10 Things:

1. If you wish to identify a potential drug abuser in your home, the first area that you should look for is sudden personality change that includes abrupt changes in work or school attendance, quality of work, work output, grades, discipline etc.

2. Unusual flare-ups or outbreaks of temper, sudden jitteriness, nervousness, or aggression are a major denotation of drug addiction or abuse.

3. Persistent drug abuse may also lead to withdrawal from responsibility & loss of interest in what were once favorite hobbies and pursuits. This may come packaged with an unusual laziness.

4. Changes in friends and reluctance to have friends visit or talk about them and/or association with known substance abusers should also be taken seriously.

5. Some drugs may lead to redness in eyes which the abuser tends to hide away by wearing sunglasses. So wearing sunglasses at inappropriate times is a potential giveaway.

6. Continual wearing of long-sleeved garments particularly in hot weather or reluctance to wear short-sleeved attire may be an attempt to conceal the rashes on the skin, which are common side effects of drug abuse, or needle marks on lower arm, leg or bottom of feet.

7. Now drugs don’t come free! If you find your kids borrowing money from friends, co-workers or from you unusually frequently, you should better be argus-eyed because this may get your near and dear ones in some serious trouble.

8. An unusual increased secretiveness or secretive behavior regarding actions and possessions is a certain indication that something fishy is going on.

9. Some physical signs of substance abuse include slurred speech, memory impairment, and lack of concentration & impairment of attention along with slowed or staggering walk due to poor physical coordination. This may also lead to tremors or shakes of hands, feet or head and an irregular heartbeat.

10. If you have a doggy nose, try smelling his/her breath & clothes! There may be a smell of substance/drug on breath, body or clothes of the abuser.

Sometimes, in lack of conclusive evidence, it becomes difficult to arrive at a ratiocination of substance abuse diagnosis. There are a number of practical and empirical methods to determine drug abuse, among them being urine, blood or hair follicle testing & subsequent detection by GC/MS/ELISA.

Q: Why home health care?
A: Home health care is a cost-effective option for receiving health care services. Returning to one’s home and family can quicken recovery and improve the quality of life for both patient and family or caregiver.

Q: Who pays for home health care?
A: Most health insurance companies, HMOs, PPOs and Workers Compensation cover home health care. In addition, Medicare and Medicaid pay for home care services. Some insurance providers do not cover all home health services. Our staff will verify health coverage for the patient.

Q: What criteria are required for Medicare to approve services?
A: The following criteria are used to meet Medicare requirements:
• The patient is a Medicare recipient.
• The patient must be homebound. This is defined by Medicare as “normal inability to leave the home and that leaving the home requires considerable and taxing effort.”
• The skilled care must be medically necessary as determined by the physician.

Q: What if I have a problem at night or on the weekend?
A: We have registered nurses on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Q: Do I need a physician’s order for home health care?
A: Yes, all health care provided in the home occurs under direct order and supervision of the patient’s physician.

Q: What types of services can be provided at home?
A: Many medical conditions that previously required hospitalization can safely be treated in the home. Home care services may include but are not limited to:

Skilled Nursing:
• Observation and assessment of condition
• Patient and family education of disease process
• Management and evaluation of patient care plan
• Medication education and management
• Dressing changes
• Home safety education
• Wound care
• Catheter care
• Injections
• IV therapy
• Ostomy care
• Pain management
• Diabetic care
• Nutritional support

Assistance with Daily Living:
• Bathing/dressing
• Transfer/ambulation
• Light meal preparation
• Light housekeeping
• Grocery shopping
• Medication reminder
• Laundry
• Companionship/Conversation
• Reading/writing
• Pet sitting/walking
• Escort to appointments
• Live-ins
• Respite
• Exercise therapy assistance

Q: How does Paloma Home Health Care, Inc. ensure quality care in the home?
A: Providing continuous quality care to patients is paramount to all we do. All patients are given a patient satisfaction survey that is incorporated into our ongoing evaluation process to continually increase our patient satisfaction. New programs and processes are developed through our quality improvement team to promote favorable outcomes.

