Care Advisor sitting with older woman to discuss in home services

I am very grateful to Springwell for many years of kind and effective help for my elderly mother. You have an excellent workforce, and I am especially grateful that you have been able to provide a Chinese worker for my mom which is so important to her. They have been very good, kind and efficient and my mom loves them. With your valuable help, my sister and I can maintain a more normal life, and keep our jobs. Thank you very much!

In Home Services

For many seniors, a small amount of in-home service can make the difference between being able to live at home and losing independence. Many don’t realize the array of in-home services that are available. For some, assistance with grocery shopping or housework for a couple weeks after a hospital stay is all that is needed. For others, ongoing, daily support is critical to maintaining independent living.

OVERVIEW

In Home Services can mean continued independence and aging in place for many seniors, and there are a wealth of options available to help. Services include: Adaptive Housing, Adult Day Care, Behavioral Health, Chore, Companion, Environmental Accessibility Adaptations, Grocery Shopping, Habilitation Therapy, Home Health, Homemaking, Laundry, Medication Dispensing Systems, Personal Care, Personal Emergency Response Systems, Respite Care, Supportive Home Care Aide, Transportation, Vision Rehabilitation, and Wanderer Locator. We know it’s a long, confusing list. A friendlier list, with explanations is available in the “Service Details” section below.

WHY SPRINGWELL

Springwell’s expert Care Managers understand the programs and services that are available and the eligibility requirements for each of them, including free, subsidized, and private pay options. They can help you decide which choice is the best for you, provide information on individuals and businesses that provide in-home care, assist with accessing any entitlement benefits, and guide you through the hiring or contracting process.

COST

Cost for these services varies by program. Some are free, some are available on a subsidized basis from the government, and some are available on a fee for service basis.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Some programs are open to all, some have specific eligibility requirements.
  • Any senior or individual with a disability is eligible for a free in-home assessment and personalized package of information.

SERVICE DETAILS

There is an array of support services that can help you live independently at home. The following is a comprehensive list with explanations of each service, but we are also here to help. Let us help you find the right package of services for you. A Springwell Care Manager can visit you in your home to help you assess your needs and plan for the most cost-effective care. We will also help you determine if you are eligible for services from a variety of State and Federal programs offering support to seniors and to those coping with chronic health issues.

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Adaptive Housing Services

Adaptive housing services are services related to the provision of minor housing adaptations, minor home modifications, or adaptive equipment for individuals who require this service in order to remain safe and independent in the community.

Adult Day Care

Adult Day Care provides an organized program of health care and supervision, restorative services, and socialization for individuals who require skilled nursing or therapy, or assistance with activities of daily living. Nutrition and personal care services are also provided.

Behavioral Health Services

Behavioral Health Services provide mental health services to individuals.

Chore Services

Chore services are activities related to correcting or preventing environmental defects that may be hazardous to an individual’s health and safety.

Heavy Chore includes moving furniture to vacuum, washing floors and walls, defrosting freezers, cleaning ovens, cleaning attics and basements to remove fire and health hazards, changing storm windows, yard work, and snow shoveling.

Companion Services

Companion Services assist individuals with socialization, recreation, assistance with the preparation of light snacks, shopping and errands.

Environmental Accessibility Adaptations

Environmental Accessibility Adaptations includes physical adaptations to an individual’s home that are necessary to ensure safety or that enables an individual to function with greater independence in the home. Such adaptations include the installation of ramps and grab-bars, widening of doorways and, modification of bathroom facilities.

Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping includes helping an individual create a grocery order, shopping for the groceries, delivering the groceries and assistance with putting items away if needed.

Habilitation Therapy

Habilitation Therapy is a service to support individuals who are caring for someone who is experiencing the effects of a dementia related illness. Dementia specialists help caregivers understand the disease process and pitfalls to avoid, as well as techniques of communication, behavior management, structuring the environment, creating therapeutic activities and planning for future care needs.

Home Health Services

Home Health Services include personal care; medication reminders (medications cannot be administered); and routine care of prosthetic and orthotic devices. These services are provided by Certified Home Health Agencies (CHHA) under the supervision of an RN.

Homemaking Services

Homemaker services include assistance with shopping, menu planning, meal preparation, laundry, and light housekeeping including vacuuming, dusting, dry mopping, dish washing, cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, and changing beds.

Laundry Services

Laundry services include pick-up, washing, drying, folding, wrapping and returning of laundry.

Medication Dispensing System

A Medication Dispensing System is an automated medication dispenser that dispenses pill form medications at appropriate intervals through audible/visual cueing. This system organizes a pre-filled supply of pills and is programmed to deliver the correct dosage of medications when appropriate.

Personal Care Service

Personal Care service includes assistance, cueing and/or supervision with bathing, dressing, shampoo/hair combing, foot care (excluding nail cutting), denture care, shaving (with electric razor), bedpan routines, eating, ambulation and transfers. The following is a partial list of activities that a personal care worker is not allowed to participate in: administration of medication and/or oxygen, participation in any aspect of automated medication dispensing systems, tube feedings, syringe feedings and the feeding of individuals who have a history of choking and/or swallowing difficulties, application of prescription creams and lotions, application of hot packs, hot water bottles, heating pads and cold packs, use of “Hoyer type” lifts and participation in a two-person carry of a totally dependent individual, participation in passive range of motion exercises.

Personal Emergency Response System (PERS)

  • PERS is an electronic device connected to an individual’s telephone line. In an emergency, it can be activated either by pushing a small button on a pendant or bracelet, pressing the help button on the console unit, or by an adaptive switch set-up. When the device is activated, a person from the 24-hour-a-day, 7 days a week central monitoring station answers the call, speaks to the individual via the console unit, assesses the need for help, and takes appropriate action.
  • Enhanced PERS is a service that combines the basic elements of PERS, with the capacity to program a PERS console unit so that messages from family members or friends may be pre-recorded from a remote location and transmitted to the individual at established intervals.

Respite Care

Respite Care services may be provided to relieve caregivers from the daily stresses and demands of caring for an individual.

Supportive Home Care Aide

Supportive Home Care Aide services are for individuals who have cognitive impairments or other difficulties receiving in-home assistance. Services include assistance with bathing, dressing, shampoo/hair combing, foot care (excluding nail cutting), denture care, shaving, bedpan routines, eating, ambulating and transfers, emotional support, socialization and escorts.

Transportation Services

Transportation Services transport individuals to and from medical appointments.

Vision Rehabilitation

Vision Rehabilitation is a service designed to instruct people who are visually impaired in the use of compensatory skills and aids that will enable them to live safely, productively, independently and up to their maximum potential. The training enhances personal management skills, communication skills, travel skills, low vision utilization and home management skills.

Wanderer Locator Service

Wanderer Locator Service is a program designed to register people with a dementia-related illness who are at-risk of wandering and becoming lost.

In addition to the information listed here, Springwell has a wealth of online links and resources

Contact Us

One of our Information & Referral Specialists can get you started, and connect you with a Care Manager. Let us help you put together the most appropriate package for you. Call 617-926-4100 and ask for Information & Referral, or fill out and submit this contact form.

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