FACT was acknowledged for its One Click/One Call transportation information program called STRIDE.  STRIDE is accessible via the web at www.stridesd.org and contains a list of approximately 148 public, private and social services transportation programs.  Riders can use the search engine, STRIDE, to easily seek out the best transportation options that fits rider’s specific, individual needs.  This service is also available through a toll free number, (888) 924-3228, where the callers receive personal assistance from FACT’s Mobility Coordinator.  The website and phone referrals serve as a one call-one click program.

“Congratulations to FACT, the CTSA for the County of San Diego, for its recent WTS Award due to its outstanding contributions in the transportation field! It is a great honor to serve on behalf of this wonderful organization as a second-term member of the Board of Directors.” -Laurie Edwards-Tate

Full Access & Coordinated Transportation, Inc. is a non-profit and Consolidated Transportation Services Agency (CTSA) that provides free transportation information and referrals to residents in San Diego County.  Their mission is to “Assist seniors, persons with disabilities, and social service recipients in San Diego County to meet their transportation needs.”

©2012 At Your Home Familycare. All Rights Reserved.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau projections, the number of Americans turning 65 is expected to exceed 70 million in the next two decades. In addition to the elderly, many people are injured, ill, or disabled at some point and may require help with day-to-day activities. The Private Duty Homecare Association (PDHCA), an affiliate of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), is a trade association of in-home care providers dedicated to helping the elderly, ill or disabled remain in their own homes. Today, the organization announced the re-appointment of San Diego’s own Laurie Edwards-Tate, president and founder of At Your Home Familycare, to the PDHCA advisory board, and introduced six additional new members. Edwards-Tate has been selected to help lead the association and provide experienced insight to address the increasing need for short or long-term in-home care.

“There are many pressing issues within the in-home care industry with active legislation on the table which will greatly affect its future.” said Merrily Orsini, MSSW, chief strategic officer for PDHCA. “With Edwards-Tate’s proven leadership, and her reputation as an independent thinker in the industry and vast knowledge of the business of in-home care, the PDHCA is well represented to continue advocating on behalf of those who wish to remain at home while they age or recuperate.”

A seasoned in-home care executive, Edwards-Tate is dedicated to tackling the standards and quality issues within the long-term in-home care industry, and to position in-home care as an easy to access and easy to understand service nationwide.

New PDHCA board members include: Stanley A. Rynkiewicz III, RN, MSN, WCC and administrator of Dear Meadows Home Health & Support Services, LLC; Brittnei Salerno, president and CEO of La Jolla Nurses Homecare; Lauren Simpson, RN, BSN and CEO of Potomac Home Health/ Support; Sherl Brand, president and CEO of the Home Care Association of New Jersey; Umi K. Chahal, CEO of Choice Home Health & Hospice; and Elaine D. Stephens, executive vice president of home care and hospice for Masonic Health Systems/ Overlook VNA.

In addition to the newly appointed, Shelle Womble, senior director of sales and service for ResCare HomeCare returns as the elected chair, and other re-appointed members of PDHCA’s advisory board are Bob Roth, managing partner of Cypress HomeCare Solutions; Lucy Andrews, CEO of At Your Service Home Care; and Cathy Sparling, executive vice president of Arcadia Health Care. Re-appointed as ex-officio are returning advisory board members Patricia Drea, vice president of operations for Visiting Angels; Karen Thomas, president of Oxford Healthcare Home Health Agency; and Georjean Sweis, national director of private duty for Addus HealthCare, Inc.

For more information about the PDHCA, please visit www.pdhca.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pdhca or on Twitter @PDHCA.

About PDHCA
The Private Duty Homecare Association (PDHCA) was established by the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC). It is a trade association of home care providers dedicated to helping the ill and disabled remain in their own homes. PDHCA services focus on providing valuable information to its members, including help in understanding federal guidelines, financial management assistance, networking, business strategy meetings, certification and accreditation, and new product offerings. PDHCA is designed to answer all the questions that private duty home care providers may have regarding their businesses and practices. Please visit PDHCA on the web at www.pdhca.org.

©2012 At Your Home Familycare. All Rights Reserved.

