A surprising fact that may come as a shock to many is that health care agencies in the state of Florida are not mandated to have a certification or licenses unless they have been employed by a Medicaid or Medicare home health agency if not, they do not need to have. This means that minimal training is provided to health care agency employees who might lack the skills to properly care for and handle challenging situations that might arise. Because many individuals would rather turn to a health care agency than place their loved one in a nursing home, it is important that these health care providers are just as a trained as any other health care facility to handle any situation that may present itself.
A huge problem with home health care agencies is the lack of training that the employees have due to them not requiring a certification or license. A number of medical negligences can be performed to an elder who is being cared for by an employee of a health care agency. If negligence was part of the injury caused to the elder person, then immediate consultation with a qualified health care agency negligent attorney should be scheduled as soon as possible.
Challenging Situations That May Not be Handled Properly
A number of life-threatening and challenging occurrences may happen with the elder person that the home health care agency staff member might not be prepared to handle. With no preparation, the elder person can suffer a great deal of damage. Here are some situations that may not be handled properly:
- Bedsores prevention, identification, and treatment
- Lifting a disabled or elderly person in a safe manner
- Preventing falls by safely transferring the elder person from one location to another
- Dealing with patients who suffer from cognitive disorders
- Being vigilant of infections
- Medication administration being properly applied; and
- More
Any of the above that is not performed properly can cause the elder person to endure extensive damage, even catastrophic injuries.
Figures on Home Health Care Agencies
- In 2013, 4.9 million patients received assistance from a home health care agency
- There are 12,400 home health care agencies
- In 2014, 80% of home health care agencies were for-profit ownership
Home Health Care Agency FAQS
Question: How long do home health care services last for?
Answer: Typically, a plan of care will be developed depending on the case of the person requiring the home care services. The length of the services will depend on the goals that want to be accomplished by the individual and their family.
Question: Are the services provided constant?
Answer: No. Typically they are visits by the nurse that will last between 30 minutes to two hours. It varies on the necessity of the individual.
Has a Negligent Home Health Care Provider Been Providing Services to Your Loved One?
If a person was injured because the home health care practitioner was inexperienced or negligent during their practice, a lawyer that is skilled with elder negligent care at Percy Martinez Law Firm in Miami can make a difference in the current bad situation that the victim is in. They will shed some light in the darkness that they are currently facing.
Miami
Email: percy@percymartinezlaw.com