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Assistance with an Individual's Activities of Daily
Living
When persons,
because of advanced age, illness, injury, disease, limited cognitive
abilities, or other limitations, need assistance with their Activities of
Daily Living (ADL's) they are termed as needing "non-medical home care
services." Non-Medical home care services are often referred to as
"custodial" or "non-skilled services."
These services are different than those provided by skilled nursing
services or agencies. Skilled nursing services are provided by Home Health
Care Agencies and in Arizona are licensed and certified by the Arizona
Department of Health Services. Skilled nursing services must be performed by
a licensed RN or LPN and include such services as wound care, administering
of medications, injections, IV therapy, ostomey care, catheterization, etc.
Home Health Care Agencies provide skilled services which include nursing
care, physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapy, as well as
social services and often hospice care. These skilled services are provided
under a plan of treatment order by a physician.
Caregiver
Employees of the Business Members of this Association do not provide the
"skilled services" that are provided by Home Health Care Agencies.
Non-Medical Home Care Business Providers assist individuals with their Activities of Daily Living
(ADL's) and a physician's order is not needed to have non-medical home
care services. ADL's are routine activities that most people take for granted
and that
people tend do everyday without needing assistance. There are six basic
ADL's: eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring (walking) and
continence. When people are unable to perform these activities, they need
help in order to cope, either from Caregivers or mechanical devices or both.
Not only do Caregivers provide
specific assistance with certain ADL's for their clients, they also provide
companionship and a sense of security by just having a Caregiver on duty
with a client.
Some of the specific areas
Non-Medical Home Care Business Providers assist their clients are assistance
with:
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Ambulation, walking, using a walker, repositioning in a bed, or using a
wheel chair
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Light housekeeping, such as making the bed and changing bedding, cleaning
the bathrooms, the client's bedroom, the kitchen, etc
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