For many people with a relative in need of care, the outpatient nursing service is an immensely great support. The services provided by the professional carers help many people to overcome the challenges of providing home care for family members. We will explain to you how such a care service can relieve you and how you can find the optimal service.
The tasks of an outpatient nursing service
Care at home and not in an institution. It can therefore be equated with home care. Either only relatives (also friends or neighbours), a professional nursing service or in combination both take care of the person to be cared for.
These 5 reasons speak for an ambulant nursing service:
#1 The person in need of care remains in their familiar environment .
Many people, especially the elderly, find a major change and a move difficult. A radical change can even have a negative effect on the general condition. If you continue to stay at home, important friendly and neighbourly contacts are not lost and the courage to face life increases.
#2 Relief for the person in need of care and the relatives
First and foremost, a care service naturally relieves all those involved. Home care requires commitment and a lot of energy. Being there day and night for the person in need of care also has a long-term effect on the health of the caregiver. This can lead to back problems or nervous tension. If a professional nursing service takes over the physical strain, there is more time for the nice things with the relative, for example a walk. In addition, you are more free to plan your day, but you also have to take care of a lot yourself.
No matter whether suddenly due to a stroke or insidiously due to a chronic illness of the relative – whoever is put in a position to have to care is almost always a layman in the field. A regular care consultation by experts is obligatory according to law (§37 exp. 3 SGB XI), but whether one is always prepared for all situations…?
#3 Examinierte care forces have there naturally a large advantage
They know, how the patient is cared for best pflegerisch and can avoid thereby errors in the care. Moreover, in some cases it is quite right for people in need of care to have intimate matters such as going to the toilet accompanied by professional helpers in order to avoid unpleasant situations between relatives.
#4 More money from the nursing care insurance
If you as a relative take over nursing care for your relative alone and he or she has a nursing care level, he or she is entitled to nursing care money as a benefit from the nursing care insurance. Click here to find out how high it will be in 2016. The care allowance alone, however, is by no means sufficient for the loss of a full or half salary, because you often have to step back for care at home.
However, if you choose the so-called combination benefit, whereby the family and out-patient care share the task, there is a higher state subsidy (depending on the level of care). This service is also flexible, so that you can react quickly to changing needs of the patient.
#5 Support in emergencies
When selecting the outpatient nursing service, you should make sure that there is also a 24-hour on-call service for emergencies. If you need help acutely at night, someone will be there for you and your relative to support you.
Useful tips on how to recognise a good nursing service:
Listen to your gut feeling!
A good nursing service is first and foremost the one that makes you and your relative feel good. Remember that some of the nursing staff are alone in their private rooms – this is not possible without trust. And the person in need of care literally goes into the hands of the “foreign” helpers. You must be able to rely on the outpatient nursing service and it should have time and interest in your problems.
Of course, it is important that the nursing staff adhere to agreed times in order to be able to plan the day and also to give the patient structure in life. Nevertheless, a great service is also characterised by the fact that it can react flexibly, spontaneous appointments or wishes of the person to be cared for are pending. And who also changes employees when things don’t go so well between people! For emergencies, proximity is important, as is an emergency service for the night and the weekend (24-hour care).
A network must be listen to word of mouth
Which care service do friends and acquaintances use? Personal experience is the most valuable. At the first meeting, ask how well networked the nursing service is: Does it know all the important contacts for social services, the municipality or the medical sector? Also important: Is he known to your general practitioner? Nursing advice centres are recommended in order to get an idea of the services in your city.
The basis of an outstanding nursing service is, of course, its professional expertise.
Ask for certificates or special training of the employees. Among other things, a good nursing service will point out to you during counselling what is covered by the health insurance funds and what you have to pay privately. Don’t be afraid to be there during your first visits to see how the nurse deals with your relative. By the way, if you are not satisfied, you can change nursing services at any time.
Openness between nursing staff and the nursing contract
How do the nursing service and employees affect you during the interview? Is there a friendly atmosphere between colleagues? Is everything clean? Another important point is that you are given sufficient information material and the care contract in advance to check. Pay attention to how this is formulated: Are all services and costs clearly recognisable?
Conclusion
The outpatient nursing service supports you with home care. In order to be able to use the services, the person in need of care must be classified in a care level. You can recognise a good nursing service by its professional competence, a well-developed network of social welfare institutions and doctors, a feel-good atmosphere, flexibility and openness, especially with regard to benefits and costs.
The service is useful for carers and people in need of care: it relieves both sides, is there for you in emergencies, prevents nursing mistakes and helps you to stay within your own four walls as long as possible. In addition, there are higher state subsidies if you choose a combined benefit instead of the care allowance alone.