Q: How do I find out more about home health care?
A: Please call our office to learn more about how you can benefit more about the service, at 972 346 2013

Q: What services can Paloma Home Health Care, Inc. offer?
A: Our services include but are not limited to:
• Supportive Care Education of Disease Process
• Individual and Family Counseling
• Management and Evaluation of Patient Care
• Observation and Assessment
• Home Safety and Emergency Education
• Medication Education
• Assistance with ADLs
• Nutrition Education
• Restorative Therapy (Physical, Occupational and Speech)

Home dental care is given more emphasis nowadays because of the fact that the dental diseases are emerging in pet animals like dogs to a greater extent than before. Though you are providing home dental care, if you suspect any dental diseases, then immediately approach the veterinarian for intervention. This is always the safest option.

Try to provide bone materials without very sharp points to the dogs. They love to chew them and then swallow the bitten products. Such activities help them to develop strong teeth structures in a natural manner.

Know that certain breeds of dogs like Pekingese, etc. are more prone to develop some types of tooth diseases because the teeth are closely crowned in the oral cavity and can be small in size and hard to get to. It is more critical to check for excessive plaque buildup in these types of dogs more often in the convenience of home.

While dentures can replace teeth lost due to periodontal disease, decay or injury, they cannot be as good as your natural teeth. While dentures may be valuable to keep your facial muscles from sagging and for other health reasons, they can also cause a good amount of pain and discomfort. Among the times when dentures can cause enough discomfort are during the adjustment phase

Many people feel they can’t afford to go to the dentist without insurance. They also feel they can’t afford the insurance. The result is millions of Americans putting off dental visits. Now people are living in pain or are embarrassed about their smile.

The number one health problem in children is tooth decay. Many kids live with chronic pain & 51 million school days are lost each year due to tooth pain. There are programs to help those who need dental care but can’t afford it but they are to small & to few to even put a dent in the problem.

Harvard did a study and asked Americans “What would be the first thing you would see the doctor for if we had universal health care?” The number one answer was teeth.

Your dentist should invite you back for regular check-ups. This will ensure that no problem will be left unchecked. The dental hygienist should perform oral prophylaxis or dental cleaning after every 6 months.

Your dentist should take x-rays more responsibly. Full series of X-rays should be taken no more than once every five years or so. Not taking any X-ray’s on the other hand is as bad as taking X-rays too often.

Your dentist and dental hygienist should practice proper care against infection. They should wear rubber gloves and a mask when treating their patients. Your dentist should be keen in explaining to you any sanitary procedures his clinic is implementing and or using to protect his patients and himself against unwanted infections.

More specifically, home health care may include occupational and physical therapy, speech therapy, and even skilled nursing. It may involve helping the elderly with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, and eating. Or it may include assistance with cooking, cleaning, other housekeeping jobs, and monitoring one’s daily regimen of prescription and over-the-counter medications.

At this point, it is important to understand the difference between home health care and home care services. Although they sound the same (and home health care may include some home care services), home health care is more medically oriented. While home care typically includes chore and housecleaning services, home health care usually involves helping seniors recover from an illness or injury. That is why the people who provide home health care are often licensed practical nurses, therapists, or home health aides. Most work for home health agencies, hospitals, or public health departments that are licensed by the state.

How Do I Make Sure That Home Health Care Is Quality Care?
As with any important purchase, it is always a good idea to talk with friends, neighbors, and your local area agency on aging to learn more about the home health care agencies in your community.
In looking for a home health care agency, the following 20 questions can be used to help guide your search:

