Special Touch Home Care

Click on one of the following questions to jump directly to its answer:

1. What is "home care"?

2. What types of services does Special Touch provide?

3. Is there a minimum amount of service?

4. What does Special Touch do to ensure I receive quality care?

5. When can I reach Special Touch if I need to?

6. What languages do the aides speak?

7. What type of screening process is performed for selecting home health aides?

8. What is the process for setting up home health aide services?

9. What forms of payment are accepted?

What is "Home Care?"

Home care is exactly what it sounds like: Care at Home. When a person wants to continue living at home, but requires assistance that cannot be easily or effectively provided by a family member or friend, home care is the solution. Advances in treatment and technology have allowed more people to leave institutions so that they may be cared for effectively and efficiently at home -- even if they have illnesses that at one time were only treatable in a hospital or similar institutional setting.

Home care services may benefit people who:

Need additional assistance to live independently at home due to an illness, disability, or advanced age.
Have a chronic or life-threatening illness and want to rest in the comfort of the home environment.
Are able to be discharged from a hospital or nursing home but need additional care at home.
Require short-term assistance at home because of same-day or outpatient surgery, or maternity-related incapacity.

Recent studies have shown that people recover faster at home than in institutions. For instance, when chemotherapy is required for treatment of cancer, the smaller doses that can be administered at home cause fewer adverse reactions than the massive doses delivered in a hospital setting.

Home care and hospice services are provided for people of all ages. A significant percentage of older people electing to live independent lives are taking advantage of home care and hospice services, rather than spending their last years in a nursing home. Younger adults who are disabled or recovering from acute illness are similarly choosing to be cared for at home. Infants and children requiring even the most sophisticated treatments for serious childhood illness are often able to return to their loving families, and a secure home environment, thanks to advanced technology and pediatric home care services.

What types of services does Special Touch provide?

Special Touch provides the services of home health aides who are under the guidance of nurse supervisors. These services include companionship, nutrition, personal care, and other medical tasks as directed by a plan that is customized to each patient's needs. These services are provided in the patient's home rather than in a health care facility.

What does Special Touch do to ensure I receive quality care?

Special Touch is licensed by the New York State Department of Health and accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). We follow the highest standards in providing care to our patients. We are very careful in our selection of our home health aides, who are all continuously trained and educated so that they may better serve our patients. All of our aides receive thorough background checks and careful screening before they ever see a patient. They are supervised by a nurse, as well as our office staff, to ensure they are providing optimal care for the patient. We have been providing quality health care for more than 20 years with thousands of patients currently being cared for by our aides.

When can I reach Special Touch if I need to?

Our office is open from 8am to 7pm Mondays through Fridays, and from 8am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. We are reachable by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

What languages do the aides speak?

In order to take care of a highly diverse population, Special Touch has aides fluent in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and several other languages.

What type of screening process is performed for selecting home health aides?

All Special Touch aides must be interviewed in our main office and demonstrate the characteristics of a compassionate caregiver. They undergo a thorough background check, which includes criminal screening, as must provide both personal and work references. Each employee's medical profile must be complete and up-to-date, as do their employment authorizations. When the paperwork is complete, they undergo skill assessments, testing, and further education in providing patient care. Only when all of this has been completed may an employee be considered ready to see our patients.

What is the process for setting up home health aide services?

The process for receiving service is very simple. You can either call our office directly at 212-710-3588 or fill out our patient contact form, after which a Special Touch representative will contact you. A registered nurse will then work with you to develop a customized plan of care and a Special Touch home health aide will be assigned to follow that plan.

What forms of payment are accepted?

Special Touch will accept payment from private insurance companies, or the patient/guardian may alternatively pay directly for service. For your convenience, we accept all major credit cards. If the patient is eligible for Medicare or Medicaid, we can assist in determining what their benefit coverage is and what is needed for reimbursement.