In Mississippi, senior home care agencies provide their services through therapists, nurses, social workers, and health aides. Home care is specifically designed to provide specialized medical care to seniors in their home, so they can continue to live an independent lifestyle. Some of the services offered include therapy for a few hours a week or hospice care with nurse availability 24 hours a day. There are other options for seniors who don’t need specialized medical care, but do need help around the house. It is called personal care. There are about 365 agencies and the average monthly cost of Senior Home Care is $3,146.
Finding home care in Mississippi will vary from each city to the next depending on what services you need from a caregiver, including the degree of medical attention required. Home care services can provide you or your loved one assistance with the activities of daily life, or more involved medical care depending on the licensing of the medical professional or non-medical paraprofessional of your choice. Since these roles and license types can overlap in their duties, it’s important to have a clear understanding of one’s individual needs in order to make the best decision.
There are a number of cities throughout Mississippi that have senior home care agencies but the median monthly cost ranges from:
City Homemaker Services Monthly Costs Home Health Aide Monthly Costs Gulfport $3,146 $3,241 Hattiesburg $3,241 $3,241 Jackson $3,432 $3,432 Rest of State $3,289 $3,337
Mississippi has so many beautiful sights to see such as the Vicksburg National Military Park, Tupelo Automobile Museum, Gulf Islands National Seashore, and much more. The Vicksburg National Military Park preserves scenes from the American Civil War and features memorial tours and a step back in time. Full of automobiles from as early as 1806 and to the present, Tupelo Automobile Museum is the place to go to see the transformation of cars over the years. Complete with white sandy beaches, coastal marshes, and beautiful forests The Gulf Islands National Seashore is a vacation favorite of visitors and residents alike. Truly, Mississippi's rich history and traditions make it a southern gem.
Regardless of your mobility, Mississippi has plenty of things for seniors to stay busy. There are senior centers throughout the state that provide senior-oriented activities such as educational seminars, art classes, exercise classes, and game nights. Specialized senior trips are also available to places such as the Vicksburg National Military Museum, Longwood, or the Natchez Trace Parkway.
The climate in Mississippi is humid subtropical with short, mild winters and long, hot, and humid summers. The northern region of the state does not get quite as hot as the coastal region. Average temperatures are not descriptive of the state's climate because of the variability. High 40's to low 50s can be expected during the winter with the temperature dipping below freezing a few days of the year. For the summer, the high temperature exceeds 90 degrees for over 100 days of the year. Reaching 100 degrees is common with high levels of humidity making summers very sticky and uncomfortable in certain parts of the state. Normal annual precipitation in 50-65 inches a year, often brought on by thunderstorms. Hurricanes and tornados also strike Mississippi. Lightweight natural fabrics should be worn during the summer and mid-weight clothing can be worn for most of the winter with heavier clothing necessary at times.
Mississippi is a relatively contrastive state. As one of the most heavily African American populated states, it remains a racially tense environment in some places. Social difficulties aside, there are still plenty of things that make this state a great place. Mississippi is home to some of the best Blues music around, along with other genres like jazz, gospel, and rock. Visitors can still see the remnants of antebellum prosperity and experience the carefree attitude of the Gulf Coast region.
When searching for home care in Mississippi it can help to know which areas are generally safer than others. Overall, this state ranked 39 on a scale of 100 (1 being the lowest crime) for violent crime and 44 for property crime which is less than or equal to the national average. Here are some of the safest areas to seek home care in Mississippi:
Location Violent Crimes Per 1,000 Residents Property Crimes Per 1,000 Residents Florence 0.23 6.03 Louisville 2.18 4.83 Petal 0.18 7.62 Brandon 0.75 8.98
(source: safewise.com)
Home health agencies that are Medicare-certified are required to employ health aides who have undergone the approved training and evaluative measures according to federal legislation (42 CFR 484.36).
Medicare-certified home health aides are required to have a federal minimum of 75 hours of training, including 16 hours of supervised practical or clinical training and 12 hours of additional education every 12 months following their licensing.
Seniors paying for home care in Mississippi can do so in a variety of different ways, each with its own advantages based on your unique financial and health situation.
First off, seniors may look to Medicare to receive coverage for their copayment and deductibles for medical home care through the Medicare Supplemental Insurances program. However, keep in mind that Medicare does not cover non-medical home care whatsoever. If this is an issue, it may be necessary to look to the other remaining methods of payment.
U.S. veterans can receive assistance for home care by using the Improved Pension or Homebound and Aid & Attendance Pension. To apply for these benefits, contact your local Veteran’s Association or Area Agency on Aging for more details and eligibility requirements.
Besides using one’s own savings to pay for care, others may choose to pay through a reverse mortgage, by opening a home equity line of credit or by converting their life insurance policies.
Finally, another option for low-income seniors and their families is to receive Medicaid insurance. Keep in mind that the rules, eligibility requirements, and benefits of Medicaid are state-specific and are different in every state. Home care is referred to as Home and Community Based Services in terms of Medicaid coverage.
Seniors receiving home care from a Medicare-approved home health agency retain a series of guaranteed rights and protections with the intention of keeping your needs met. Before your care begins, the home health care agency must provide you with the details of your rights and care. You'll be informed that you reserve the right to make your own decisions regarding the services being provided. Your personal privacy should always be respected as well, although certain care may require a certain level of transparency to be effective.
There is always the possibility that you may lack the ability to make informed decisions about your care. In this case, you will be able to appoint a family member or legal guardian to advocate on your behalf. Also remember that you retain your Constitutional Rights and those afforded to you by the Bill of Rights, so don't hesitate to contact a lawyer if you believe a violation has been made.
Seniors receiving home care in Mississippi have the right to obtain copies of their medical records by submitting a request to their healthcare providers. Although some may argue that due to privacy laws your records cannot be released to you, this is simply not the case. You can submit a request and receive your records in 30 days with the exception of cases where providing this information has the potential to do harm.
