The pandemic has brought the home medical equipment market to a booming state. This is mainly due to the need for people who are sick or injured to have better care at home.
With this, the demand for healthcare products and services has also risen. And with this, more entrepreneurs are now creating ways to solve the problems that come with this type of pandemic. One example is the use of telehealth services, which allow patients to be diagnosed and treated remotely by using video conferencing, phone calls, and/or other types of communication technology.
In 2017, a severe flu pandemic swept across the United States. In response, the market for home medical equipment grew by 12% from 2016 to 2017.
Home medical equipment spans a wide range of products and SonderCare – elderly medical equipment services that can help people live independently at home by providing mobility support, medication delivery, and monitoring of health conditions.
This section will provide an introduction to home medical equipment and its growth due to a severe flu pandemic in the U.S.
The market for home medical equipment is growing rapidly, fueled by rising demand for such products, rising prices of health care system and rising incidence of chronic disease.
It is expected that the global market for home medical equipment will grow from $31.6 billion in 2016 to $37.5 billion in 2021 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 2.3%.
Adult day care centers are designed for older individuals who need help with activities of daily living or who are isolated and lonely. At the centers, seniors are able to socialize with others while receiving assistance and supervision. It’s especially beneficial for those who can no longer structure their own daily activities, desire social interaction or can’t be safely left alone at home. At the same time, the centers give caregivers a break from around-the-clock care and provide peace of mind that their loved one is in good hands. There are varying levels of adult day care that cater to seniors’ specific needs.
Three Adult Day Care Options
Social Day Care
These facilities focus on enriching seniors’ lives through an engaging social community and activities that build upon each individual’s skills, knowledge and unique abilities.
Discussion groups about books, films or current events
Holiday and birthday celebrations
Local outings
Nutritious meals and snacks
Besides recreational activities, some programs provide transportation to and from the center, social services like counseling and support groups for caregivers, and health support services such as blood pressure monitoring and vision screening.
Adult Day Health Care
These facilities typically use the term Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) because they provide medical services and physical, occupational, and speech therapy to seniors. They are usually staffed with an RN and other health professionals. It is common practice for the program to require a health assessment by a physician prior to admission.
ADH centers provide frail adults experiencing physical, mental or social problems associated with stroke, isolation, confusion or other conditions with the opportunity to meet new people, participate in activities and enjoy daily life in a comfortable, supervised setting.
Joint Medicare and Medicaid participants may be eligible to receive ADHC from a local Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). These programs serve individuals who are 55 or older, certified by their state as needing nursing home level care, able to live safely in the community at the time of enrollment and living in a PACE service area. While all PACE participants must be certified to need nursing home care to enroll, 93 percent live in the community and get their daily care at a PACE adult day health care center.
Delivering all needed medical and supportive services, a PACE program provides the entire continuum of care and services to seniors with chronic care needs while maintaining their independence in their homes for as long as possible.
Alzheimer’s and Dementia Day Care
These programs provide social and health services specifically for seniors with cognitive challenges. In this setting, activities appropriate for the participants’ functional abilities are provided in a secure environment to prevent wandering, and the staff has specialized training in dementia care.
How to Select a Care Center
First, start by considering the needs of your loved one. Are social activities important to them? Do they need assistance with walking, eating or taking medications? Is mental stimulation a priority? What are their exercise needs?
It is important to consider your own needs as well. Are you looking for general support? Some free time? Help with transportation? These questions will help you determine which of the three main types of adult day care centers (social, health-focused or specialized Alzheimer’s/dementia care) will be the best fit.
Home care companies often “bond” their employees as a means of covering themselves in case a client reports an instance of caregiver theft. Bonding functions as insurance for the company and provides peace of mind for you. This is not a foolproof method of protecting consumers, but it does serve as an indicator of a company’s commitment to its clients.
Ask if the company has bonded its employees (e.g. companions, certified nursing assistants, home health aides, nurses) and how to buy hospital bed the value at which they are bonded.
Insurance
Every business should have insurance coverage in place.
Request a copy of the company’s “insurance declaration page” as proof of coverage.
Think about it: If a roofing company comes out to fix your roof, you’re going to want to see their proof of insurance. It is not out of line to ask the same of the company that will be caring for your loved one.
Inquire About Certification and Accreditation
There are various certifications and accreditations that home care agencies and their individual employees can voluntarily pursue. Any agency that has gone through the process of accreditation demonstrates a strong commitment to high quality care.
Ask what certifications and/or accreditations the company and its caregivers hold and who provided them.
