Personal Home Care

Personal Home Care

What is a Personal Care Home?
Personal Care Homes (PCHs) provide lodging, food and some support services for people who are elderly or who have mental or physical disabilities; who are unable to care for themselves but who do not require 24 hour nursing services in a licensed nursing care facility. Typically, residents of PCHs need help with dressing, feeding, taking medications, mobility issues and finances.
To find information on a Personal Care Home near you see the Personal Care Home Directory.

In a personal care home, meals are prepared, linens provided and clothes laundered. Residents receive assistance with personal hygiene, with bathing and dressing, with medications, with making phone calls and with correspondence. They may also be offered assistance with obtaining transportation to appointments and help with their personal finances.

Socialization, activities, and contact with community services are arranged. Assistance is provided to access both emergency and on-going health care services, which can include visiting nurses, in-home rehabilitative therapy services and medical testing.

In some homes supervision by trained staff persons is available 24 hours a day, based upon individual residents needs. The administrator of a personal care home must complete training and orientation programs that result in certification.

Personal care homes are licensed businesses, which are usually privately owned and operated for profit. Non-profit corporations manage some. A few are distinct parts of nursing care facility complexes, hospitals, or continuity of care residences. All personal care homes, that are licensed, house at least 4 persons over the age of 18. There is no limit as to the number of beds for which a personal care home may be licensed. Personal care homes may not discriminate regarding admission of residents, but they may develop specialize services to meet a specific type of resident need.

All personal care homes are a vital and important participant in the continuum of community-based residential long-term care services available to the residents of Pennsylvania.

Choosing the Right Personal Care Home

Where to find a Personal Care Home? Information regarding personal care homes can be found in newspapers, telephone directory's, through social service agencies, from the state licensing authority and even from the Internet. Like most businesses, the consumer can check with the local Better Business Bureau for information about area facilities. Hospital social services departments generally keep a list of local facilities with which they are acquainted.

Occasionally, personal care homes are inadvertently listed in the telephone directories under "Nursing Homes", so it is important to clarify the type of facility it is when you phone.

View the PCH Directory listed alphabetically, by county and region.

How do you go about Choosing a Personal Care Home?

Location: Personal care homes are located in the inner cities, in the suburbs, and in rural areas. Which is the most desirable spot? Certainly if a particular community is "home" because a person's life had been spent and enjoyed there, then the selection of that area would be wise.

If living near relatives provides a sense of security, then that is an important consideration. In addition, a home close by would give loved ones a better opportunity to visit. A PCH where a friend lives and has "paved the way" presents an incentive for making a choice. Sometimes the decision is based on the needs of the spouse. If one's spouse is already living in a PCH, then many times their mate chooses to move in as well.

Urban facilities offer many advantages, like access to mass transportation, large medical facilities, and malls. There are advantages of having a store, a church, a library, access to a senior center and mental health county services near by that should not be overlooked.

Many residents choose rural homes because of the affordability factor, but rural homes also offer their own brand of charm. Perhaps looking out on rolling hills or mountains is of importance.

The most significant factor, when considering "where to live", is that it should coincide with the individual need of the resident who has to live there. Personal care homes can almost always meet that need, as they are found everywhere.

Size: The size of personal care homes ranges from single family dwellings, to large mansion-type homes, to converted motels, to multi-service level facilities that resemble hotels or retirement communities. Some offer limited service packages, some offer the full range of assistance and health care packages. Larger facilities, usually those with 50 or more beds, tend to be more "institutional" in their operations, while smaller "family" style homes can allow for more individual flexibility. A small home may have a homey atmosphere where residents get to know everyone who lives there and become a type of surrogate family. In larger homes, residents may have more living area for moving around and socialization activities.

In converted motels, bedrooms and baths are usually shared with only one other person at most. Privacy, then, is a distinct feature.

The "institutional" type home will have a more diverse population of residents, allowing for a greater choice of friends and activities. That type of home will probably have specialty staff, like social director, on staff.

All personal care homes have advantages. A person's life-style prior to the move to a home should be considered in order to determine the size of the home that best suits the resident.

Cost: What can be afforded: a small amount, a moderate amount, or is cost of no concern? The average amount is somewhere between $700 and $3,000 per month. The more that is charged, the more that can be expected in the way of furnishings, variety of menus, activities, and individual service packages. A number of homes will accept persons who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for the amount of their room/board and service fee. For SSI recipient resident's in licensed personal care homes there is a Personal Care Supplement amount that can be applied for by the resident, with help from the operator of the home. This Personal Care Supplement is not automatic, and persons interested in learning more about the application and assessment process should contact their local county Area Agency on Aging.

