Category: Home Care Philadelphia

Did you know that Medicare covers almost 3 million Pennsylvania residents? In addition to Traditional Medicare, seniors have at least 50 Medicare Advantage plans available to them, which can seem overwhelming. At AmeriBest Home Care, we strive to help seniors make the best choices for their home and health care. Here is our comprehensive guide to your options available through Medicare in Philadelphia PA.

Medicare Philadelphia PA: Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage

Original Medicare, or Traditional Medicare, includes hospitalization insurance (Part A) and medical insurance (Part B). The government pays for healthcare costs and a beneficiary can obtain care anywhere in the country so long as they accept Medicare. With Medicare Part A, if you or your spouse paid into Medicare through your wages, coverage is typically free. Medicare Part B typically has a monthly premium.

Original Medicare Part A and B cover hospitalization and most outpatient services. However, it doesn’t cover prescription drugs. Likewise, it doesn’t cover dental care or routine vision care.

Medicare Advantage is a private coverage alternative to Original Medicare. Where Original Medicare only includes hospitalization and medical coverage, Medicare Advantage often includes prescription coverage (Part D), as well as other supplemental benefits such as vision and dental.

Because Medicare Advantage is managed through private insurers, consumers have multiple options for coverage, based on their needs and services available in their area including HMOs (health maintenance organizations) and PPOs (preferred provider organizations).

Advantage plans cover the essential services of Medicare Part A and Part B. However, Advantage plans don’t cover hospice care. Fortunately, Original Medicare covers hospice, even if you’re enrolled in Medicare Advantage.

The costs for Medicare Advantage vary based on the insurance provider. Some plans offer integrated Part D, meaning that beneficiaries only pay premiums for Part B, just as they would with Original Medicare. While premiums are widely variable, they’re often less expensive for consumers than Original Medicare with the addition of Medigap coverage. When considering cost, it’s important to look at the out-of-pocket costs on Medicare Advantage plans, as these establish how much a patient must pay for care before Medicare picks up the costs.

 

Medigap

Medigap is supplemental coverage that helps to pick up the gaps left behind by Medicare Part A and Part B. This includes covering co-pays and deductibles as well as plans that cover emergency expenses when traveling outside of the country. If you’re enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B, you can purchase Medigap coverage.

Medicaid

Medicaid is a government-funded program that provides low-income and disabled Americans with health insurance coverage. Seniors who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, may receive full benefits under both programs (known as full-benefit dual-eligibles) or have Medicare but receive Medicaid to help pay expenses like Medicare premiums (called partial duals).

Are You Considering Options for Medicare in Philadelphia, PA?

At AmeriBest Home Care, we want to empower you to choose the right plan and care for you or your loved one. Whether you’re caring for elderly parents or someone with a disability, it’s important to consider your options carefully. Contact us today to discuss your options with one of our program coordinators.

If you or a loved one is aging, you may be looking for alternatives. Should you consider aging at home or an assisted living facility? What about independent living in Philadelphia PA? At AmeriBest Home Care, we’re committed to educating our communities on the alternatives available to them. Let’s look at the option of independent living and what it entails.

What Is Independent Living?

Independent living is a housing arrangement aimed at seniors aged 55 and older. These are living communities that offer services and amenities that seniors generally need as they age. While specifics vary by community, they typically offer,

• Home maintenance
• Transportation services
• Security
• Meal plans

Who Is Independent Living Ideal for?

For seniors who want to live independently and don’t need assistance with daily living activities, independent living is a good alternative. It provides additional security and allows seniors to live in neighborhoods with other seniors.

What Is the Cost of Independent Living?

The cost of independent living varies across different communities. In retirement communities, residents typically have the option to either rent or buy their homes, in addition to paying a monthly fee that covers maintenance and amenities, similar to a homeowner’s association fee.

