When a family member needs home health care, it is important to find out as much as you can about the company or agency that offers it. Unfortunately, there is a great amount of fraud in home health care. The New York Times reported on September 2, 2007 that "investigators in New York City found at least two agencies that allowed people to buy certificates for $400 or less showing that they had been trained as home health aides, despite receiving little or no instruction."
I have had considerable experience in ordering home heath aides for patients and have found that some of the agencies send out unpleasant, unqualified individuals; others have excellent personnel. Federal laws require home health aides to have had at least 75 hours of instruction in basic care of patients. It is wise to make a lot of inquiries and also check with the patient's doctor before using a particular agency. The Web site for Home Care Online is www.nahc.org. I would check with them about a specific health care agency. I would also ask how long the agency has been in business and who runs it. A doctor's prescription is needed to order health care aides and the doctor's secretary can fax the orders to the agency. If you are uncomfortable with the care the aide is giving, don't be quiet, but speak up and insist that someone else be sent out.
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