scholarly journals “You get three different hats on and try to figure it out:” home based care provision during a disaster

BMC Nursing ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Anne Bell ◽  
Sarah Dickey ◽  
Marie-Anne Rosemberg

Abstract Background Home based care is a vital, and growing, part of the health care system that allows individuals to remain in their homes while still receiving health care. During a disaster, when normal health care systems are disrupted, home based care remains a vital source of support for older adults. The purpose of this paper is to qualitatively understand the barriers and facilitators of both patients and providers that influence the provision of home based care activities in two hurricane affected communities. Methods Using qualitative inquiry informed by the social ecological model, five focus groups were conducted with home based care providers (n = 25) in two settings affected by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Harvey. An open-source database of home health agencies participating in Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services programs was used to identify participants. Data were manually coded and larger themes were generated from recurring ideas and concepts using an abductive analysis approach. Results Twenty five participants were included in one of five focus groups. Of the 22 who responded to the demographic survey, 65 % were registered nurses, 20 % were Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN), and 15 % were other types of health care providers. 12 % of the sample was male and 88 % was female. Five themes were identified in the analysis: barriers to implementing preparedness plans, adaptability of home based care providers, disasters exacerbate inequalities, perceived unreliability of government and corporations, and the balance between caring for self and family and caring for patients. Conclusions This study provides qualitative evidence on the factors that influence home based care provision in disaster-affected communities, including the barriers and facilitators faced by both patients and providers in preparing for, responding to and recovering from a disaster. While home based care providers faced multiple challenges to providing care during and after a disaster, the importance of community supports and holistic models of care in the immediate period after the disaster were emphasized. We recommend greater inclusion of home health agencies in the community planning process. This study informs the growing body of evidence on the value of home based care in promoting safety and well-being for older adults during a disaster.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Anne Bell ◽  
Sarah Dickey ◽  
Marie-Anne Rosemberg

Abstract Background: Home-based care is a vital, and growing, part of the health care system that allows individuals to remain in their homes while still receiving health care. During a disaster, when normal health care systems are disrupted, home-based care remains a vital source of support for older adults. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of home-based care providers in providing care to older adults during a disaster in order to inform future disaster planning.Methods: Using qualitative inquiry informed by the social ecological model, five focus groups were conducted with home health nurses (n=25) in two settings affected by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Harvey. An open-source database of home health agencies participating in Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services programs was used to identify participants. Data were manually coded and larger themes were generated from recurring ideas and concepts using an abductive analysis approach. Results: Twenty five participants were included in one of five focus groups. Of the 22 who responded to the demographic survey, 65% were registered nurses, 20% were Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN), and 15% were other types of health care providers. 12% of the sample was male and 88% was female. Seven themes were identified in the analysis: the importance of the community in preparedness and response, government and corporations were viewed as unreliable, disasters exacerbate inequalities, the role of the family bond, the breakdown of preparedness is at implementation, the tension between caring for self and family and caring for patients, and the resilience and adaptability of home based care providers.Conclusions: While home-based care providers faced multiple challenges to providing care during and after a disaster, the importance of community supports and existing nursing models of care in the immediate period after the disaster were emphasized. This study informs the growing body of evidence on the value of home-based care in promoting safety and well-being for older adults during a disaster.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-55
Author(s):  
Teresa Lee ◽  
Jennifer Schiller

A rapidly changing health care payment system creates opportunities for optimizing home health and home-based care for patients needing cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Home health agencies are poised to play a significant role in episode payment models in the context of post–acute care for patients with cardiovascular conditions. As the Medicare program expands its episode payment models to include patients with cardiovascular conditions, hospitals and other health care stakeholders that will be engaged in these bundled payment arrangements should consider use of home health care in the delivery of CR as a bridge to outpatient therapy and patient self-management.