How long has the agency been serving this community? Does the agency have any printed brochures describing the services it offers and how much they cost? If so, get one. Is the agency an approved Medicare provider? Is the quality of care certified by a national accrediting body such as the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations? Does the agency have a current license to practice (if required in the state where you live)? Does the agency offer seniors a “Patients’ Bill of Rights” that describes the rights and responsibilities of both the agency and the senior being cared for? Does the agency write a plan of care for the patient (with input from the patient, his or her doctor and family), and update the plan as necessary? Does the care plan outline the patient’s course of treatment, describing the specific tasks to be performed by each caregiver? How closely do supervisors oversee care to ensure quality? Will agency caregivers keep family members informed about the kind of care their loved one is getting? Are agency staff members available around the clock, seven days a week, if necessary? Does the agency have a nursing supervisor available to provide on-call assistance 24 hours a day? How does the agency ensure patient confidentiality? How are agency caregivers hired and trained? What is the procedure for resolving problems when they occur, and who can I call with questions or complaints? How does the agency handle billing? Is there a sliding fee schedule based on ability to pay, and is financial assistance available to pay for services? Will the agency provide a list of references for its caregivers? Who does the agency call if the home health care worker cannot come when scheduled? What type of employee screening is done?

When purchasing home health care directly from an individual provider (instead of through an agency), it is even more important to screen the person thoroughly. This should include an interview with the home health caregiver to make sure that he or she is qualified for the job. You should request references. Also, prepare for the interview by making a list if any special needs the senior might have. For example, you would want to note whether the elderly patient needs help getting into or out of a wheelchair. Clearly, if this is the case, the home health caregiver must be able to provide that assistance. The screening process will go easier if you have a better idea of what you are looking for first.

Another thing to remember is that it always helps to look ahead, anticipate changing needs, and have a backup plan for special situations. Since every employee occasionally needs time off (or a vacation), it is unrealistic to assume that one home health care worker will always be around to provide care. Seniors or family members who hire home health workers directly may want to consider interviewing a second part-time or on-call person who can be available when the primary caregiver cannot be. Calling an agency for temporary respite care also may help to solve this problem (see the Respite Care fact sheet for more information about these services).

In any event, whether you arrange for home health care through an agency or hire an independent home health care aide on an individual basis, it helps to spend some time preparing for the person who will be doing the work. Ideally, you could spend a day with him or her, before the job formally begins, to discuss what will be involved in the daily routine. If nothing else, tell the home health care provider (both verbally and in writing) the following things that he or she should know about the senior:

Illnesses/injuries, and signs of an emergency medical situation Likes and dislikes Medications, and how and when they should be taken Need for dentures, eyeglasses, canes, walkers, etc. Possible behavior problems and how best to deal with them Problems getting around (in or out of a wheelchair, for example, or trouble walking) Special diets or nutritional needs Therapeutic exercises.

In addition, you should give the home health care provider more information about:

Clothing the senior may need (if/when it gets too hot or too cold) How you can be contacted (and who else should be contacted in an emergency) How to find and use medical supplies and medications When to lock up the apartment/house and where to find the keys Where to find food, cooking utensils, and serving items Where to find cleaning supplies Where to find light bulbs and flash lights, and where the fuse box is located (in case of a power failure) Where to find the washer, dryer, and other household appliances (as well as instructions for how to use them).

A WORD OF CAUTION . . .
Although most states require that home health care agencies perform criminal background checks on their workers and carefully screen job applicants for these positions, the actual regulations will vary depending on where you live. Therefore, before contacting a home health care agency, you may want to call your local area agency on aging or department of public health to learn what laws apply in your state.

HOW CAN I PAY FOR HOME HEALTH CARE?
The cost of home health care varies across states and within states. In addition, costs will fluctuate depending on the type of health care professional required. Home care services can be paid for directly by the patient and his or her family members, or through a variety of public and private sources. Sources for home health care funding include Medicare, Medicaid, the Older Americans Act, the Veterans’ Administration, and private insurance.

Medicare is the largest single payer of home care services. The Medicare program will pay for home health care if all of the following conditions are met:

The patient must be homebound and under a doctor’s care; The patient must need skilled nursing care, or occupational, physical, or speech therapy, on at least an intermittent basis (that is, regularly but not continuously) The services provided must be under a doctor’s supervision and performed as part of a home health care plan written specifically for that patient The patient must be eligible for the Medicare program and the services ordered must be “medically reasonable and necessary” The home health care agency providing the services must be certified by the Medicare program.

http://www.medicare.gov.