Request Information on Caregiver Hiring and Training Procedures
Home care agencies should establish education and credential requirements for their professional caregivers and conduct background checks and drug screenings as part of the hiring process.
Caregiver Training and Education
In most states, there are no education or training requirements for providing nonmedical services, such as companionship, light housekeeping, and transportation for appointments and errands.
When personal care services are added to a caregiver’s responsibilities, they must typically receive some amount of training. Federal home health aide (HHA) standards require a minimum of 75 total classroom and clinical training hours. Some states choose to exceed this minimum training requirement in their examination and certification processes.
Determine what in-house training is provided to the different levels of caregivers within the company and how their proficiency is assessed.
Ask who provides the training.
Find out if your state requires a specific amount of ongoing education and/or workshops each year.
Ask the provider what they require on an ongoing basis as the mandatory minimum to keep their employees’ skills sharp.
Background Checks
Each state sets its own rules for running background checks on health care workers like certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and HHAs. Even in states that do not mandate background checks, many companies will conduct their own statewide or nationwide checks before hiring. Home care companies may also contact their state’s registry to verify the prospective employee’s licensing/certification status and check for existing complaints.
Ask the company how they vet employees.
Are all employees subject to the same standards? (For example, are office staff members also required to pass a background check?)
Determine if the company runs a nationwide criminal search, countywide search, drug screening, and/or credit check for new employees.
Find out how often drug screening and criminal searches are repeated on existing employees.
Ask About Care Management Procedures
Learn the details of the process the home care company uses to get acquainted with a new client, assign caregivers, begin services and manage their ongoing care.
Care Planning
A care plan is an organized, customizable schedule of services for a client that the company can regulate and family members can follow along with. In states that require home care companies to obtain licenses, care plan development is mandatory for every client.
Ask if the agency creates plans of care, how frequently they are reviewed and updated, and if they conduct regular quality assurance checks.
Be prepared to answer leading questions about the care recipient’s health conditions and daily challenges and needs. This will allow a care coordinator to determine which services would be a good fit and how often they will be needed to improve and maintain the recipient’s quality of life. It is crucial for you to provide as much information as possible and refrain from holding back any details.
Any problems with or alterations to an existing care plan should always be directed to a manager, such as a care coordinator, the head of staffing, or, in the case of smaller home care agencies, the owner.
Ask how the provider handles changes in health and the level of care needed.
Be aware that care plans may vary. Similar to gathering estimates on how to fix a roof leak, one contractor might tell you to patch it, while another will tell you a new roof is needed. Reviewing preliminary care plans from a few different companies should ensure that the providers are offering a similar scope of services to cover your needs.
Caregiver Selection
The initial consultation process also helps the agency determine which caregiver(s) would be the best fit for a client’s situation. During this meeting, it is important to communicate your needs and who you are comfortable with having in your home. Caregiver preferences can be difficult to discuss, but they are an important part of making sure your home care experience is a successful one.
For example, if your loved one has Alzheimer’s disease, a home care company should narrow down your selection to caregivers who are experienced and trained in dementia care. Furthermore, some clients are more comfortable with caregivers of a specific gender or ethnicity or require someone who speaks a language other than English.
Some companies also offer interviews with selected caregivers after the initial consultation and before services begin. This ensures their skills and personality will be a good match with the person receiving care.
Amazon's New Alexa Together is an Aging-in-Place Solution
Amazon’s fall 2021 event certainly didn’t disappoint, showcasing everything from a new wall-mounted Echo Show to an Amazon home robot (no, really). But the company is https://en.search.wordpress.com/?src=organic&q=hospital beds also adding new services to its lineup, including a brand new Alexa ability called Alexa Together.
While services like Alexa Guard focus on security, Alexa Together is specifically targeted to those aging in place, seniors who are remaining in their own homes or moving into independent living situations like granny pods. It works with a variety of Amazon devices and is compatible with third-party monitoring devices as well — such as some fall detectors SonderCare – lift beds — so it can draw in data from multiple sources. Key features include:
Care alerts sent to family members or caregivers when it looks like something has gone wrong, such as a potential fall or accident in the home.
An Urgent Response option that can connect seniors to a 24/7 emergency helpline. This hotline can be accessed hands-free in case of an accident and is also compatible with third-party detectors. This will also send alerts to emergency contacts.
A Remote Assist feature that allows caregivers to send messages directly to a device like an Echo or Echo Show. Remote Assist lets loved ones do things like set reminders to take medications or link up favorite music services and add contacts so that seniors don’t have to worry about setup steps like those.
