:
Do you have Visiting Angels in your area? https://www.visitingangels.com

You can schedule a consult, for the number of hours per week, that they will come out to help.

I used them with my dad, and they were great.

Hope this helps!

Visiting Angels is very expensive plus they want a minimum of 4 hours. We used them for my aunt when she broke her leg in 2018 and she needed 24/7 care and they were $15,000 a month.