32 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • NOVEMBER 2018
PRESS HEALTH
LI ELDERLY CLAIM
DIGNITY AND
INDEPENDENCE AT HOME
In 2016, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department
of Labor reported 2,927,600 home
health aides and personal care
aides employed in the United States.
The BLS predicts a 41 percent increase
in this industry by 2026 with
4,136,400 active employees.
“People want to age in their
homes and in their communities
as long as possible and not go to
institutions for services,” says Bill
Ferris, associate state director for
advocacy for the American Association
of Retired Persons (AARP).
“Home care is one of the ways that
keeps people who need services in
their homes.”
WHAT IS HOME
HEALTHCARE?
There are two different types of
home care agencies: licensed and
certified.
“The certified agency provides
skilled services, such as physical
therapists, to go into the home and are
primarily reimbursed by Medicare,”
explains Nancy Geiger, director of
Gurwin Home Care Agency, Inc., a
licensed agency that provides health
aides and companions to Nassau and
Suffolk counties. “Most people access
this type of service upon being discharged
from a rehabilitation facility
or hospital.”
Agencies like Gurwin also provide
such skilled services as nursing,
speech therapy, occupational therapy
and social work.
“The licensed agency provides
paraprofessional services that are
delivered by home health aides,”
Geiger explains. “Specific services
include showering, dressing, meal
preparations, laundry, etc.”
They can also support services
provided by a certified agency, for example,
motivating patients to exercise
according to a plan prescribed by a
physical therapist.
WHO QUALIFIES?
“Anyone qualifies for home
health care, but those who are in
the most need are the elderly and
people with disabilities,” says Greg
Massimi, chief operating officer of
TLC Companions in Bethpage.
When considering home healthcare,
Massimi says it’s important
to recognize if the patient is able to
live independently or not.
“Can the patient do all of their
necessary tasks independently?” he
asks. “If not, then home health care
would certainly be able to provide the
patient with a higher standard of life.”
WHAT ARE THE
BENEFITS?
“An aide can alleviate the feeling
of having no one to talk to while also
assisting with tasks around the
house,” says Massimi. “An aide also
allows for the family members of
the patient to continue to live their
lives uninterrupted while having
the peace of mind that their loved
one is being taken care of,” he adds.
But family members should do
their due diligence.
“When you’re looking for an
agency, you really have to do your
homework,” says Amy Recco,
co-owner with husband Michael
of Friends for Life Homecare in
Massapequa.
An assessment or consultation
will help determine what is covered
by Medicare or long-term
healthcare insurance, what can
be afforded out of pocket, time or
supervision required from an aide,
and specific needs of your loved
one, she says.
Transitioning to home health
care is not always easy. Both patients
and their loved ones need
compassion and support.
“It’s a big change for the patient
because they have come from a
place of living alone — being totally
functional by themselves — to
becoming more dependent,” says
Geiger. “A lot of times, they feel like
they are a burden to their family.”
Rocco notes that caregiver support
groups offer much-needed
solace.
“It’s very important that the caretaker
gets as much support and help
that they need, knowing that they
are not alone,” she adds.
continued from page 31
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Join us for formal presentations with our licensed Senior Benefits Advisors
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Venue Address Dates Time
Mitchell’s
191 Rockaway Ave.
11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 11/26,
Restaurant
Valley Stream, 11580
12/3
11:00 am
Harvest
Diner
841 Old Country Rd.
Westbury, 11590
11/13, 11/20, 11/27, 12/4 10:00 am
Apollo Diner 630 Merrick Ave.
East Meadow, 11554
11/5, 11/19, 11/26, 12/3 9:30 am
Plainview
Diner
1094 Old Country Rd.
Plainview, 11803
11/2, 11/9, 11/16, 11/30,
12/7
10:00 am
Lantern
Diner
564 Hempstead Turnpike
West Hempstead, 11552
11/14, 12/5
11/7, 11/28
9:30 am
2:30 pm
Diner Luxe 4011 Hempstead Tpke.
Bethpage, 11714
11/7, 11/21, 12/5 3:00 pm
Omega
Diner
1809 Lakeville Rd.
New Hyde Park, 11040
11/13, 11/20, 11/27, 12/4 9:00 am
Massapequa
Diner
4420 Sunrise Hwy.
Massapequa, 11758
11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 11/26,
12/3
2:00 pm
Sherwood
Diner
311 Rockaway Turnpike.
Lawrence, 11559
11/7, 11/28
11/14, 12/5
9:30 am
2:30 pm
Farmingdale
Diner
17 Hempstead Tpke.
Farmingdale, 11735
11/14, 11/28 2:30 pm
Landmark
Diner
1027 Northern Blvd.
Roslyn, 11576
11/1, 11/8, 11/15, 11/29,
12/6
9:30 am
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