2008 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah B. Laditka ◽  
James N. Laditka ◽  
Carol B. Cornman ◽  
Courtney B. Davis ◽  
Maggi J. Chandlee

AbstractPurpose:The purpose of this study was to examine how agencies in South Carolina that provide in-home health care and personal care services help older and/or disabled clients to prepare for disasters.The study also examines how agencies safeguard clients' records, train staff, and how they could improve their preparedness.Methods:The relevant research and practice literature was reviewed. Nine public officials responsible for preparedness for in-home health care and personal care services in South Carolina were interviewed. A telephone survey instrument was developed that was based on these interviews and the literature review. Administrators from 16 agencies that provide in-home personal care to 2,147 clients, and five agencies that provide in-home health care to 2,180 clients, were interviewed. Grounded theory analysis identified major themes in the resulting qualitative data; thematic analysis organized the content.Results:Federal regulations require preparedness for agencies providing inhome health care (“home health”). No analogous regulations were found for in-home personal care. The degree of preparedness varied substantially among personal care agencies. Most personal care agencies were categorized as “less” prepared or “moderately” prepared. The findings for agencies in both categories generally suggest lack of preparedness in: (1) identifying clients at high risk and assisting them in planning; (2) providing written materials and/or recommendations; (3) protecting records; (4) educating staff and clients; and (5) coordinating disaster planning and response across agencies. Home health agencies were better prepared than were personal care agencies.However, some home health administrators commented that they were unsure how well their plans would work during a disaster, given a lack of training. The majority of home health agency administrators spoke of a need for better coordination and/or more preparedness training.Conclusions:Agencies providing personal care and home health services would benefit from developing stronger linkages with their local preparedness systems. The findings support incorporating disaster planning in the certification requirements for home health agencies, and developing additional educational resources for administrators and staff of personal care agencies and their clients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 701-701
Author(s):  
Carol Rogers ◽  
Lisa DeSpain ◽  
Janet Wilson

Abstract Older adults diagnosed with cognitive impairment (CI) who live at home are at high risk for FE due to dependence on caregivers and diminishing cognitive and financial capacities. Health care providers are mandated reporters for elder abuse, that includes financial exploitation (FE), one of the seven types of older adult maltreatments. Twenty Home Health Care Nurses (HHRN) of older adults in Oklahoma were interviewed to discover their understanding and experiences with FE. Transcripts were analyzed by conventional content analysis. Line-by-line codes were generated inductively and codes were grouped into categories and themes until data saturation was reached. Five themes emerged: Red Flags, Familiar Offenders, Dire Consequences, Barriers/Facilitators, Doing Better. Conclusions: HHRNs are an untapped resource to provide suggestions for improvements of FE detection/reporting of older adults with CI and to help formulate policies, procedures, strategies to improve coordination and communication among healthcare, law enforcement, and social service systems.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 536-536
Author(s):  
Chenjuan Ma ◽  
Lisa Groom ◽  
Shih-Yin Lin ◽  
Daniel David ◽  
Abraham Brody

Abstract Home health care is the most commonly used home- and community-based service to older adults “Aging in Place”. Patient experience of healthcare services is a critical aspect of patient-centered care. Indeed, policymakers have linked patient-rated quality of care to payment to healthcare providers. This study aimed to examine the association between patient-rated care performance of home health agencies and risk for hospitalization among Medicare beneficiaries. This study used several national datasets from 2016 and included 491,718 individuals from 8,459 home health agencies. Home health agencies’ performance was measured using patient experience star rating from the Home Health Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HHCAHPS). Propensity score matching was used to balance the differences in patient characteristics at baseline between those receiving care from high-performing home health agencies and those in lower-performing agencies. On average, patients were 80.5 years old, 65% female, 81% White, 10% Black, and 6% Hispanic, with 90% taking 5 or more medications. Patients had a mean score of 1.73 (SD=1.69) on the Charlson Index. Respectively, 10% and 16% of patients were hospitalized within 30 and 60 days of home health care initiation. Estimates of logistic regression after propensity score matching found that patients receiving care from lower-performing agencies were at similar risk for both 30-day (OR=0.99, p=0.817) and 60-day (OR=1.02, p=0.616) hospitalization following the start of home health care, compared to those in high-performing agencies. Our findings suggest discrepancies (or no relationship) between patient experience and objective outcomes of home health care.


Author(s):  
Srijana Shrestha

Despite high rates of mental illnesses, older adults face multiple barriers in accessing mental health care. Primary care clinics, and home- and community-based senior-serving agencies are settings where older adults routinely receive medical care and social services. Therefore, integration of mental health care with existing service delivery systems can improve access to mental health services and reduce the unmet mental health needs of seniors. Evidence suggests that with innovative components mental health provided in collaboration with primary care providers with or without co-location within primary care clinics can improve depression and anxiety. Home-based models for depression care are also effective, but more research is needed in examining home-based approaches in late-life anxiety treatment. It is noteworthy that integrative models are particularly helpful in expanding the reach in underserved communities: elders from minority and low-income backgrounds and homebound seniors.


