For most families living with ALS, in-‐home care becomes a necessity at some point. The expenses associated with in-‐home help can add up quickly. Public insurance plans (such as original Medicare and Medicaid) and private insurance plans (such as Medicare Advantage, an employer’s health insurance plan, or long-‐term care insurance) may help to cover some of the costs associated with in-‐home help, but most of the financial burden is usually borne by the family.
When you are considering home health care services, it can be helpful to know the lingo. Here is a glossary of commonly used terms in home health care.
Medicare is a federally funded insurance plan that provides health insurance to people 65 years and older, as well as to younger people with certain disabilities and conditions (including ALS). Because of your ALS diagnosis, you are automatically enrolled in the Medicare program as soon as you begin to receive disability benefits from Social Security (or, if you were a railroad worker, the Railroad Retirement Board).
f you have ALS or are caring for a loved one with ALS, there are many reasons to consider hiring in-‐home help. For example, a change in condition could necessitate a higher level of skilled care, or it may be helpful to have assistance with personal care or some of the routine tasks associated with managing the household. One route is to find and hire help on your own, but a home health care agency can provide a wide range of care and support services while also handling day-‐to-‐day administrative tasks, such as managing personnel and payroll. If you’re thinking about hiring help through a home health care agency, here’s an approach for finding an agency that is a good match.
As you live your life with ALS, you will most likely be supported by many different home care workers, each responsible for providing specific types of care and services to you. Here’s a review of the various types of workers who could be on your home support team.
Infusion therapy involves the administration of medication through a needle or catheter into the body. Home infusion is a safe and effective option available to hospital patients. It involves the administration of intravenous medications – through a needle or catheter – in a patient’s home or other alternate treatment setting. Learn more.
Assistive technology can provide a major benefit to people living with ALS and their caregivers. That is why some of the advances we have seen in recent years, thanks to generous donations from the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and beyond, are so exciting.