On the other hand, Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCSRs) may charge additional fees, as they have nursing staff and provide dining credits, among other things. Prospective residents are often required to pay a large entrance fee to reserve a space and gain access to medical care, with monthly fees after moving in potentially reaching as high as $5,000. Whether CCSR is a suitable option depends on factors such as whether the individual lives alone or with someone else and the level of care they require, as well as whether they can afford the entrance fee and monthly fees. (Source)

Do Medicaid and Medicare Pay for Independent Living in Philadelphia PA?

Medicaid and Medicare don’t cover the costs for independent living communities. However, seniors who need help with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) may qualify for financial assistance programs to help cover their care costs.

What Are the Alternatives to Independent Living?

Independent living isn’t the right choice for everyone. Fortunately, seniors have other options to independent living communities. Depending on a senior’s needs, some of these alternatives may be covered by Medicare and Medicaid.

Assisted living facilities provide a high level of care for seniors. While the highest cost option, the facilities can be the best choice for seniors who are unable to live independently and need 24-hour care.

Home care services allow seniors to age at home without needing to move to an independent community. Service providers like AmeriBest Home Care provide a variety of services that help seniors manage everything from meals and personal care to transportation.

Living with the family is another option for aging seniors. For seniors who are able to live independently without personal assistance, living with a child or other relative allows them to stay in their communities and close to family. Often family members will provide care when a senior loved one needs daily living assistance. For these caregivers, providers like AmeriBest Home Care can provide respite care to allow them to see to emergencies and other needs.

Are You Looking for Home Care or Independent Living in Philadelphia?

At AmeriBest Home Care, we want to empower you to choose the right care for you or your loved one. Whether you’re caring for elderly parents or someone with a disability, it’s important to consider your options carefully. Contact us today to discuss your options with one of our program coordinators.

It’s April, a month for gentle showers, planting flowers, and focusing on elderly and disabled people in minority communities. Yes, it’s National Minority Health Month. Let’s look at the unique challenges minorities face and how senior services in PA can help.

The Origins of National Minority Health Month

This month’s awareness focus has its origins in 1915, when Booker T. Washington sought to bring health awareness to African American communities. In 2002, the US Congress officially recognized his efforts and designated April as National Minority Health Month. The purpose of this month is to,

• Build awareness about the disproportionate burden of illness and premature death among people of color
• Encourage action through education, detection, and treatment

Why Addressing Health Disparities Matters

A 2011 study found that if preventable diseases such as hypertension and stroke were addressed in Latino and African American communities to the same degree as they were in non-Latino white communities, we would save almost $24 billion dollars in health care costs. While the amount of money alone is staggering, it points to something far more important: the number of people who suffer and die because of disparities in our healthcare system.

These are problems that persist over ten years after this study, as people of color are still more likely to be ignored or have their concerns dismissed. For example, black women are more likely to have complaints about pain being ignored compared to white women, which contributes to black women being more likely to die in childbirth compared to white women. Considering the risks that people of all ethnic and racial groups face as they age, such as osteoporosis and the increased risk of injury from falls, you can see how this disparity in treatment can result in poor outcomes for people of color.

How Senior Services in PA Help Overcome Health Care Disparities

At AmeriBest Home Care, we ensure that our caregivers provide help for seniors in Philadelphia that addresses all their concerns. As we tailor our services to the individual needs of patients and families, we listen to not only understand the care services they want but the care they receive currently and in the past from other health providers. Through attention and care, in-home care professionals can help seniors get the healthcare they need by,

• Ensuring healthcare providers understand the severity and impact of the condition in question
• Noting and relating symptoms that a patient displays regularly that they may not consider
• Acting as an advocate for care
• Supporting the prescribed care plan and delivering care at home

Are You Looking for Help for Seniors in Philadelphia, PA?

At AmeriBest Home Care, we want to empower you to choose the right care for you or your loved one. Whether you’re caring for elderly parents or someone with a disability, it’s important to consider your options carefully. Contact us today to discuss your options with one of our program coordinators.

Aging with comfort is important, but sometimes you need a little help with medical expenses. This is especially true if you have a chronic health condition. Fortunately, Medicaid in Philadelphia is available to those who need assistance with medical expenses. So, let’s look at what Medicaid (Medical Assistance) is, who is eligible, and how to apply.

What Is Medicaid?

Medical Assistance, or Medicaid, is a program that pays for health care and mental health services for eligible individuals. Medicaid is funded jointly by the federal government and states and is meant to provide those with low income or have special needs with the medical coverage they need.

Who Is Eligible for Medicaid in Philadelphia?

In Philadelphia, Medicaid or Medical Assistance eligibility is grouped two ways:

Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI)

• Pregnant women
• Children 18 and under
• Parents and caregivers of children under 21
• Adults 19-64 whose income is at or below 133% of the Federal Income Poverty Guidelines
• Family planning services

Non-MAGI

• Individuals 65 and older
• Individuals who are blind and/or disabled
• Medical Assistance Workers with Disabilities
• Individuals receiving long-term care or home and community-based services

What Income is Counted Towards Eligibility?

Generally, the following income is taken into consideration when determining Medical Assistance eligibility,

• Wages
• Interest
• Dividends
• Social Security
• Veterans’ Benefits (except for MAGI MA)
• Pensions
• Spouse’s income if living with them

Different groups may have different income requirements. At AmeriBest, we can educate you on requirements based on your specific situation.

How Do You Apply for Medicaid in Philadelphia?

The Department of Human Services provides multiple ways for Philadelphia residents to apply for Medical Assistance. This allows you to choose the method that best meets your needs. If you don’t know if you’re eligible, you can still apply:

• Online using the COMPASS
• By calling 1-866-550-4355 to apply online
• In person at your local county assistance office (CAO)
• By downloading or picking up a paper application from your local CAO and mailing it to them when you complete the application.

Do You Need Medical Assistance (Medicaid)?

At AmeriBest Home Care, we want to empower you to choose the right care for you or your loved one. Whether you’re caring for elderly parents or someone with a disability, it’s important to consider your options carefully. Contact us today to discuss your options with one of our program coordinators. We can educate you on eligibility requirements and guide you through the application process.

If you live with a family member with disabilities or are caring for elderly parents, choosing care can be a hard decision. While the goal of living and aging at home is to live independently, the process of finding quality home care can be less empowering than it should be. That’s why AmeriBest Home Care works closely with families to tailor care, including working with the Agency with Choice program.

What Is Agency with Choice?

To help provide individuals and families more control over their in-home health care, the Office of Developmental Programs made Participant Direction Services (PDS) available. Agency with Choice is one of these services, allowing individuals or their representatives to have direct supervisory control over the care services they receive while the Financial Management Services (FMS), such as AmeriBest Home Care, handles the employer-related paperwork such as payroll and tax records.

What’s the Difference Between Agency with Choice and Contracting through a Care Agency?

Agency with Choice provides individuals and their families with more control over their care. When you contract with an agency like AmeriBest to supervise your care, the standards your caregiver meets are determined by the company. While you are the patient and client the caregiver is responsible for, the agency still acts as their direct supervisor.

With Agency with Choice, the caregiver is considered an employee of AmeriBest for the purposes of payroll, tax, and other employment considerations. However, you directly supervise and manage the care they provide. This makes it easier to tailor the services you need and empowers you or your representative to directly supervise your care.

Who Is Eligible?

Individuals who live with a disability or autism and live at home or with a family member or friend may be eligible for Agency with Choice. Not all in-home care services may qualify for the program. However, services typically covered include,

• In-home and community support services
• Companion services
• Respite services
• Homemaker and chore services

Is Agency with Choice in Philadelphia Right for You?

At AmeriBest Home Care, we want to empower you to choose the right care for you or your loved one. Whether you’re caring for elderly parents or someone with a disability, it’s important to consider your options carefully. Contact us today to discuss your options with one of our program coordinators.

As years go by, our loved ones show signs of aging. Eventually, there are things they cannot do for themselves. You step in to help here and there, but the responsibilities keep on growing! People find themselves overwhelmed. That’s where AmeriBest Senior Care Philadelphia, PA, steps in offering in-home health care for seniors.

You may have already felt a financial strain from caregiving due to lost pay or out-of-pocket expenses to provide your loved one with medical necessities. You would not be alone. Three in ten families caring for their seniors report increased debt. Our agency can walk you through all the financial supports available, including Medicaid, which can decrease your burden substantively if you qualify.

Aging in Place

Aging in place is highly preferred among seniors. They don’t like the idea of moving from their home. Everything there is familiar, including the people. At a facility, many strangers walk the halls, and it’s nowhere near as comfortable. Plus, many families feel guilt over engaging in a nursing home. Using a home healthcare service solves these problems.

Studies show aging in place has an impact on mental health, too. Being at home, a person feels secure, and they also have a sense of autonomy. There’s less stress and more predictability.

You want to make the best choice in home care. At AmeriBest Home Care, we pride ourselves in attentive service and making every effort to maintain the individual’s sense of self-respect. Your professional home caregiver frees you up to focus on personal needs and tasks, many of which have been on the back burner because you simply ran out of time.

What to Expect 

As you seek senior care for your loved one in Philadelphia, PA, you might wonder what to expect from services. At AmeriBest Home Care, we will work with you, your loved one and their medical team to come up with a personalized plan of care. Some of the duties of our caregivers include:

• Preparing meals
• Med minders
• Housekeeping
• Bathing
• Dressing
• Organizing schedules
• Participation in social events
• Driving to physician’s appointments.

AmeriBest: Senior Care in Philadelphia, PA 

Our company name says it all. We want the “best” for your entire family. Aging in place doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Everyone needs to have a say and receive essential information as soon as possible. We encourage family advocacy. There are no “cookie-cutter” solutions in our business. The plans we settle on take into consideration family dynamics, your concerns, and your loved one’s feeling.

We are one of the top agencies in Philadelphia, PA, having shown dedication to superior care. As the world of caregiving grows and changes, we remain mindful of best practices in every aspect of our services. In choosing our staff, we seek individuals who show strong compassion, support, and attentiveness. We also scout for people who are dependable and trustworthy.

For more information, please contact us any time!

Call: 215-925-3313 or 1800-HOMECARE

Email: info@ameribest.org

When someone you love comes to the point of being unable to wholly care for themselves, the family is faced with the choice between facilities, hiring an aide service, or applying for Consumer Directed Personal Assistance (CDPAP) – a program utilized by AmeriBest Home Care in coordination with Medicaid. All three of our offices in Philadelphia, PA, Harrisburg, PA, and Allentown, PA, can assist you in this matter.

The difference between a hired caregiver and someone hired through CDPAP is simple, familiarity. The CDPAP allows close family members of trusted friends to become a caregiver. Note this is a paying position. When you utilize Consumer-Directed Care, you have peace of mind that comes from knowing the person in your home regularly throughout the week. Better still, they’ll likely have some familiarity with your loved one, which makes that person feel more at ease.

Perhaps someone you know has already provided ongoing care freely to give you time away to do other things. AmeriBest can train that person. In this situation, CDPAP maintains continuity of care for the individual in need.

A Closer Look at The CDPAP Program

The Consumer-Directed program is part of Medicaid aimed at decreasing the cost of care among seniors. There are a few rules as to who you can choose as a caregiver, however. A spouse cannot receive compensation under this program with the exceptions of: New Jersey, Rhode Island, New York, California, and Washington. Why? Because from a legal standpoint, spouses are already responsible for each other.

A person seeking to utilize the CDPAP program must be eligible for Medicaid. Under Medicaid, they must also meet the criteria for personal care, certified home health care, or private duty nursing. Finally, an individual’s physician must provide an order using designated paperwork. There is yet one more step.

