Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions our previous clients have asked about the Home Health Care and Private Duty services. For more information,

send us an email or call us at 630-323-0128.


Home Health Care

 

Who is eligible for Home Health Care?

You must be under the care of a doctor, and you must be getting services under a plan of care established and reviewed regularly by a doctor. Your doctor must certify that you need one or more of the following:

  • Intermittent skilled nursing care

  • Physical therapy

  • Speech-language pathology services

  • Occupational therapy

Medicare eligibility criteria:

You must be homebound, i.e.:

  • leaving your home isn’t recommended because of your condition or illness

  • your condition keeps you from leaving home without help (such as using a wheelchair or walker, needing special transportation, or getting help from another person).

  • leaving home takes a considerable and taxing effort

A person may leave home for medical treatment or short, infrequent absences for non-medical reasons, such as attending religious services. You can still get home health care if you attend adult day care, but you would get the home care services in your home.

What’s covered by Medicare?

If you’re eligible for Medicare-covered home health care, Medicare covers these services of they’re reasonable and necessary for the treatment of your illness or injury.

  • Skilled nursing care: Medicare covers skilled nursing care when the services you need require the skills of a nurse, are reasonable and necessary for the treatment of your illness or injury, and are given on a part-time or intermittent basis. Visits solely for the purpose of getting your blood drawn are not covered by Medicare.

  • Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology services: Your therapy services are considered reasonable and necessary in the home setting if:

    • They’re a specific, safe, and effective treatment for your condition.

    • They’re complex such that you'r condition requires services that can only be safely and effectively performed by, or under the supervision of, qualified therapists

    • Your condition requires on of these:

      • Therapy that’s reasonable and necessary to restore or improve functions affected by your illness or injury

      • A skilled therapist to safely and effectively establish a program and/or perform therapy under a maintenance program to help you maintain your current condition or to prevent your condition from getting worse

    • The amount, frequency, and duration of the services are reasonable

  • Home health aide services: Medicare will pay for part-time or intermittent home health aide services (like personal care), if needed to maintain your health or treat your illness or injury. Medicare doesn’t cover home health aide services unless you’re also getting skilled care. Skilled care includes:

    • Skilled nursing care

    • Physical therapy

    • Speech-language pathology services

    • Continuing occupational therapy, if you no longer need any of the above

  • Medical supplies: Medicare covers supplies like wound dressings, when your doctor orders them as part of your care. Medicare pays separately for durable medical equipment. The equipment must meet certain criteria and be ordered by a doctor. Medicare only pays 80% of the Medicare-approved amount for certain pieces of medical equipment, like a wheelchair or walker.

 

How do I get Home Health Care?

If your doctor decides you need home health care, you may choose Aledli Home Health Care. Your choice should be honored by your doctor, hospital discharge planner, or other referring agency.

Who is eligible for Home Health Care?

To qualify to receive Home Health Care, you must be under the care of a doctor and receiving services under a plan of care established and reviewed regularly by a doctor.

Your doctor must certify that you need one or more of the following:

  • Intermittent skilled nursing care

  • Physical therapy

  • Speech-language pathology services

  • Occupational therapy

Additional criteria for those under Medicare: You must be homebound, i.e., :

  • Leaving your home isn’t recommended because of your condition or illness.

  • Your condition keeps you from leaving home without help, such as using a wheelchair or a walker, needing special transportation, or getting help from another person.

  • Leaving home takes a considerable and taxing effort.

A person may leave home for medical treatment or short, infrequent absences for non-medical reasons, such as attending religious services. You can still get home health care if you attend adult day care, but you would get the home care services in your home.

Who pays for Home Health Care services?

In some cases, Medicare pays for your covered Home Health Care services as long as you’re eligible and a doctor certifies that you need them.

Private insurance companies and Medicaid can also pre-authorize Home Health Care coverage.

We also accept cash or check payments if you choose to pay without private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.

 

 Private Duty

 

What is Private Duty Home Care?
Private duty home care (also called home services in Illinois) is a service provided to individuals who are in need of assistance with their activities of daily living, housekeeping, personal laundry, shopping, meal preparation, dressing, bathing and companionship. Home care services are focused on providing assistance that is not medical in nature but is based upon assisting the client in meeting the demands of living independently and maintaining a personal residence. Our Home Services Worker visits clients in their private homes or apartments, assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities and /or in hospitals. They make it possible for you or your loved ones to feel safe while enjoying the comforts of home.

 

Who can receive these services?

Anyone who needs help with daily living activities in their homes

 

How do I choose a Private Duty Home Caregiver for my Loved One?

