MANAGING CARE( continued)
Medical / Rehabilitation Services: Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapies
Even with a neurodegenerative disorder such as PSP, rehabilitation therapies can offer helpful safety instructions and can help re-stabilize an individual’ s functioning. The skilled rehabilitation therapies of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy are provided in multiple different settings:
Inpatient rehabilitation takes place in either a dedicated rehabilitation center or institute, or in a rehabilitation unit of long-term care facilities or hospitals. To qualify for admission to an inpatient rehab center, one must meet specific criteria related to one’ s ability to participate in and benefit from daily, intensive, multiple therapy sessions.
Day rehabilitation treatment centers offer community-based treatment in an outpatient setting or clinic. Some day rehab programs are housed within a larger rehabilitation institute. The patient must meet specific criteria related to ability to undertake several hours of skilled therapy throughout the day.
Outpatient centers provide therapy in a community clinic, hospital, or agency. Therefore, as with day rehabilitation, the person must be able to leave their home for therapy. Unlike day rehabilitation, outpatient therapy consists of a one-hour session at a time of physical, speech, or occupational therapy.
Home health care: If a patient is deemed to be home-bound, then skilled care or rehabilitation therapies along with visits from a registered nurse, can take place in one’ s home. During the time that a case is open for home rehab, the patient is also eligible to receive a bath aide. However, once the course of rehabilitation ends, so too does the bath service.
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Medicare or insurance covers skilled rehabilitation therapies, subject to initial evaluation and periodic re-evaluations.
Non-Medical or Personal In-Home Care
Non-medical or personal home care refers to personal care with activities of daily living, such as bathing, grooming, and dressing. In-home care providers are also called companions, personal aides, home health aides, homemakers, or personal caregivers. These kinds of home-care providers work for themselves( privately) or are employees of an agency that takes responsibility for setting fees, making caregiving assignments, insuring and bonding the caregivers, and training them.
Home health agencies offer caregiving services in any of three ways: 1. By task, such as bathing assistance 2. By blocks of time or shifts, such as 4 hours or 8 hours 3. Live-in
For the most part, personal care is a private expense. Medicare or health insurance does not cover personal care. However, it may be covered by one’ s long-term care insurance policy. In addition, some states, through their local Area Agencies on Aging, offer subsidized, and usually“ capped,” personal care services for individuals with limited financial means.
Independent Living: Senior Apartments, Active Senior Communities, and Retirement Homes
Independent living is a broad term that encompasses senior apartments, active senior communities, and retirement homes. These types of buildings are age-restricted( for example, 55 and over, or 65 and over) and are not licensed to provide personal care or nursing services. Basic services include a certain number of meals( per day, week, or month, depending on the particular facility), housekeeping or laundry( this could