Investigators contacted individuals who posted ads on Craigslist for in-home care providers. According to the report, five individuals offering services had extensive criminal records including convictions for drug trafficking, major theft, burglary and prostitution.

The report also found that 27 percent of caregivers in 64 recent criminal cases involving seniors had previous convictions on their criminal record.

Laurie Edwards-Tate, MS, President and Founder of At Your Home Familycare, has provided non-medical private duty home care for for 27 years. She says it is vital to engage caregivers from a certified or accredited, bonded company that has successfully met state and national standards, with a substantial history and specific guidelines.

“This is one of the most critically important decisions you may ever make,” said Edwards-Tate. “Caregivers should be background checked, well supervised and well trained. When you hire a caregiver, you should be asking a lot of questions. An ethical, reputable private duty home care agency will gladly answer them all to your satisfaction.

While a 2008 state law (Senate Bill 692) allows seniors and their families to conduct criminal screening through the Department of Justice, the report found there is confusion about how to do so and the service is not user friendly.

“It’s impractical to ask a family to conduct their own criminal background checks,” said Edwards-Tate.  “Even so, an individual is not under independent supervision and may not be properly trained. You also become liable for any issues that arise such as on the job, injuries, abuses or conflicts,” advised Edwards-Tate.

Edwards-Tate recommends following this Home Care Agency Checklist when engaging a caregiver for an older or disabled adult:

• Does the agency have a business license and any necessary state certifications?
• Are caregivers “employees,” making the agency responsible for paying all employee payroll taxes, as required by law?
• Does the agency provide Worker’s Compensation Insurance, Professional Liability Insurance, and Fidelity Bond Insurance (this is sometimes referred to as “theft” insurance)?
• Are criminal background checks performed on all employees?
• Are caregivers provided training in CPR, First Aid, and caregiving skills?
• Is there active management of the caregiver by a direct supervisor or manager who regularly visits the client and caregiver in the home or other living facility?
• Is there an established Plan of Care created for the client?
• Is there a 24-hour on-call number if there is any kind of emergency after hours or on weekends?
• Do you need a caregiver who speaks a specific language?
• Do you need a caregiver who can escort the client to doctor’s appointments, errands and social activities? What kind of transportation will be provided?
• If there is memory loss, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, is the caregiver qualified to work with a client suffering with these conditions?
• If there are physical disabilities or infirmities, is the caregiver physically capable and trained to manage the client safely?
• Does the agency work in cooperation with government and nonprofit social services and provide referrals to supplemental programs and services that may be available, such as those for veterans?
• Does the agency belong to and is active in the Private Duty Home Care Association of America (PDHCA)?

“With the aging of the Baby Boomer population hitting us as 10,000 people turn 65 every day in the United States, this issue is rapidly becoming more acute,” said Edwards-Tate. “Seniors and their families may not be aware that with minimal assistance from a professional caregiver provided through a reputable organization, they can stay safely in their homes and maintain their autonomy, dignity, and independence.”

©2012 At Your Home Familycare. All Rights Reserved.

The shocking arrest of the caregiver to a Pearl Harbor veteran in San Diego County on felony charges of elder abuse brings to light the critical importance of carefully choosing a caregiver.
Laurie Edwards-Tate, MS, President and Founder of At Your Home Familycare, has provided non-medical private duty home care for older and disabled adults for 27 years. She says it is vitally important to engage caregivers from an accredited, bonded company that has successfully met state and national standards, with a substantial business history and specific guidelines.

“This is one of the most critically important decisions you may ever make,” said Edwards-Tate. “Caregivers should be background checked, well supervised and well trained. When you hire a caregiver, you should be asking a lot of questions and all of them should be answered to your complete satisfaction. An ethical, reputable private duty home care agency will gladly answer them all to your satisfaction.

“It might be tempting to hire someone privately such as a neighbor or friend. But no matter how well-intentioned, an individual is not under independent supervision and may not be properly trained. You also become liable for any issues that arise such as on the job, injuries, abuses or conflicts,” advised Edwards-Tate.

