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In this Edition:
That’s Showbiz for You!
The Complex World of Home Healthcare: Why Work Through an Agency?
Advice on Working With Your Siblings When Caregiving
Moving On Up
Hurricane Preparedness Program
That’s Showbiz for You!
So, we were all excited…
We had gotten a call from ABC World News with Charles Gibson. They were doing a week-long series on caring for aging parents and they wanted to interview me as part of the segment on the emotional stresses that caregiving causes families.
Being the “old pros” that we are (we were on ABC Nightly News with Peter Jennings in 1999 & part of the PBS special entitled, “And Thou Shalt Honor”) we took this in our stride and waited until after the taping to tell everyone that we know about the show. We were told by the reporters that “our” segment would be aired on the Wednesday after the taping.
I have to tell you that even doing the taping was an adventure. It was different from our other experiences. They came to our suite and set up a micro-studio in my office. They moved furniture, rearranged books to give the best color background, set up intense lights (that they called daylight, even though the overhead lights were all dark), checked the sound levels, focused the camera and arranged a conference call with two reporters. I even had to speak to someone who was not actually in the camera view, so that it would look like a live interview. It’s not easy talking to a blank face with voices coming from a black box off to the side!
They were with us for about two hours. The very next day, we rallied all of our resources to tell the world to watch the show. We were on email and telephone, we issued press releases, we sent head shots to local media. One friend even told about 30 of my college friends, some of whom I haven’t seen in decades. Family near and far were informed, referral sources were alerted. Believe me folks, viewership was up for the night of June 27!
Then at the last minute, another call came...
The segment was cut from the show because there had been a blackout in NY and it took time away from the special segment. We were off the air!
I am still answering emails about what happened. I guess that is the nature of show business! I just hope that the next time they need an “old pro” in the aging field that ABC will remember the good job we did and call on us again.
That’s all folks!!!!!
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The Complex World of Home Healthcare: Why Work
Through an Agency?
One of the greatest long-term needs of older adults with chronic illnesses is for in-home, custodial care, which makes it
possible for people with functional or cognitive limitations to remain at home in their preferred environment. Home Health Aides
and Certified Nursing Assistants provide the majority of this type of care.
The three main types of private duty or custodial care companies in South Florida are:
- Licensed Home Health Agency – Non-Medicare Certified
- Licensed Nurse Registry
- Companion Company
Licensed Home Health Agencies and Nurse Registries often provide very similar staff to the consumer. The primary difference
involves the issue of who the employer and supervisor is for the staff.
In a Licensed Home Health Agency situation, the company is both the employer and the supervisor of the care that is provided.
This means that the care recipient has help in managing the nature and quality of the care. In a Licensed Nurse Registry the
employer and the supervisor of the care is the individual who is the care recipient or a family member. This means that the
consumer is also the employer and the supervisor of the staff. A nurse may visit, but she is not allowed to supervise the work
of the aide because the aide is not their employee.
Companion Companies are not licensed, but they are registered with the State. Their staff is prohibited by law from providing
any “personal care” services. This means that Companions can only provide household chores and friendly visitor/companionship services.
The consumer must inquire to determine if they are the employer or the company is the employer.
Why is this Important?
Consumers need to know that care decisions come with issues of legal liability and responsibility.
For example, if the care recipient is a private employer there are responsibilities imposed by the IRS, which include:
- Withholding of income tax and your (employer) portion of social security and Medicare taxes
- Paying social security, Medicare and unemployment (FUTA) taxes
- Giving employee a Form W-2, showing the amount of taxes withheld from the pay. (www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1779.pdf)
There may also be liability incurred for any injury that happens while the aide is on the job. Many people believe that this is
covered under their homeowners’ policy, but this is not always the case and it would be necessary to check with your insurance
agent about your potential liability.
So the question to ask, when you need care to remain at home is, “Do I want the responsibility of being an employer, or do I want to know
that I have a team to help me?” To your good health!
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Advice on Working With Your Siblings When Caregiving
How to Face the Challenge and Remain Friends
Rona Bartlestone was featured in a recent article in the Chicago Tribune about elders moving back north, after retiring in Florida for
many years, to be near family members because of a combination of declining health and a shrinking support system.
Click here to read the full artilce from the ABC News website.
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Moving On Up
By Sandy Goldberg, RN, Care Manager
It was five years ago when Manny lost his wife of 60 years. His love for her is so great that he still talks about her as if she were alive. Because of his many losses, Manny was feeling very lonely.
As a result of his loneliness, his two caring sons hired Rona Bartelstone Care Management & Home Healthcare to help them meet his needs, including emotional support and accompanying him to doctor appointments. Sandy Goldberg his Care Manager has been working with him for the last 6 months and she provides a lot of reassurance to Manny’s sons who were feeling guilty about living so far away.
As time passed and Manny’s loneliness continued, Sandy began to feel that he might thrive in a more social environment. Manny’s initial reluctance to a move began to soften when he started needing more help with personal care, but didn’t want to have an aide in his home. Sandy helped him visit a few select assisted living facilities, so that he could see for himself what a positive alternative this might be for him
Well, Manny loved one of the facilities that Sandy chose for him. He even found a childhood friend who he hadn’t seen in years. She was very attractive and also alone .She told him how wonderful it was to be with contemporaries and (jokingly) to be able to complain about every day problems. Manny decided to take the plunge to ease the burden for himself and his sons.
Next came the problem of how to facilitate the move. Sandy called a mover who specializes in moving people into Assisted Living Facilities. To prepare, Sandy helped him to sort through his things and pass along a lot of precious belongings from his marriage and his lifetime, to their sons and grandchildren. Sandy even helped him shop for new bedding, linens, small appliances and “chochkes” to decorate the new apartment.
On the day of the move, Sandy accompanied Manny and the movers to assure that all went well. She stayed with Manny to help him emotionally with the transition and to orient him to the facility, so that he would be more comfortable. When everything was organized in his new home he had the best decorated bachelor apartment in the place!
Manny’s friend immediately began to introduce him to her friends. He got into a card game and played bingo. He always loved to dance, so now does line dancing even though he uses a walker! He is truly thriving in his new environment.
After the move, Manny’s sons came to visit. They were so happy and appreciated everything Sandy was able to do with their father. They now come to visit more often and share quality time with Manny, instead of worrying about him. Manny is proud of his sons and loves to show them off. Despite his initial reluctance, Manny now says that this move was the second best decision of his life, after the decision to marry his beautiful wife.
Manny now has a SMILE FROM EAR TO EAR, which proves that it is never too late to move up to the next level of life! Thank you Manny for being such a good role model for coping with change.
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Hurricane Preparedness Program
Although hurricane season has already started, you can still sign up for our
Hurricane Preparedness Program.
Why delay establishing a local support system for those you love? Give them—and yourself—peace of mind before, during and after the storm.
Sign up now.
We have recently introduced a new Hurricane Preparedness Program that can help you and your family be prepared this hurricane season. Click here for more information on our dynamic program.
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