When a family is considering their options for their loved one’s care late at night with a calculator in hand, that small difference in cost can impact their decision the most. It should be, “What is the cost of care, and is it necessary for a caregiver to be in the home at all times? Is it OK for a caregiver to be out at certain times?”
24-Hour Care Is Different from Live-In Care
With 24-hour home care, care is provided around the clock with caregivers who are available and alert at all times. Caregivers are not on the clock to be available and alert at all times, and therefore, are permitted to take breaks to sleep.
24-hour care, and live-in care, differ in cost for a reason.
For your situation, if your parent needs assistance and/or supervision throughout the night, it may be best to implement caregivers who will not be required to take breaks to sleep. On the other hand, if your parent does not require supervision and/or assistance throughout the night, and care is primarily needed during the day, a live-in caregiver may be appropriate.
In this case, it may be helpful for you to keep a journal, and write down everything that occurs from the time your parent goes to bed until the time they get up in the morning.
Does your family member need help throughout the night? Have the ways they spend their nighttime hours changed? Are there systems in place to ensure that someone is alert to provide service and support throughout the night?
Caring for a loved one day and night takes a huge physical, mental, and emotional toll on a person and gives them very little time to rest. There are more effective and descriptive terms to describe your situation than "round-the-clock care."
What does 24/7 home care in the Baton Rouge area cost?
The biggest factor in cost is how long care is required to be provided. A care recipient who only requires care during the day has different needs than a care recipient who requires constant care and supervision.
Before making a decision, it is a good idea to find out what is provided by the caregiver for the quoted price. One care provider's hourly rate may not be comparable to another care provider's daily rate.
Our 24 hour home care page serving Baton Rouge provides additional information. Families may also wish to see our costs and levels of care before meeting with us to discuss a care plan.
What Situations Lead Families in Baton Rouge and Prairieville to Opt for Round-the-Clock Care?
Generally, families do not create a plan for 24 hour care because of a calendar event. Something usually happens to make the existing support system for a family member intolerable. A few of the support system breaking events may include:
A Fall
While the need for 24-hour care can’t be assumed, there are definite circumstances where families need to consider how and when their older relative gets support. Families should also consider whether there are long periods of time where support is not available.
Following a Stay in the Hospital
As part of the transition back to the community, a person’s usual support may have been changed temporarily or permanently.
Family members may need to provide more support for routine activities such as getting to and from different places in the house and helping the person with personal care and other activities.
The person’s discharge from the hospital isn’t the deciding factor for the level or type of support that is provided. The best approach is to focus on the activities for which the person isn’t able to take care of himself, and determine the support that is needed to facilitate those activities.
Difficulty Managing Nocturnal Activity
Of all the activities performed by the family caregiver during the 24 hour period, nocturnal activities are the most demanding and may require the family to seek support beyond what is provided during the day.
Families wishing to learn more about home care services available in Prairieville should keep in mind that they need to consider all the activities that occur during a 24 hour period. The same is true for families living in Gonzales.
What is the Difference Between 24 Hour Home Care, Assisted Living, and a Nursing Home?
There are real differences between these living situations, and price is not the only consideration.
Home-based care is typically provided for older adults who want to remain at home.
The care is typically designed and based upon the needs and resources of the location where the person resides.
Claimed care resources must be defined.
The care resources must be aligned with the health and support needs of the older adult.
May require the ongoing presence of a caregiver in the home of the older adult.
Non-medical care does not replace the activities of a licensed nurse or physician.
May include an assessment of the older adult’s behavior, communication, and mobility.
A person may be moved to a long-term care facility from their home if the cost of care in the home is deemed too high.
Home care allows the older adult to remain in their home if care is provided to them in a way that accommodates their routine.
The care offered by assisted living may, and often does, vary from the care offered to the person in a nursing home.
A person is moved from a home setting to a nursing home if the services and care offered in the nursing home provide the highest level of safety and care for the individual.
