Background: Mrs. Smith is a 91 year old with Alzheimer’s, left carotid Stenosis both of which are under control with current therapy. She has a close family support group consisting of her two sons who visit regularly. She receives 8 hour a day, seven days a week home health aide service paid by Medicaid.
Problem: It was reported when the aide arrived one morning that Mrs. Smith had “burned pots” on the stove. There was a concern she might be a sundowner and a danger to herself and the apartment complex.
This information caused the Nassau County Department of Social Services to start the process to remove Mrs. Smith from the apartment she loved and place her in a facility for around the clock monitoring. Mrs. Smith would not score high enough on the PRI to get into a nursing home. The family was shocked to learn they would now have to pay a great deal of money out-of-pocket for an assisted living home with no Medicaid subsidy! The family asked, “Medicaid was paying for the aide, now they will pay nothing? How could this be?”
The family wanted desperately to keep Mrs. Smith in her apartment.
The Solution: Beacon Eldercare’s assessment concluded Mrs. Smith with the proper care coverage could remain in her home… safely!
This solution was built on the family’s willingness to spend out-of-pocket for four hours of additional home health aide service (from their local church) and install a QuietCare System by Living Independently.
Inexpensive Technology with HUGE Benefits
QuietCare is a 24 x 7 early detection and early warning system that let caregivers and family members know that a loved one is safe. The system utilizes small, unobtrusive, strategically placed wireless sensors to monitor the senior in their own home. It’s virtually invisible. No video cameras or audio intrudes on the seniors’ lives.
Changes in the senior’s activities are analyzed by the QuietCare computers, via existing phone lines, so caregivers can be alerted to problems by ADT call center professionals.
Beacon Eldercare called Nassau County Department of Social Services with this information. They had never heard of QuietCare. Needless to say, after they learned what the system could do, they were impressed. So much so, they agreed to keep Mrs. Smith in her apartment… AND add two additional hours of aide coverage per day on Medicaid.
Now the family has 10 hours per day of Medicaid funded home health aide service,
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4-hours of private pay home health aide service and the QuietCare system. Approximate out of pocket expense per month is $1300 verses over $5000 per month if Mrs. Smith was in an assisted living home.
Beacon Eldercare looks for unique innovative solutions for caregivers and seniors in need. This is accomplished through knowledge, people and technology.
