Frank De-Levi Explains the Need for Safety & Quality When Searching for Elderly at Home Care
When your elderly loved one requires additional care, your family members must make several vital considerations before selecting a care facility. The COVID-19 pandemic has made home services particularly appealing, as it has exposed the vulnerability of nursing homes. Home services allow your elderly loved one to receive care in the comfort of their home instead of in a hospital or long-term care facility. Frank De-Levi, who runs a medical home health agency, HomeAssists Home Health Services, believes that at-home care provides families with an affordable, safe, and personal experience that is unmatched by other long-term facilities. Frank De-Levi is here to provide a brief overview of the benefits of at-home care.
Greater Independence
According to a study published by Regis University in 2007, 26% of seniors cited their biggest fear as being the loss of independence. In addition to losing their freedom, vulnerable seniors also lose the comfort of home. Unsurprisingly, the same survey published by Regis University found that 89% of seniors believed it was essential to continue living at home. Frank De-Levi has learned this through the first-hand experience with his loved ones. De-Levi and his wife Kristina’s grandparents all received home health care and, this challenging experience helped to demonstrate the effectiveness of at-home health services provide: “Watching that kind of thing unfold in our own families really gave us a lot of insight as to how care should be handled regarding the elderly.”
Cost Effective
In addition to the general comforts of being at home, home care has also been shown to be more cost-effective than institutional care — which includes improved patient outcomes. According to a 2019 research study, which examined 17 million Medicare hospital admissions comparing home care and admissions to a skilled nurse facility, home care was associated with an average savings of $4,514 in the 60 days after hospitalization. Frank De-Levi explains that it is less expensive to have a nurse from a home health agency come to the patient’s home than to have them recovering in a hospital or a facility.
More Americans Are Turning to At-Home Care
Frank De-Levi believes that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential for governments to review home care as an option, as it has proved to be a more cost-efficient, safer option compared to long-term care facilities.
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) explains that more than 2.3 million U.S. workers currently provide in-home personal health care for older adults and people with disabilities — a labor force that has more than doubled since 2007. As the population continues to age, Frank De-Levi believes that more and more elderly Americans will turn to at-home care for its affordability, comfort, and high quality of care.
Selecting the Best Option
When you begin searching for a caregiver for your loved one, take your time. Frank De-Levi explains that caregivers need to be trustworthy, compassionate, and responsible, and that you and your loved one should be present to interview candidates together if at all possible. At HomeAssist, Frank De-Levi and his team keep a close eye on a patient’s chart, seeing how far along they are in their plan of care. The team also follows up with their clinicians who then relay any necessary information to patients, their family, caregiver, or physician. Frank De-Levi believes that this holistic approach to at home care is crucial when looking for a caregiver. This level of care is driven by Frank and Kristina’s compassion for their patients.
