Fact Sheet

Facts About Private Duty Home Health Care

• "Private duty nursing services," "personal care services," and "home health care services," are terms frequently used interchangeably to refer to home health care services that are privately paid and provided to residents in their homes or places of residence. Funding may also come from long term care insurance, automobile insurance, or worker's compensation insurance. Private duty nursing services are not reimbursed by Medicare, Medicaid or Blue Cross.

• Services include nursing care, assistance with activities of daily living, physical therapy, massage, wellness, grooming, or just simple housekeeping or chore work. Services occur in hourly blocks of time, i.e., four hours, eight hours, 12 hours or 24 hours; or in "bath visits," which generally last 1-1/2 hours and include bathing, dressing and grooming.

• Professional care management includes the services of a certified case manager (CCM), who will monitor and maintain all of the client's care needs and meet with the family or other designated health care professional on a regular basis.

• All cases serviced by Glacier Hills Home Care are opened and supervised by a nurse (RN), who continues to maintain and monitor the plan of care. This service is not always offered by other "personal care companies."

• Since the client is the customer, every effort is made to select a staff member who is a good match for the client's personality and expectations.

• Private duty nursing services, personal care services, or home health care services all seek to enable individuals to maintain independence and quality of life wherever they choose to live. These services supplement what families and health care providers can offer by filling in the gaps where traditional health care leaves off.