When a person qualifies for CDPAP services, a qualified professional comes to your home, determining the level of need. Afterward, you’ll be notified of how many hours a week your loved one can work and get paid. This is a firm number (no wiggle room).

Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program Benefits

CDPAP provides a level of familiarity and rapport that takes weeks (if not months) to establish with a professional aide. Being part of the family, the caregiver already understands dynamics and the “lingo.” They recognize the people who may arrive at their doorstep.

Once in place, CDPAP permits your friend or family member a flexible schedule. You will coordinate hours with them directly. You can also create an “in-house” plan of care, outlining the expectations of your caregiver (family or not, this is important).

How AmeriBest Home Care Helps

Even the best in-home health care agency doesn’t fit all molds and situations. As the demand for caregivers grows, having someone you already know becomes an ideal solution. Plus, individuals on the CDPAP have a support consultant. They bridge the individual and the program, ensuring ongoing requirements are met. AmeriBest does that, and we also take care of their wage processing.

We are sure you have questions, and our professionals are happy to answer them. You can contact us at any of our three offices:

Philadelphia, PA  215-925-3313

Harrisburg, PA 717-545-2920

Allentown, PA 610-596-9070

Or our online contact form HERE

Email: info@ameribest.org

When you begin your search for a home healthcare provider, you want one who keeps up with the latest in best practices for ongoing health. At AmeriBest Home Care – the best home care agency in Philadelphia, we continually update our personnel and train them accordingly.

Supplements are one way of boosting your (or your loved one’s) immune system. None will prevent or cure diseases, but they give you extra tools to defend your body against bacteria, toxins, and viruses. You bolster your resistance even more with healthy eating, exercise, and proper sleep.

The biggest caution with supplements is that not all of them play nicely with current medications! Over the counter or not, you should always check with your primary about any supplement you plan on taking. Certainly, the advertising sounds promising, but keep thinking: safety first.

Potential Immune System Supplements 

At AmeriBest, Philadelphia, our team sometimes walks into a home and sees dozens of bottles on the counter. Some are outdated, some are duplicates, and others aren’t necessary. You don’t need 101 supplements, just a few GOOD ones. For example, many people have a Vitamin D deficiency. This vitamin acts as an anti-inflammatory and helps protect you against respiratory infections.

A mineral you can consider for boosting your immune system is zinc, without which it will not function properly. As a result, you are at an increased risk of illness. About 16% of serious respiratory infections have ties to a lack of zinc. In the aging community, over 30% of people are zinc-deficient.

Another well-known supplement for health is Vitamin C. While you may have heard Vitamin C protects against infections and is a powerful antioxidant, it has another role. This Vitamin helps clear out old cells and replace them with new ones.

One of nature’s gifts to the immune system is Elderberry, which has been a prevalent part of the folk healer’s kit since the time of Charlemaign. Elderberry has antiviral and antibacterial properties, particularly useful in staving off the flu. It can also decrease the duration of a cold.

Then too, what about garlic? This spice has anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. It stimulates white blood cells. Garlic exhibits the potential to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, too. The Greek physician Hippocrates (after which the Hippocratic oath is named) prescribed garlic for various maladies. There is no need to process garlic in any particular way. Just add it to your recipe, and enjoy.

The Bottom Line

AmeriBest Home Care agency in Philadelphia, PA recognizes the benefits of supplements for aging people that boost immune functionality. However, nothing surpasses a healthy lifestyle. Exercise, healthy eating, good sleep habits, and medication management are part of the picture.

When you have a professional aide, they can help your loved one strive toward that goal. Our staff is highly trained to meet daily needs, protect your confidentiality, and focus on the individual’s sense of involvement and dignity.

Hire The Best Home Care Agency in Philadelphia!

If you’d like more information about our services, you can reach us in several ways:

Telephone: 215-925-3313

Email: info@ameribest.org, and

Online contact form HERE