Aledli Home Health Care will work with you to assess and  develop a service plan that best suits your needs. We will strive to find the best caregiver match, taking into the consideration your needs and personality.  Our Home Services Worker has years of experience, training, and have been subjected to criminal background checks for safety reasons.

 

What activities do Private Duty Home Caregivers do to assist elderly individuals?

Home Services Worker provides comfort and companionship to clients with medical and/or for safety reasons may not be left alone at home. Services include,  but is not limited to, non-medical assistance with daily living activities (ADL) such as ambulation, bathing, dressing, feeding, transfer and positioning and toileting.  He/she also may do maintenance of household records, medication reminding, exercisea nd personal grooming like shaving, mouth, hair, nail and skin care. He/she will engage the client through in-home activities and may help to do housekeeping. They remind you or your loved ones to take medications on time. The also do assistance with shopping, appointments outside the home, running errands and incidental transportation. And companionship – possibly the most important of all caregiver duties, caregivers will be with you or your loved ones all day and it’s mutually beneficial if they enjoy each other’s company. It’s a very important part of a caregiver job!

 

What is the purpose of this service?

These services are provided so you or your loved one can remain in your homes and be as independent as possible.

 

Do you have a minimum number of hour’s requirement?

We offer customized services depending on your needs ranging from 4 hours of care to 24 hours of care. We also offer live-in care.

 

Can Caregivers Accompany Clients to Appointments?

Yes, our Home Services Worker can provide assistance with shopping and appointments outside the home, senior centers, religious services, with running errands and incidental transportation

.

Can I Interview The Caregiver?

Yes. The home service worker will be with you all day and it’s beneficial if you enjoy each other’s company.

 

What If My Care Requirements Change?

We will adjust care plans to match your needs.

 

How Are Caregiver Meals Handled?

Hourly caregivers will bring their own food to an assignment.

In general, live-in caregivers eat meals with their clients in their homes, if the client lives in a retirement community it is customary for clients to provide a $15/day food allowance. The food allowance can be directly given to the caregiver or added to your bill and passed through to the caregiver without taxes.

 

What Is Your Process For Hiring and Training Caregivers?

Aledli HHC strives to employ the most qualified individuals for all positions and to ensure the adequate number of appropriate staff. Consistent, fair standards and procedures for hiring which comply with state and federal guidelines and regulations will be used.

    1. Our HSW (Home Service Workers) will be assessed for competency based on the expected requirements for the position to assure the personnel providing services to home care patients are trained, competent and able to respond to needs of patients in safe and effective manner. To identify areas for performance improvement based on ongoing evaluation of performance and satisfaction of customers. Competencies will address:

      • Age/type of patient.

      • Scope of services offered by Aledli HHC.

      • High risk procedures.

      • New procedures/technologies.

Areas identified in Performance Improvement Process. Annual performance reviews will address competencies in areas of essential function.

    1. They must be eligible based on the fingerprint-based criminal background check by IDPH

    2. Pass a drug test

    3. Each HSW must have documentation of baseline health screening prior to providing care to patients. This includes, at a minimum, TB skin testing via the Mantoux method

    4. Proof of eligibility for employment in the United States

    5. Our caregivers receive training, upon hire and then annually, to ensure they maintain current skills and possess the most current knowledge on topics including but not limited to: Custom Home Care policies and procedures, responsibilities, transfer techniques, bathing, abuse and neglect, client dignity, nutrition, exercise program compliance, infection control, emergency preparedness, fall prevention and overall customer service.

    6. Annual attendance at a specialized Alzheimer/Dementia program. This dedicated training is a part of the continuing education and training we require.  Our Alzheimer/Dementia training program exceeds industry standards and covers care for clients at any stage of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

    7. Caregivers receive client orientation and additional training specific to each client they care for in the office as well as the home.

    8. Caregivers attend monthly caregiver training sessions which are offered in our main office and at our partnered facilities.

 

Who Pays For Our Home Care Services?

Our services are billed directly to the client, to their family or to long term care insurance companies.

 

Do you Accept Long Term Care Insurance?

Yes. Long term care insurance is increasingly common and we work with all LTC insurance plans. We do advise that you check with your insurance provider to insure home care services are covered under your policy.

 

Are your services covered by Medicare, Medicaid?

Medicare and Medicaid as well as medical insurance companies do not pay for in home personal care services.

 

How Do I Discontinue Service?

We require 48 hours’ notice to discontinue care. If care is stopped suddenly, without notice, you will be invoiced for the equivalent of two days of care. This fee is waived in cases of hospitalization or if your loved one passes.

 

Is Your Homecare Company Licensed?

Yes. Aledli Home Health Care  is licensed as a Home Service and Home Health Agency by the Illinois Department of Public Health.