Other factors may also be considered such as the preference and involvement of the older adult’s family.
Our services do not include:
- Providing injections
- Wound care
- Administration of medications
A Care Pro can assist in the performance of various tasks as specified in the Care Plan. However, the provision of clinical care and/or the performance of related activities should be provided by duly licensed and trained medical personnel.
Families are concerned with the cost of Care Pros as opposed to the cost of nursing facility care for the following reason: A Care Pro can only provide the level of care as described above.
Home care may be appropriate if your parent requires constant companionship, and if your parent, as part of his/her normal routine, requires help in the performance of various activities, e.g., bathing, dressing, and eating.
Home care may also be appropriate if your parent requires housekeeping, domestic, and family care services.
Home care can be combined with other health care services.
What are the available funding options?
Initially, most families check their personal resources. Later, they check whether their resources include employment-related or other benefits or insurance.
If 24-hour care is necessary, the cost of such care should be estimated. Estimates should be made on the basis of the care required for an extended period of time. The cost of care should also be estimated on a monthly basis.
VA benefits
Certain veterans and their spouses may be eligible for benefits to assist with the cost of care. If you are eligible to receive these benefits, they will be directed to you through the appropriate VA channel.
Not all veterans who are eligible to receive benefits are automatically entitled to receive the benefits. If you believe you may be eligible to receive benefits, you should contact your local VA office to determine your eligibility for benefits.
Medicare
Typically, Medicare does not pay for comfort, room and board, or personal care in the home. This includes the cost of a nurse’s aide or personal care assistant.
There may be other circumstances in which Medicare will pay for home care services. You should contact your local Medicare office to determine your eligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions About 24-Hour and Live-In Care in Baton Rouge
What is the difference between 24-hour care and live-in care?
With 24-hour care, more than one caregiver is scheduled to provide care at all times. With live-in care, a single caregiver is scheduled to provide care at all times and will take a planned break.
Does someone need to need help all of the time to qualify for 24-hour care?
No. If a person is at risk of falling, for example, a care plan should state that person needs to be able to access another person to provide assistance, not that the person needs to be touched at all times.
When can 24-hour care be authorized?
If a person needs significant non-medical assistance after being discharged from the hospital, this care may be authorized. If a person needs medical and skilled non-medical assistance after being discharged from the hospital, this care should be directed by a health care professional.
How does 24-hour in-home care compare to assisted living?
Costs depend on many factors, and the nature of home care required will affect the cost comparison. Continuous 24-hour home care is rather intensive and can be expensive. Families should evaluate all the costs before making assumptions.
Is 24-hour home care reimbursed by Medicare?
No. Home care reimbursement is limited to skilled nursing care. If a person qualifies for the Medicare home health benefit, they would receive skilled nursing care in the home for a limited period of time.
What are other options to pay for home care?
Long-term care insurance and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may be available, depending on the individual circumstances. Long-term care insurance variability makes it difficult to generalize, and the same is true of the VA program. Neither should be counted on to provide assistance until it is confirmed.
What distinguishes live-in care from 24-hour rotating care?
First, look at how care needs occur over the course of a night. If care needs happen during the night and a caregiver can get a long enough uninterrupted period to rest while the person being cared for is supported and safe, then, possibly, live-in care can be implemented. If the needs occur while a caregiver needs to be on for an extended period of time and cannot be supported by other caregivers, then 24-hour rotating care is the appropriate model to consider.
If you are looking at 24-hour care vs. live-in care in the Baton Rouge, Prairieville and Gonzales areas, look at the needs over the longest period of time in a day and consider the average cost of 24-hour care. Contact our office for more information.
About the Author
Matt Cohn has spent more than 25 years helping older adults and their families find the right support to remain safe and comfortable at home. He owns Home Instead locations serving Baton Rouge and Hammond in Louisiana, along with locations in Georgia.
