Home Instead Senior Care
Louisville East & Oldham County

This month, we would like to take a minute and give The Commonwealth of Kentucky a big pat on the back! After hearing the demands of our aging and disabled population, they have recently expanded the new regulations governing personal services agencies. 

 

The original regulations, which went into effect January 1, 2010 under 906 KAR 1:180, required all personal services agencies to obtain certification from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and to perform both drug screens and criminal background checks on all employees. Home Instead Senior Care was thrilled, as both Brent and Becky Beanblossom had worked with other professionals including the Kentucky Home Health Association as well as legislators to get the certification passed.  While the regulations did not alter procedures much for the Home Instead Senior Care office, it has provided seniors and their families with much needed protection from agencies providing sub-par services. (To read more on the original legislation, check out this article from Business First Louisville.)

 

Home Instead Senior Care’s primary goal is to provide seniors with the best possible care and allow them to stay independent in their homes as long as possible. So we had our fingers crossed for something more. On June 4, 2010, after a public comment period, the newly expanded regulations governing personal services agencies went into effect. Home Instead is pleased to announce that our CAREgivers can now help clients self-administer their medications.

 

So what does this mean in terms of the care Home Instead can provide for the senior in your life? Well, let’s break it down.

 

Home Instead CAREgivers CAN…

-         Open the client’s medication organizer or single dose unit that has been pre-set by a family member or health care professional

-         Physically hand the medications to the client

-         Place the medications in the client’s hand or mouth

-         Assist the client with consuming their oral medications

-         Assist the client with ointment application

 

Home Instead CAREgivers CANNOT…

-         Administer eye, ear, or nose drops

-         Mix medications or calculate doses

-         Give injections of any kind

-         Provide breathing or nebulizer treatments

-         Deliver treatments through a tube inserted into the body cavity

-         Apply parenteral, rectal, urethral, or vaginal preparations

 

Just remember, our CAREGivers are there to assist you and our clients in any way possible. We can help clients self-administer their medications but medications can only be measured, dosed, or otherwise administered by a client, family member, or healthcare professional.

 

Home Instead Senior Care East Louisville is excited to be expanding our in-home services and hope that this allows us to better meet the needs of our clients and provide the quality care you’ve come to expect. If you’d like to read the new regulations in their entirety, you can view them at http://lrc.ky.gov/kar/906/001/180reg.htm. And as always, our knowledgeable staff is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please feel free to call us at 502-515-9515 with any questions or concerns you have regarding the services we provide.