Home health care is an area of eldercare that many people don’t understand. Simply put, it involves a person like your caring for an older person in the comfort of their homes.
It is one option near you that you can highly benefit from. People who live at home don’t have to move to assisted living or another residential facility just because they become ill or need some level of monitoring and care. They also don’t have to burden family members with the added stress of helping them out every day.
CDPAP offers a lower-cost home care option for you. This will allow you to care for your close one and get paid for the same.
Let’s first understand what CDPAP is.
What is CDPAP?
CDPAP stands for Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program. These programs, which are federally mandated, allow people to choose their level of home care based on their needs, preferred schedule, and budget.
Here are four factors to keep in mind while selecting a CDPAP certified agency.
Agency Experience
Agency experience with CDPAP is a must. If an agency has ever submitted a consumer to a CDPAP program, that means they can handle the paperwork for you, negotiate with your insurance company, and make sure you get paid to take care of your family.
However, not all CDPAP agencies are created equal. While some of them do a fantastic job of helping you out, many agencies are highly money-oriented. One good way to determine this is by observing if the agency is making too many financial demands in the initial stages of the meeting.
If you think something about that agency isn’t good, consider backing off from the talks immediately.
Note: The form to apply for the CDPAP is pretty long and requires a lot of detail. If the agency has filled it out before, they will know how to fill it out correctly for you.
Can The Agency Provide More caregivers, If Needed?
An agency that is flexible enough to provide the type of caregiver you and your loved one requires is crucial. Not every caregiver may be compatible with you or your family members.
Many agencies provide direct caregivers, or clients can also opt to have them as an “on-call” service to place a call if they need immediate assistance. It’s a good idea to have an agency that provides both options to clients so that preference is made based on their needs at the time. Make sure you ask about the details of each option and what kind of clients would be better suited for each one.
What Should Be The Agency Size? Why Does it Matter?
A major consideration in choosing an agency is the number of caregivers on staff. The larger the agency, the more caregivers there will be, which may ultimately mean higher quality care, but lower individual attention.
So, How many caregivers should an agency have? The more, the merrier? There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
Ideally, choose a CDPAP certified agency that is big enough to provide backup caregivers if needed but not big enough to comprise the individual attention of your loved one.
Look for that “aha moment” – a feeling that tells you that a particular thing (or an agency in this) couldn’t be better.
How is the Communication of that Agency?
One of the biggest advantages of choosing an agency with experience in communicating with patients, employees, and consumers is that they understand why communication is crucial.
While choosing an agency, see if they have proper protocols to establish timely communication with you after you have finalized them. The last thing you’d want from an agency is you calling them repeatedly for an issue and them ignoring your calls.
Ideally, the agency must address your concerns 24 hours, seven days a week, and 365 days.
Final Word
Taking care of your loved one doesn’t have to feel a burden. You only need to make sure the person has Medicaid and then take cues from the above four factors to choose the right CDPAP agency.
Good luck!
