Caring for a Loved One at Home Can Be Difficult to Learn

A recent article details how approximately 44 million Americans are currently acting as caregivers for a loved one, such as a disabled child, or, more commonly, a frail adult. Many times, these at-home caregivers typically have full-time jobs and families of their own, although the millennial generation increasingly has taken on caregiver roles, as well. In many instances, using family members as caregivers is the only option; hiring skilled caregivers for even a few hours each week can costs between $10,000 and $15,000 per year.

The problem is that these at-home caregivers often do not have the skills to care for older Americans at home, and no opportunity to learn those skills. While many states require that hospitals give basic caregiving instructions to the families of patients who are being discharged from the hospital, but the extent to which they actually do provide sufficient caregiving instructions varies from one hospital to the next, and goes largely unchecked. Furthermore, due to the quick turnaround between a hospital stay and a return home, there is often little time for family caregivers to learn how to provide adequate at-home care.

Part of this increased focus on caregiving instructions stems from Medicare regulations that penalizes hospitals and other medical facilities if too many patients are readmitted to the hospital after being discharged. These financial penalties were established by the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, as part of the Affordable Care Act. As a result, Medicare now will pay for services and items of medical equipment needed to care for a senior at home, if a doctor deems it necessary. For those who need help with caregiving, it can be as simple as consulting with your doctor for advice on how to handle certain situations.

The Wisconsin healthcare injury attorneys of Boller & Vaughan know how to stand up for the rights of those who have been injured at the hands of those individuals and institutions who are supposed to be caring for your loved one. We will help you hold the perpetrators financially responsible for their actions. Call us today at (608) 268-0268 and set up an appointment for us to assist you with your legal needs.