Home care or senior home care in Idaho is provided by senior home care agencies through the services of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, home health aides, home attendants, social workers, therapists, and others. The point is to keep seniors in their homes, allowing individuals to be independent. Service can range from several weekly visits all the way to 24-hour medical care. There are about 168 agencies in Idaho with an average monthly cost of senior home care is around $3,861.
Finding home care in Idaho 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 ID that have senior home care agencies but the median monthly cost ranges from:
City Homemaker Services Monthly Costs Home Health Aide Boise $3,718 $3,718 Coeur d'Alene $3,527 $3,527 Lewiston $3,527 $3,527 Pocatello n/a $4,290 Rest of State $4,195 $4,195
Idaho is home to many of nature’s most beautiful sights such as the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Shoshone Falls, Hell’s Canyon National Recreation Area, Bear Lake, and many other beautiful natural sights. Sawtooth National Recreation Area is a great place for different activities such as hiking, horseback riding, snowmobiling, skiing, and more. There are three mountain ranges and over three hundred lakes all over the area. Shoshone falls is the called the “Niagara Falls of the West” with the beautiful multiple waterfalls cascading down 212 feet. Hell’s Canyon National Recreation Area has the deepest gorge that was carved out by the Snake River. It is 95 miles long and is the home to a variety of wildlife such as bobcats, elk, cougars, and bears. Bear Lake is called the “Caribbean of the Rockies” due to the turquoise hue of the water and its size of 109 square miles.
Even if your mobility isn't what it once was, there are still numerous places to go and things to see in Idaho. There are senior centers throughout the state that provide senior-oriented activities such as bingo, billiards, art classes, dance classes, and exercise classes. Specialized senior trips are also available to places such as the Snake Rover Greenbelt or the Idaho Botanical Garden.
The climate in Idaho changes significantly throughout the state, so temperatures can significantly vary across the different regions. On average the high for the summer is 86 degrees and the average low is 16 degrees in the winter. The mountainous areas experience cooler temperatures, especially in the winter, and receive more precipitation and snow than the valley regions. As a whole, the state gets 17 inches of rain and 44 inches of snow annually. In terms of humidity, Idaho's climate is very comfortable. Lightweight clothing should be expected in the summer with a light layer for the evening. Heavy clothing should be worn during the winter months and at any time in the mountains.
Idaho’s culture is very diverse in terms of people and scenery. The state was one of the last inhabited by Europeans, so there is not a single predominate heritage. The southern part of the state has large farms growing wheat, potatoes, and barley and also holds the largest cities making it the most diverse area. The northern part of the state is known to have residents that are rugged individualists with a mindset similar to the pioneers. Overall, residents are friendly and the state is conservative.
Sperling’s Best Places ranked Idaho 35 on a scale of 100 (1 being the lowest crime) for violent crime and 33 for property crime; the United States overall ranked 41 for violent crime and 44 for property crime. The Idaho Crime Prevention Association encourages cooperation between the police department and the community in an effort to stop crime where possible. The association aims to provide communities with the resources and confidence to identify crime and trust in local law enforcement.
When choosing any senior care option for you or your loved one, it's important to be aware of the neighborhood and crime rates of the surrounding areas. Here are some of the safest cities found throughout Idaho.
Location Violent Crimes Per 1,000 Residents Property Crimes Per 1,000 Residents Rexburg 0.34 8.18 Kimberly 0.86 7.78 Hailey 3.61 7.22
As determined by federal legislation (42 CFR 484.36), each Medicare-certified home health agency may only employ home care professionals who meet the state-approved training program requirements. These regulations ensure that each medical professional or non-medical paraprofessional has received a federal minimum of 75 hours of training, including 16 hours of supervised practical training and an additional 12 hours of training every following year. Remarkably, Idaho actually requires 120 hours of minimal training, making reliable home care options much more feasible.
It is possible through several methods to pay for home care in Idaho. Based on your financial situation and individual needs, some payment options will be more sound decisions than others.
Firstly, Medicare does not pay for non-medical in-home care services. Mostly, it is used for its Supplemental Insurances to cover Medicare copayments and deductibles. In order to qualify for Medicare coverage for in-home care, it must be deemed medically necessary.
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.
Paying privately is also an option for many seniors through several methods. Besides paying with one’s own savings, seniors may choose to pay with a reverse mortgage, by opening a home equity line of credit, or by converting their life insurance policies. Long-term care insurance may also be a reasonable option if purchased earlier in life.
Finally, Medicaid is an insurance program for low-income seniors and their families that can be used to pay for non-medical home care, home health care, and other home support programs. Since Medicaid rules are state-specific, your eligibility and benefits will change based on location. Care received outside of a nursing home is generally referred to as Home and Community Based Services (HCBS).
Medicare-approved home health care guarantees you a series of rights and protections designed to provide you with the best experience possible. As you move forward with your care, it is required that the agency staffing your caregiver provides you with information regarding your rights. You are entitled to participate in decisions regarding your care and can choose the home health agency pending your managed care plan (if applicable). Your personal privacy and property are to be respected at all times in circumstances that it does not interfere with necessary medical attention.
If there comes a point when you are unable to make decisions regarding your own medical care, you have the right to entrust this responsibility to a family member or legal guardian. Remember, you also retain your Constitutional rights and those afforded to you by the Bill of Rights as a citizen of the United States. In the case of these rights are violated, contact an elder law professional to help you and your family understand the proper legal actions to take.
Seniors receiving home care in Idaho have the right to obtain copies of their medical records and other protected health information. Although it’s a common misconception that this information cannot be disclosed due to privacy laws, the fact is that you can submit a written request to your health care provider and actually receive copies or digital versions of this information. Even if they ask, you don’t need to provide a reason for the request. You will likely be charged a fee and the request may be required in writing, but your records belong to you.
Details of your mental and physical health are included in your protected health information which includes medical records, billing records, claims adjudication records, and other private documents. Receiving these records can take up to 30 days, or as long 60 days if your healthcare provider utilizes their single extension period. If this limit is exceeded, you must be provided with a written statement as to why the delay occurred.