Edwards-Tate recommends following this Home Care Agency Checklist when engaging a caregiver for an older or disabled adult:

• Does the agency have a business license and any necessary state certifications?
• Are caregivers “employees,” making the agency responsible for paying all employee payroll taxes, as required by law?
• Does the agency provide Worker’s Compensation Insurance, Professional Liability Insurance, and Fidelity Bond Insurance (this is sometimes referred to as “theft” insurance)?
• Are criminal background checks performed on all employees?
• Are caregivers provided training in CPR, First Aid, and caregiving skills?
• Is there active management of the caregiver by a direct supervisor or manager who regularly visits the client and caregiver in the home or other living facility?
• Is there an established Plan of Care created for the client?
• Is there a 24-hour on-call number if there is any kind of emergency after hours or on weekends?
• How many hours do you require?
• Do you need a caregiver who speaks a specific language?
• Do you need a caregiver who can escort the client to doctor’s appointments, errands and social activities? What kind of transportation will be provided?
• If there is memory loss, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, is the caregiver qualified to work with a client suffering with these conditions?
• If there are physical disabilities or infirmities, is the caregiver physically capable and trained to manage the client safely?
• Does the agency work in cooperation with government and nonprofit social services and provide referrals to supplemental programs and services that may be available, such as those for veterans?
• Does the agency belong to and is active in the Private Duty Home Care Association of America (PDHCA)?

“With the aging of the Baby Boomer population hitting us as 20,000 people turn 65 every day in the United States, this issue is rapidly becoming more acute,” said Edwards-Tate. “Seniors and their loved ones may not be aware of a gradual decline and may be reluctant to accept reality, or unable to plan for needed care,” said Edwards-Tate. “They may not be aware that with minimal assistance from a professional caregiver provided through a reputable organization, they can stay safely in their homes and maintain their autonomy, dignity, and independence.”

©2012 At Your Home Familycare. All Rights Reserved.

Edwards-Tate said, “Our annual conference is a wonderful, informative, and fun event. Members of the home care community come from across the U.S. to advance their professional knowledge, share and interact with colleagues. As an Advisory Board member of the Private Duty Home Care Association, I am especially proud to be a participant at this conference, and proud to contribute to the growth and development of this fast-growing industry which serves those who are most vulnerable.”

“Our industry is in a period of rapid growth and change, which will only accelerate as the Baby Boomer generation ages. It’s vital that we share best practices and learn how best to serve this community, keeping them independent and in their own homes as long as possible.”

©2012 At Your Home Familycare. All Rights Reserved.

Engineering, journalism and public relations, religious organizations and many other professions have professional ethics. The home care industry is among them.  The NAHC Code of Ethics was adopted by the Board of Directors in 1982. Quoting from the Code’s Preamble, “It serves as a statement to the general public that the Association and its individual members stand for integrity and the highest ethical standards. This Code of Ethics serves to inform members and the general public as to what are acceptable guidelines for ethical conduct for home care agencies and their employees.”

Why have a Code of Ethics?

• To define accepted/acceptable behaviors
• To promote high standards of practice
• To provide a benchmark for members to use for self evaluation
• To establish a framework for professional behavior and responsibilities
• As a vehicle for occupational identity
• As a mark of occupational maturity

These are not just desirable behaviors, they make good business sense. Whether or not people should practice high standards and conduct regular self-evaluation as the right thing to do, businesses prosper when these behaviors are practiced on a routine basis.

The NAHC Code of Ethics includes sections governing the following areas: Patient Rights and Responsibilities, Relationships to Other Provider Agencies, Responsibility to NAHC, Fiscal Responsibilities, Marketing and Public Relations, Personnel, Legislative, and the Hearing Process. It has served as a model for many other similar state organizations.

Ethical codes or rules must never go against laws, but rather coordinate with them, as in the case of medical record confidentiality under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996.

Business or professional ethics are mutually beneficial to all of us involved in a profession such as home care. People in a profession don’t want to condone bad, dishonest or irresponsible behavior if it does occur by someone in our field. We are no exception. By setting out expected behaviors in the form of professional ethics, we in NAHC work together to try to uphold a good reputation, which benefits all of us as members.