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 178-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catheryn Koss

Background: The Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) requires hospitals, home health agencies, nursing homes, and hospice providers to offer new patients information about advance directives. There is little evidence regarding whether encounters with these health-care providers prompt advance directive completion by patients. Objective: To examine whether encounters with various types of health-care providers were associated with higher odds of completing advance directives by older patients. Method: Logistic regression using longitudinal data from the 2012 and 2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. Participants were 3752 US adults aged 65 and older who reported not possessing advance directives in 2012. Advance directive was defined as a living will and/or durable power of attorney for health care. Four binary variables measured whether participants had spent at least 1 night in a hospital, underwent outpatient surgery, received home health or hospice care, or spent at least one night in a nursing home between 2012 and 2014. Results: Older adults who received hospital, nursing home, or home health/hospice care were more likely to complete advance directives. Outpatient surgery was not associated with advance directive completion. Conclusions: Older adults with no advance directive in 2012 who encountered health-care providers covered by the PSDA were more likely to have advance directives by 2014. The exception was outpatient surgery which is frequently provided in freestanding surgery centers not subject to PSDA mandates. It may be time to consider amending the PSDA to cover freestanding surgery centers.


Author(s):  
P. K. Kubai ◽  
A. M. Mutema ◽  
M. R. Kei

Introduction: Worldwide, 57 million people died in 2008 from Chronic Illnesses, an estimated 40 million were in need of HBCP services with 6.6 - 10.8 million Children and adolescents dying [1,2]. 98% of Children with Chronic and Terminal illnesses (CI/TI) are found in low and middle-income Countries. Chronic and Terminal illnesses in Children are on the rise in Sub Saharan Africa. Kenya has lagged in implementation of Home Based Care to mitigate effects of CI/TI [3]. According to WHO, 2017 and Ministry of Health-Kenya 2013, millions of Children are affected by these Illnesses such as Tuberculosis, Asthma, Congenital abnormalities, HIV/AIDS and Cancer among others [4,5]. These illnesses have made families’ to suffer emotional, psychosocial and economic hardships [6,7]. Evaluation of utilization of Home Based Care Program (EHBCP) services is significant in assessing effectiveness and quality delivery of HBCP [8,9].  Aims: To assess usage of minimum essential package required in provision of Home Based Care program services for Children aged between 1-14 years diagnosed with selected Chronic and Terminal illnesses in Meru County Kenya. Study Design:  A descriptive Cross Sectional Survey. Place and Duration of Study: Conducted in Meru County Kenya Health facilities between June 2018 and Dec 2019. Methodology: Descriptive Cross Sectional Survey of 245 Health Care Providers and Caregivers of Children diagnosed with selected by proportionate to size sampling and simple random sampling from different health facilities across Meru County was utilized. Results: Utilization, delivery of quality and effective Home Based Care program was positively associated with age, experience of Health Care Workers (HCWs) 4.8 [95% CI = 1.06 – 21.68, P = 0.041]. HCWs profession, gender and years of work were positively related to utilization and delivery of HBCP services 3.03 [95%CI = 1.64 – 5.59, P<0.001]. Conclusion: Current study concludes that utilization of Minimum HBCP essential package by participants was not effective and the quality delivery of minimum HBCP essential services was inadequate, which agrees with Sips et al., 2014 study that poor service delivery leads to inadequate utilization, it concludes that restructuring HBCP services would meet individual needs for ill Children.


1999 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 267-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph P. Bloss

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) was signed into law on August 5, 1997 as Public Law No. 105-33. This single act introduced a revolutionary phase for the health care industry in the United States. It marked the beginning of momentous change to the overall health care coverage provided through the Medicare program. These changes, contained in the Balanced Budget Act, were intended to reduce substantially Medicare reimbursement, primarily to postacute care providers, including Certified Home Health Agencies. As a matter of fact, the Federal Register of August 5, 1999 states that “the intent of Section 4602 of the BBA is to control the soaring expenditures of the Medicare home health benefit that have been driven largely by increased utilization rather than price per visit.”


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