Home Elder Care: Buyer, Beware

July 12th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

THURSDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) — Many home aides who care
for the elderly in the United States have no training and don’t undergo
stringent background checks or drug tests, a new study finds.

In some cases, the caregivers get no supervision from the agencies that
hire and place them. Most agencies questioned said they recruit aides from
advertisements, including Internet sites such as Craigslist, and some
agencies appear to lie about their employees’ screening or education, the
researchers found.

“There are good caregivers and good agencies, but consumers need to
understand that there are questions that you need to ask,” said study lead
author Dr. Lee Lindquist, an associate professor at Northwestern
University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “You need to be discerning about
whom you hire.”

Her study looked at the qualifications of caregivers who visit the
homes of the elderly to assist with daily activities such as dressing and
meal preparation. “These are not nurses,” Lindquist said. “These are
caregivers, private duty attendants. They don’t need any medical
training.”

They may be expected to help with nutrition assistance, housekeeping,
and scheduling medical appointments. But legally, these often low-paid
workers can’t administer medicine, although they can remind their clients
to take their pills, she said.

Without adequate quality control measures, the frail elderly may be
vulnerable to abuse, fraud or neglect, experts say.

For the study, researchers posing as consumers hiring caregivers
questioned 180 caregiver agencies in Illinois, California, Florida,
Colorado, Arizona, Wisconsin and Indiana — states with large populations
of elderly residents.

The study is published in the July 13 issue of the Journal of
American Geriatrics Society.

Slightly more than half — 56 percent — of the agencies said they
performed federal background checks and about one-third tested workers for
drugs. Training ranged from nothing to seven days; in some cases, there
was no supervision by the agency.

Two-thirds of the agencies said caregivers could assist in financial
transactions, such as bill-paying.

Some agencies appeared to lie about their screening system. One agency
said it relied on an assessment called the “National Scantron Test for
Inappropriate Behaviors,” while another mentioned “Assessment of
Certification of Christian Morality.” Those don’t seem to exist, the
researchers said.

Although laws vary by state, the caregiver agencies don’t tend to be
regulated, Lindquist said, whereas nursing homes, whose services can be
funded by Medicare, are regulated.

According to background information in the study, the typical aide is a
recent female immigrant, earning $7.25 an hour on average or, for live-in
help, $5.44 an hour.

Beth Kallmyer, vice president of constituent services at the
Alzheimer’s Association, agreed with Lindquist that consumers need to ask
plenty of questions when seeking elder care.

It’s also a good idea to pay surprise visits when the caregivers are
working. “Drop in and see how it’s going,” she said. “These unannounced
visits are a really good way to help people feel comfortable about what’s
going on.”

The study authors also recommend asking caregiver agencies the
following questions:

How do you recruit caregivers, and what are your hiring
requirements?
What screenings are performed before you hire a caregiver? Criminal
background check? Federal or state? Drugs?
Do the aides have CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) certification or
any health-related training?
Are the caregivers insured and bonded through your agency?
What skills are expected of the caregiver you send to the home?
Examples: lifting and transfers, homemaking skills, personal care skills
(bathing, dressing, toileting), and training in behavioral management.
How do you assess the caregiver’s capabilities?
What is your policy regarding substitute caregivers if a regular
caregiver cannot provide the contracted services?
If you’re dissatisfied with a particular caregiver, can he or she be
replaced “without cause”?
Does the agency provide a supervisor to evaluate the quality of home
care on a regular basis? How often?
Does supervision occur over the telephone, through progress reports,
or in person at the home of the older adult?