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People go thru the nurses registry for a home health aid or stna (state tested nurses aid). U will want to do a background check on the aid. The state may have a list of aides also. If u go thru an agency , then they send in subs for when the aid calls off. Some agencies have a sliding scale especially if u pay our of pocket. However, u have to ask the agency. Ur mom and u (if u live near) will have to flexible, when the aid calls off. In the nursing home the aides get more patients when another calls off, even though there are minimum standards that the NH follow. If he stays at home and an aid calls off, then have the agency send an aid to at least bath ur brother. The aids generally get paid for 2-3 hours for a Bath Visit. That way the aid just doesn't bath and leave in an hour. Make sure they clean the bath area (tub or bed bath) and bathroom before they leave. If ur dad is under 60-65 and is applying for medicaid, then he would may qualify for waiver 4 (under 60-65) or passport (over 60-65). The waiver program helps cover home costs and meds. They are based on ur brother's income and ASSETS, monthly utility bills, and monthly medical bills,ect. The case manager will have a list of what u need to show the govt. Also, just because someone qualifies for waiver 4 doesn't mean that they qualify for the same things in the typical medicaid program. Waiver 4 stops , when/if the patient enter the NH. Check to see if he would loose some medicare and medicaid items that he would get at home verses a nursing home. The medicare and medicaid handbooks will have what in included and excluded in writing. His case manager has to give u a medicaid info. with coverage and monthly dollar amounts that are given to him. Medicaid doesn't cover alot, however 2 - 3k a month helps alot when the monthly home care and supplies, ensure bill is 4-5 a month or 5-6k in a NH. Medicaid doesn't mean that everything is free! It means things they think u need are free. There are state MINIMUM standards which are unfortunately followed. If u have supplemental insurance , then keep it. The Medicare handbook 2002 will explain the benefits and should have come in ur mom's mail by now. Look in the back of it and u can order Medicare guideline books with the inclusions and exclusions of individual types of care. If he has to go into a nursing home, ask for their state inspection notebook. It maybe on the table as u walk in near the receptionist. Ask if u don't see it. It lists what the state's inspection of different things of the NH usually in the past 2-3 years. Visit the 7-3 shift, the 3-11, and saturday midday after lunch. You will see a difference. Baths are generally given up until 9 AM. As for therapy, ask ur personal physician how often he should be move/turned and if possible therapy. Some may say 1-2 hours , but they are the ones that usually do the turning. Some NH frown on therapy more than once a week. Ask the rehab. physician before he is discharged from the hospital. If u haven't already get an elder attorney to help u set up ur finances. Some give u the first consultation free and then are about 100 to 300 an hour. I know that is alot, but s/he may help u with stretching out the finances ur mom may have such as her house for instance. I read feeding tube and severe, but I don't know how old ur brother is nor his condition nor, have anywhere near the education that the neuros have. Ur brother, God, and the physicians knows what best for ur brother. I have been in a nursing home, acute care, a subactute care, and home. I hope ur brother is able to come home first. What a heartwrenvhing decision to make and Medicare doesn't give u long to make a decision. Notice medicare not the physicians and the spouse-- the ones who really care for the patient. nm Larry Wilson wrote: > > I have a problem. Brother(Texas) has feeding tube into his stomach. He has > PD (severe). Is there a way he can go home and not be put into a nursing > home? > > His wife has applied him for Medicaid and probably will be accepted. Is it > practical (safe) to have him come home under home health care? Can he be > fed and medicated properly? Wife works (has to) so there will have to be a > caregiver there until she gets home? > > Thanks for your insight. > > Larry (Georgia) > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn