About 90 percent of U.S. seniors say they want to "age in place" at home, rather than going to nursing homes, according to the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC).
NAHC makes that point in a press release in which the group announces that November is National Hoe Care & Hospice month.
November is also the long-term care insurance (LTCI) industry's long-term care awareness month.
NAHC notes that it created the Private Duty Home Care Association to help those care providers.
One thing home care agencies, hospice services and private duty nurses have in common is problems with getting paid by the federal Medicare program and the state and federal Medicare program.
"There is a critical missing link in national health care policy since Medicare is designed to cover acute-care costs—not long term-care costs," NAHC says in the awareness month press release. "So whether the patient is discharged from a hospital or just needs support to stay home, private duty home care is there with skilled care and personal care support. The cost for private duty care ends up being paid by the family, unless the patient qualifies for veteran's benefits or Medicaid."
Private duty nurses can handle tasks such as washing clothes as well as bathing older people, helping older people to their medicine, and making sure older people eat properly.
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