Demand for In-Home Care Providers on the Upswing
NPR's "All Things Considered" on Wednesday featured a profile of a professional home health aide in Modesto, Calif.
An increasing number of U.S. families are hiring home caregivers for assistance with elderly or disabled relatives, "All Things Considered" reports. Home caregivers visit clients anywhere from a few times per month to as often as daily, performing tasks such as bathing, dressing and feeding.
Medicaid and Medicare cover some home-care services, but typically only in the short term. Some patients must limit the number of visits they receive to help control expenses.
The "All Things Considered" segment follows Laquita Smith, a home caregiver employed by Michigan-based Arcadia Health Care, as she visits clients in Modesto (Shafer, "All Things Considered," NPR, 5/9).
Audio of the segment is available online.
In related news, KPCC's "Air Talk" on Friday is scheduled to include a discussion about elder care options in California ("Air Talk," KPCC, 5/9).
A broadcast schedule is available online.