A code of ethics has a secondary effect that is important not to overlook. A mutually shared code of ethics enhances the sense of community among members, the pride of belonging to a group with common values and a common mission.

This may seem intangible, but it adds greatly to a sense of accomplishment and job satisfaction, which is important for all professionals. It boost employee excellence and retention.

In general, professional ethics always include upholding honesty and respect in the profession over personal needs, conflicts or biases. Respect and honesty are the two main components of professional ethics. All employees are expected to represent a business ethically. This is crucial. No matter whose name is on the door, in large part our employees are the business.

It should be noted that people within each profession are expected to be respectful and honest in their personal dealings as well. A conflict of interest situation may occur when an individual tries to accomplish personal goals as a result of being in a certain profession. For example, a politician who uses government resources to get work done on his personal home could be seen as being involved in a conflict of interest.

The very exercise of developing a code is in itself worthwhile. It forces a group of people to examine their mission, their goals and objectives, and their important obligations both internally and externally, as a group and as individuals.

For those truly committed to professional ethics, training is critical. For example, home care aides and managers must be aware and implement many rules based on ethics regarding client confidentiality. It is both unethical and unlawful to discuss a client’s personal records with others who are not involved in the care of the individual.

Codes of ethics may seem altruistic, but they are also beneficial in a practical way. They help make our relationships mutually pleasant and productive. They help set standards that generate positive relationships through trust and respect, business growth, and long-term success. We must never forget that we can do well by doing good.

©2012 At Your Home Familycare. All Rights Reserved.

Click on the link below and navigate to page 22 using the page controls at the top of the screen.

http://www.dav.org/news/magazineGallery.html

©2012 At Your Home Familycare. All Rights Reserved.

“Senate health care bill could hit senior San Diegans hard”
Read more: http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2009-12-21/health-fitness/senate-health-bill-could-hit-senior-san-diegans-hard##ixzz0blIACDO6

©2012 At Your Home Familycare. All Rights Reserved.

If predictions about the current proposals are correct, regarding the most recent legislation produced by the Senate Finance Committee, those of us in the home care industry will be forced to deal with cuts to Medicare home health providers of $43.2 billion over 10 years and another $7.9 billion to hospice care providers over the next decade (National Association for Home Care & Hospice, NAHC Report, Oct. 13).

This reality hits just as the need for services to support an aging population is expanding at a faster rate than ever before.

In 2009, the market for in-home care nationwide is projected to reach approximately $15 billion, exhibiting a decade-long average compound annual growth rate of 10%. This industry is in its infancy.

Today, there are 36 million adults age 65 and over in the United States. This population is expected to nearly double to 70 million over the next 30 years. With an increasing average life expectancy for Americans reaching over 75 years of age, the need for senior care will continue to escalate.

Providing care for older family members is a fact of life for millions of Americans. This responsibility is increasingly falling on family members in the so-called “sandwich generation,” ages 30 to 60. According to a study by the University of Florida, one in ten American workers is a caregiver. Complex issues associated with long term care, eldercare and disability care is increasingly affecting productivity.

A National Alliance of Caregiving/AARP study estimated that each year, businesses suffer a $29 billion loss in productivity due to absenteeism, workplace interruptions, care crises, and diverted supervisor time. Workers who find the competing demands of work and caregiving too much may have to choose family over their jobs. AARP found that 11% of employees who are caregivers took a leave of absence; 7% worked fewer hours; and 3% turned down promotions. Meanwhile, 10% quit altogether. This creates a serious financial and emotional toll.

Over 20 million Americans belong to this so-called “sandwich generation.” Feeling stretched, overwhelmed, and under-supported, this segment of consumers has particular needs and hopes that the private care industry should understand and address. Products and services designed for a world where one’s middle years bring a decrease in responsibility and an increase in personal time are completely out of step with today’s reality.

:: A recent study by the marketing firm Communispace polled sandwich generation caregivers and found:

• 45% like the idea of a flexible home health insurance plan that would cover their parents as well as themselves and their spouse at different periods in time
• 47% would like to have the ability to carry their parents as well as their kids on their health insurance
• 40% like the idea of someone who could transport their parent to the doctor, sit with them when the doctor gives them a diagnosis and treatment plan, and then report it all to them
• 26% like the idea of a combined Senior Center and Child Daycare Center
• 26% like the idea of a service to dispense or remind their parents to take their medication
• 22% like the idea of a service that would install webcams in their parents’ home and their own to let them monitor them.

