What Is a Home Care Service Plan?

Receiving your home care service plan is required by law before you can begin at-home care. A service plan is a documented agreement between your homecare provider, your caregiver, and you. It includes important details pertaining to the hours of homecare services your caregiver can provide you; the type of homecare services you need (according to your PCA assessment); and a contingency homecare plan, in case of emergencies.

According to the MN Department of Health, your plan must also include the following information:

• The frequency of care
• The fees for each service
• The names of staff and types of caregivers who will provide services to you
• The schedule and methods of your individual care plan
• The signatures of both the homecare provider and client or client’s representative

Important Information about Plan Terminations

In certain circumstances, a homecare service plan may be terminated by a provider or the client. The MN Department of Health states that the following information should be included in the termination letter:

• Reason(s) for termination
• Date of termination
• Contact information of licensed homecare providers in the area
• A transfer of care statement

A home care services plan must be updated whenever a change is made to the client or caregiver’s services, schedules, or fees. When these changes occur, or when a plan has reached the end of its designated time period, the service plan needs to be reviewed and reprocessed, if your services are to continue.

When these agreements are up for renewal, having an agency like Best Home Care to keep you informed and help you renew your plan before its expiration will ensure you always receive personalized at-home care that improves your independence and quality of life.

For more information on developing a home care service plan, or for other home care related questions, contact us at Best Home Care today or sign up for our newsletter to stay connected to recent news in the homecare industry.