Find A Care Giver

Caregivers: Certified nursing assistants (CNAs), also known as nurses aides, orderlies, patient care technicians, and home health aides, work under the supervision of a nurse and provide assistance to patients with daily living tasks.

Working closely with patients, CNAs are responsible for basic care services such as bathing, grooming and feeding patients, assisting nurses with medical equipment, and checking patient vital signs. CNAs give patients important social and emotional support and also provide vital information on patient conditions to nurses.

Personal Care
Any of our home care providers can and do provide the following personal care services:

• Assist with bathing, dressing and grooming
• Monitor diet and nutrition
• Provide intimate personal care and hygiene
• Reminders to take medications

Companionship Activities

• Answer the telephone
• Arrange appointments
• Assistance with pet care
• Care for house plants
• Companionship and conversation
• Monitor food freshness
• Pick out clothes
• Prepare grocery lists
• Receive home deliveries
• Take walks
• And more

Household Care

• Change linens
• Do laundry
• Handle light housekeeping
• Iron clothing
• Meal preparation
• Vacuum
• Wash dishes

Certifications:
Regulations vary from state-to-state, but most CNA programs offer a certification exam. The National Association for Home Care offers national certification for home health aides.

Client questions:

• Is the agency licensed, bonded and insured?
• Is this a licensed home care agency or an employment agency?
• Are caregivers employees or independent contractors? Who is responsible for taxes?
• Will all care be monitored by an RN or will he or she only visit when care begins?
• Are the caregivers citizens or legal residents of the United States?
• Does the agency offer live-in care?
• Is the agency contracted with high quality, local hospitals?
• What are the hiring standards for the agency? What type of background check does this agency perform on caregivers?
• Does the agency have someone on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
• Are there geriatric care managers or social workers on staff?

How Do I Select the Right Home Care Provider?

Once you acquire the names of several providers, you will want to learn more about their services and reputations. Following is a checklist of questions to ask providers and other individuals who may know about the provider's track record. Their insight will help you determine which provider is best for you or your loved one.

How long has this provider been serving the community? Does this provider supply literature explaining its services, eligibility requirements, fees, and funding sources? Many providers furnish patients with a detailed "Patient Bill of Rights" that outlines the rights and responsibilities of the providers, patients, and caregivers alike. An annual report and other educational materials also can provide helpful information about the provider. How does this provider select and train its employees? Does it protect its workers with written personnel policies, benefits packages, and malpractice insurance?

Are nurses or therapists required to evaluate the patient's home care needs? If so, what does this entail? Do they consult the patient's physicians and family members?

Does this provider include the patient and his or her family members in developing the plan of care? Are they involved in making care plan changes?

Is the patient's course of treatment documented, detailing the specific tasks to be carried out by each professional caregiver? Does the patient and his or her family receive a copy of this plan, and do the caregivers update it as changes occur? Does this provider take time to educate family members on the care being administered to the patient? Does this provider assign supervisors to oversee the quality of care patients are receiving in their homes? If so, how often do these individuals make visits? Who can the patient and his or her family members call with questions or complaints? How does the agency follow up on and resolve problems?

What are the financial procedures of this provider? Does the provider furnish written statements explaining all of the costs and payment plan options associated with home care?

What procedures does this provider have in place to handle emergencies? Are its caregivers available 24 hours a day, seven days a week? How does this provider ensure patient confidentiality?

Types of Care

Home Health Care — Our Certified Home Health Aides (CHHA's) and Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA's) are expertly trained to address both physical and mental vulnerabilities, provide assistance with activities of daily living, light housekeeping, meal preparation, laundry, and other needs. All care is monitored by an assigned Registered Nurse and social worker.

Companion Services — Our skilled companions provide customized home care and support that enrich your loved one’s life and maintain the quality of daily routines.

Hospital Assistance and Comfort Care — Our CHHA's are frequently requested to provide bedside comfort care when a loved one is hospitalized. After surgery or a prolonged illness, many families (whether local or long-distance) seek relief and one-on-one care to assure the comfort and attention provided by a private duty caregiver. Assistance with eating, help walking for exercise, puffing pillows, and advocating the client's needs to hospital staff is another important measure of Freedom's peace of mind.

Nursing Home and Sub-Acute Services — Our CNA's are commonly assigned by Freedom Eldercare to serve clients in nursing homes or during a sub-acute rehabilitation stay. Familiarity with the rules and routines of the skilled nursing facilities, our CNA's step in quickly to enhance the care provided by the nursing home or rehabilitation center. Companionship between therapy sessions, attentiveness to individualized needs or simply providing the increased comfort that someone is always there are the key ingredients and provide incomparable value for our clients in these settings.

Registered Nurse (RN) skilled Care — Our RN's provide skilled and experienced assessments, recommendations for how much care may be needed in short and long-term scenarios, recommendations for other resources (for which one may be eligible) and care plan recommendations. Freedom's RN's are deeply committed to developing a home health care plan that will allow the elderly client to stay at home, provided it can be done safely, skillfully and with proper supervision and monitoring.