Home Care Process

 

Our simple process ensures we start care when you need it.

 

Step 1: Schedule an Assessment

The best way to schedule an assessment is to call the office or submit the contact form. While on the phone we can answer any questions you may have and schedule a free assessment with a Care Coordinator.

Step 2: Develop Care Plan

While at the home we will assess the home environment and develop a care plan specific for your loved one. This will allow us to make sure your loved one is getting the exact services needed.

Step 3: Start Care

Once the care plan is developed we will have a better understanding of which caregivers will be the best fit for you and your family. We can schedule the caregivers and begin care immediately.

Eligibility

Veterans can be approved for the Home Health Aide and In-Home Respite simultaneously.  The In-Home Respite and HHA programs are available to veterans who are enrolled in VA healthcare. Any veteran that served 24 consecutive month is eligible for VA healthcare. There is no out of pocket costs associated with these programs. These benefits can alleviate some or all of the financial burden of receiving home care, or to supplement care which is being paid for privately.

Aid & Attendance Program

An estimated two million wartime veterans and their widows are eligible for the “Aid & Attendance” benefit to help pay for home care. Many of those eligible veterans live right here in San Antonio.  The Aid and Attendance program is a pension paid directly to the veteran that can then be spent on home care or other long term care options. The amount of the pension can vary but ranges from $1,300 - $2,400 / month. To qualify their is a financial component, the veteran has to have assets less than $129,094. Additionally, the veterans needs to have served in specific war time periods and have health conditions that result in the veterans being home bound. At Griswold Home Care we are a community resource in helping veterans apply for the Aid and Attendance benefit. We typically assist our clients applying for this program in one of three ways. Each option has its own benefits; it really depends on the client’s situation to determine which option may be best.

1. Refer veterans to a Veteran’s Service Office we frequently work with.
2. Refer clients to an elder law attorney that we work closely with and has intimate knowledge of the Aid and Attendance program. An elder law attorney can walk you through the entire application process.
3. Refer you to Veteran’s Home Care. Find more details below about our partnership.

We are happy to announce that we have partnered with a national company called Veteran's Home Care. They have an exceptional VetAssist® Program that helps veterans, or their surviving spouses, apply for the Aide and Attendance benefit. The wonderful thing is Griswold Home Care can provide home care while the VA reviews your claim. The VetAssist® Program also furnishes continuing case management and ongoing compliance monitoring – all with no out-of-pocket costs. They have helped thousands of veteran families receive the “Aid & Attendance” pension while living in the comfort of their own homes.

Many people get home care services confused with home health care agencies. There is a general lack of knowledge and information not only in the general population but also among medical professionals about the differences between home health care agencies and non-medical home care agencies. Many of our clients not only need non-medical home care, but also require some form of home health care as well. As a result, we work closely with several of San Antonio’s most reputable home health care agencies to ensure our clients have access to the full spectrum of care they require.

Generally home health care agencies primarily engage in providing nursing and/or therapy services in the residence of the patient/client. The types of services commonly associated with home health agencies consists of one or more of the following services:

• Nursing, including blood pressure monitoring and diabetes treatment;
• Physical, occupational, speech, or respiratory therapy;
• Medical social service;
• Intravenous therapy;
• Dialysis;
• Service provided by unlicensed personnel under the delegation or supervision of a licensed health professional;
• The furnishing of medical equipment and supplies, excluding drugs and medicines;
• Nutritional counseling

Home health agencies are public or private organizations that are licensed by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services. Home health care services are usually covered by an individual’s health insurance and are provided under orders established by a physician.

Home care agencies in Texas that also provide hands-on, personal care, such as the San Antonio offices of Griswold Home Care, must be licensed by the State of Texas as a personal assistance service agency. The following services are usually associated with personal care:

• Bathing;
• Dressing;
• Grooming;
• Feeding;
• Exercising;
• Toileting;
• Positioning;
• Assisting with self-administered medications;
• Routine hair and skin care
• Transfer or ambulation.

While home health care and non-medical home care are easily confused, there are very distinct and clear regulatory and scope of service differences. If you are still confused or if you have questions please feel free to give one of our San Antonio offices a call to discuss your specific situation.