There is an incredibly fast growing population of the elderly in Pennsylvania that are in need of everyday care. Whether this is due to an injury sustained after a fall, dementia or general frailty that comes with age there are many people in need of care. Pittsburgh has unleashed a program that should aid the elderly in getting appropriate, cost effective care that doesn’t break the bank or force them to leave their home.
What is this program? It’s officially called the participant-directed personal assistance services program. Essentially, the program allows those who are in need of care and who qualify for state of assistance to appoint an at-home care assistant to help them daily or weekly with general chores and everyday care. One benefit of the program is that it allows the patient to choose their care professional instead of being treated by strangers, as they might otherwise be in many other types of facilities.
The thought behind this program is that if the elderly are being cared for by people who actually care about them and have a relationship with them, it should make their level of care that much better. If the level of care is higher, theoretically, it should reduce the number of nursing home neglect and nursing home death cases throughout the state. Some of the accidents that occur in nursing homes and care facilities are due to inattentive care attendants. If this occurs, the nursing home facility could be negligent for their employee’s activities.
While all accidents cannot be avoided, many should never happen at all. The care of an older person is something that requires great attention and patience. The elderly deserve top-notch care. Many are calling for better care for family members approaching retirement age.
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Home-care program lets friends help friends,” Gary Rotstein, May 17, 2015