Private duty/private pay services may be as basic as respite care to providing relief to family caregivers, homemaker services, bathing and grooming assistance, transportation, and an array of non-medical services in the home. Newer services such as telehealth and telemedicine, pet care, and travel assistance are gaining popularity. If home health and hospice funding is reduced, individuals will be forced to pay out of pocket for 12-hour and 24-hour care, nursing care, physician care, and other medically-related services currently covered.

So as the economy may eventually be deemphasizing care in the home away from medical services to the less invasive non-medical, home care aide services which offer a cost-effective alternative to assistance with the activities of daily living, the need for private duty and private pay services will grow. Greater emphasis will be placed on the private citizen finding ways to afford them, ranging from tapping savings, getting family help, long-term care insurance, or reverse mortgages.

Relief may come through the passing of The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act, a proposed, additional long-term care provision included in the Senate Finance Committee’s and House of Representatives’ health reform legislation (Private Duty Source, Oct. 23).

:: The CLASS Act would create a national, voluntary disability insurance program under which:

(1) All employees are automatically enrolled, but are allowed to opt-out of enrollment;

(2) Payroll deductions pay monthly premiums; and

(3) Tiered benefits are provided, based on the level of disability, to purchase non-medical services and supports that the beneficiary needs to maintain independence.

The benefit would make about $27,000 per year in assistance available to those who need it, and that would “take a big chunk out of the financial obligation,” experts have noted. In the view of the ARCH National Resource Center for Respite and Crisis Care Services funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the CLASS Act “would create a solvent, affordable, premium-based, national insurance program providing cash benefits that can be used for assistance with the activities of daily living to help people avoid becoming impoverished by spending down Medicaid eligibility levels. The CLASS Act complements the Community First Choice Option and Medicaid, Medicare, and private long term care insurance.”

Even though all segments of health care are being cut, home health services are being cut disproportionately. The plan calls for cuts of a little more than 17% in federal money to the home care services industry. This makes zero sense given that the need for these services are exploding, but there is a basic issue we can all agree on: It is far cheaper to take care of people in home care and maintain their independence as long as possible as opposed to an acute care setting.

As a private duty provider with 25 years of experience, we know people prefer to be taken care of at home. And at some point, although economics are very important, humanity is important too. We cannot lose sight of this.

NOTE: For more information on The CLASS Act, visit www.passtheclassact.org.

©2012 At Your Home Familycare. All Rights Reserved.

FACT’s mission is to create a transportation system that will provide access and mobility for all people in San Diego County by coordinating existing resources, creating partnerships that eliminate barriers, accessing additional sources of funding, and augmenting existing resources, and developing alternative models of transportation.

FACT is governing by a five member board, assisted by a five member Technical Advisory Committee. FACT was incorporated in 2006 as a nonprofit organization with the goal of creating a mobility management center in San Diego County.

“FACT’s mission of providing coordinated transportation services for seniors and the disabled is praiseworthy. This is something I have made a priority for my own company for 25 years,” said Edwards-Tate. “Transit agencies are struggling with budget cuts while the demand for specialized transportation is rising at the same time.

“Mobility equals independence in our society. FACT can make a huge difference by coordinating services and identifying other agencies that can step in to help. Finding solutions together is far more efficient and provides better service to members of the senior, disabled and low-income communities we strive to serve, and it is an honor to contribute to this goal as a member of the FACT board of directors,” Edwards-Tate said.

The senior population in San Diego County is expected to hold steady at 12% of the overall population through 2030. There are clusters of seniors, including Del Mar and Solana Beach in the North County. In addition, the disabled population is estimated at approximately 12% countywide. Some North County cities have disabled populations that exceed 20% including Vista, Escondido, and Oceanside. This is why FACT has decided to establish its pilot project in the North County region.

©2012 At Your Home Familycare. All Rights Reserved.