Others will ask that the resident's SSI income be supplemented somewhat from another source as from relatives. This is called a "Third Party Agreement" and is specifically for a service package. This agreement must be held separate from the resident's usual written room and board contract with the home.

Still others accept only private pay from residents. The resident who signs a private pay contract should remember that if their resources become exhausted during their stay, they will probably be required to move.

Keeping this in mind, there is a personal care home to fit every budget. After applying your standards and narrowing the options, determine if the homes you are considering are licensed personal care homes. You may ask the PCH if they have been inspected by the Department of Public Welfare, Division of Personal Care Homes; or to find out if they have the appropriate licensure, you can phone or write your regional office.

When personal care homes are inspected, a set of state regulations are applied. The homes must meet compliance with these regulations before a license is recommended. A copy of these regulations can be obtained by phoning the numbers of the regional offices. Questions and complaints about personal care homes in Pennsylvania may be directed to the regional licensing offices by phone or by mail.

Visiting the Personal Care Home An important step in choosing a personal care home is the home visit. If possible, the resident and family members or close friend should try to visit the home before moving day.

Things to look at during the visit:

The residents in the home. Some homes admit a mixed age population. Some cater to older residents. There are facilities that serve persons with behavioral health issues, dementia and a variety of other disabilities. Do the residents appear comfortable? Are they appropriately dressed? Does their personal hygiene seem acceptable? Are the residents socializing together? Are they provided an opportunity to meet and greet visitors?
The housekeeping. Look at the overall appearance of the outside of the PCH. Are the grounds cared for? Are there cleaning and laundry facilities in the home or do they use contract services. Ask to see the bathroom and the kitchen to determine their condition. Are there strong or overpowering unpleasant odors in the home?
Ask to share a meal with the residents. Preferably arrange to visit at a meal time and observe the food preparation and serving. If a special diet is needed does the home offer that service?
Activities are a very important part of the stay in a personal care home. Are there a radio, television, table games, magazines and newspapers? There should be reading materials available in the living area. Is there sufficient lighting for reading? Ask about the opportunities for socialization at the home and in the community. Ask about the location of the nearest senior citizen center, Area Agency on Aging, Mental Health / Mental Retardation Service Unit, stores, malls, church, and available transportation.
The resident contract. Ask to see the standard contract between the facility and the resident. Read it, and be sure you understand the content. Many contracts have specific restrictions regarding refunds and resident discharge conditions. Every contract must include, but is not limited to: a list of the services provided, the monthly charges for room / board and services, any additional charges, home rules, resident rights, and arrangements for health and emergency services. Be aware that the monthly fee may not include all listed services, and additional charges may be specified in the contract. Often, extra charges apply for such things as shampoos, hair setting and other specialized hair care, nail care, transportation, incontinence care, special diets, assistance with specialized food intake, catheter care, durable medical equipment, pharmacy services, and specialized individual care services beyond the usual contractual commitment for care. Residents who are recipients of SSI receive special contractual protections under state regulations. A SSI personal care resident may not be charged more in their resident contract for rent and other services then their actual current monthly income reduced by the personal needs allowance. The personal needs allowance is a minimum amount of a resident's own funds that must be set aside for his/her personal expenditures. Also, SSI recipient residents, may not be asked to agree to give more than one-half of the annual Senior Citizens Rebate to the facility. Personal care homes must also provide the following items, at no additional charge, to SSI recipient resident: necessary personal hygiene items, such as a comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and shampoo. Personal laundry services and personal care services are also provided free of charge to SSI recipient residents.
The bedroom. Note the available closet space and drawer space. Bear in mind that this room may be shared with at least one other resident. Look at the bed linens, furnishings, and the proximity of the beds. Note the windows and day light provided thought the window coverings. Note the temperature of the rooms and ask how the rooms are heated in cold weather. If summer heat is a concern, inquire if the home is air conditioned. Some homes are not air conditioned and provide fans only. Ask which of the resident bedrooms will be yours. If it is located above or below grade level, remember that steps must be able to be negotiated. A handrail should be present in stairwells and hallways for support.
Interview the administrator (operator of the home) and the staff. Try to get a feel for the personalities of the people who manage the home and care for the residents. Decide if they are warm and caring people; if they acknowledge the residents by their names; if they welcome visitors and try to make you feel at home. Does the home have a resident committee? How do they handle complaints?
Medical follow up is also very important. Does the home encourage the residents to keep with their own physician or do they have a house doctor that follows the medical needs of the residents? What home health care agencies are available? Pharmacy services are rarely part of the facility, so do they use a local pharmacy or mail order service? There are also questions about durable medical equipment providers, rehabilitative services and emergency medical services that should be asked before admission. If there is a local medical transportation / ambulance service, is there a membership fee?

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