"We had always published a consumer guide, and there were a couple of issues with it," Patrick Kelly, chief executive officer of the West Virginia Health Care Association said. "People would be discharged from the hospital, they needed rehabilitation and nursing care, and we couldn't mail the booklet to the people quick enough to help them to make informed decisions.
"Now we can get it to them in a timely manner. Also, a lot of West Virginians have children who have left the state. They can do advance research before they come back to help their parents. They can even look it up in the airport on their way here," Kelly said.
The aim of the site is to help families make informed decisions about senior care. Called a "one-stop" resource on the Internet for information about senior care in West Virginia, it answers basic questions such as "Who can help me stay at home?" "Which health- care facility is best for me?" and "Where can I find help paying for my medicine?"
The key to the success of the new site will be getting the information about the website to hospital discharge planners or social workers, Kelly added. The association will be involved this spring with a social worker convention in Charleston, where they will spread the word of the website and its benefits.
Kelly pointed out that health care is changing dramatically, and rapidly.
A website will be easier to change than printed booklets, and it will be easier to share with people who need the information.
"Once you order a bunch of copies of a booklet, it sits there and it's hard to change," he said. "The website will be flexible."
The website, www.wvsenior care.com, lists numerous resources for senior services, including searches for in-home care providers for non-medical services, health-care facilities, and pharmacies and medical equipment providers. The information is presented in a simple, easy to understand format that links visitors to websites that contain detailed information.
The site also details government programs, such as the Older Americans Act Programs and Legislative Initiative for the Elderly services, and gives helpful checklists to follow when searching for and for hiring in-home service providers. There also are links to support groups.
The checklist includes the following questions to be discussed before hiring an in-home professional:
* Do you offer the services I need (household chores, meal preparation, grocery shopping, laundry, transportation)?
* Do you offer the personal services I need (bathing, dressing and toileting)?
* Do you have staff available at night and on weekends for emergencies?
* What happens if there is inclement weather or your employee is sick?
* Will you provide me with a document that explains my responsibilities and your responsibilities?
* Will you help me find other community services that might be helpful to me?
* Do you assign supervisors to oversee the quality of care?
* If so, how often do they visit?
* How do you document that your services were completed?
* Do you pay federal and state taxes on your staff members' wages so I will not be liable for any taxes?
* Who is responsible if your employee is injured in my home?
* How much money will I have to pay out of my pocket?
* Will I receive a document that explains the method of payment and when I have to pay?
* Do you offer payment-plan options?
* Does any outside organization inspect your organization?
* May I see the results of the last inspection?
* Do you perform customer-satisfaction surveys?
* May I see the results of the last survey?
* How long have you provided services in the community?
* Who owns the agency?
* Will you provide me a list of references of doctors, patients and their families who are familiar with the quality of your services?
* Whom should I call with questions or complaints?
Visit www.wvseniorcare.com. To reach the West Virginia Health Care Association, call 304-346-4575 or email info@wvhca.org.
Reach Sara Busse at sara.busse@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1249.
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