Are you concerned about a parent’s safety due to health changes? Is caring for your spouse or partner getting harder? Or do you need a little help at home as you recover from an injury or hospital stay?
A home health aide may be just what you need. Home health aides can help keep you or a loved one safe, ease your worries, and give you peace of mind. VNS Health home health aides undergo thorough background checks. They also receive extensive training and are certified.
What Is a Home Health Aide?
Home health aides are caring, capable individuals who can:
- Assist with tasks such as personal grooming and meal prep
- Provide medication reminders
- Help you move safely in your home or around your neighborhood
- Provide companionship
A home health aide may come for a few hours a week or every day. Aides may be part of a care team when you come home from the hospital to help as you recover from an illness or surgery.
Home health aides are often part of a long-term care plan, supporting individuals with dementia or other chronic conditions, as well as their caregivers.
VNS Health Personal Care earned the Best of Home Care Provider of Choice award, recognizing our commitment to the highest quality of care and patient satisfaction.
Who Needs a Home Health Aide?
A home health aide provides services for people who need help with daily activities and physical care.
Home health aides assist people who:
- Are elderly or medically frail
- Are recovering from surgery or a stroke
- Have dementia or Alzheimer’s disease
- Have physical limitations due to a condition like Parkinson’s disease, ALS, or MS
- Have developmental disabilities
A home health aide’s primary responsibility is to provide the assistance you or your loved one needs. They can do light housekeeping related to care — cleaning up from a meal, for example. Aides can help track symptoms and, when medical attention is needed, can alert a nurse supervisor.
VNS Health offers a full range of personal care services, including senior care, respite home care, and in-home dementia care.
What Does a Home Health Aide Do?
When people think of home health aide services, they usually think of help with daily activities, well-being, and safety, such as:
- Bathing
- Grooming
- Help getting dressed
- Oral hygiene
- Companionship
- Reminders to take medicine
- Support getting around (such as providing help when you are on a walk or transferring from a wheelchair to a bed)
- Watching for behavior changes that signal sadness, confusion, or memory loss
Home health aides often work with the same individuals for months or even years. They develop relationships based on trust and empathy, getting to know likes and dislikes. When this happens, in-home health aide services benefit family members just as much as they benefit the person receiving care. Family members are able to focus on their other responsibilities, worry less, and find time for themselves.
Home health aides can also assist with travel to and from outings and appointments and with in-home respite care.
What to Expect from VNS Health
When you contact VNS Health, our team will take time to get to know you — your preferences, cultural background, and daily routines — before choosing the best aide for your needs.
Your VNS Health home health aide works under the supervision of a registered nurse. As part of your care, the nurse will routinely check in to ensure all is well.
A VNS Health representative is available by phone 24 hours a day, should a need arise.
We Are Committed to Quality
All VNS Health home health aides are certified and insured. Our hiring process is selective and comprehensive, and includes:
- Thorough vetting and background checks: All VNS Health team members, including home health aides, go through a complete background check.
- Extensive training: All VNS Health home health aides receive the 75 hours of training required by the New York State Department of Health — and an additional 30 hours of specialized education. That’s 40% more training than the state requires.
Where Are Home Health Aide Services Available?
VNS Health home health aides are available for people who live in:
- The Bronx
- Brooklyn
- Manhattan
- Queens
- Staten Island
- Nassau County
- Suffolk County
- Westchester County
- Rockland County (private duty only)
Paying for Home Health Aide Services
Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance plans typically cover medically necessary aide services. Medicare and private insurance typically do not cover long-term home health aide services, such as:
- Companionship
- In-home care for someone with dementia
- Respite care
People who need long-term care and have (or are eligible for) Medicaid may qualify for insurance coverage through Medicaid Managed Long-Term Care (MLTC). MLTC does cover long-term home health aides. If you aren’t sure about Medicaid eligibility, call us. We can help you figure out your options.
VNS Health aims to make private-pay home health aide services accessible and affordable. Our team will work with you to explain your options and help you find a plan that fits your needs and budget.
Related Services
Dementia Care at Home
Expert care for those living with dementia or Alzheimer’s and support for their caregivers.