Chai Line | October/November 2017

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Chai Line The Newsletter for Chai Care, a program of the Jewish Community Foundation of Broward County

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 | VOL. 1, ISSUE 2

Proudly sponsored by

OF BROWARD COUNTY

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

5

SUNDAY

NOV

9

THURSDAY

DEC

7

THURSDAY

DEC

12

WEDNESDAY

JAN

14 SUNDAY

FEB

8

THURSDAY

Major Gifts & Legacy Society An Evening to Remember 5:00–8:30 p.m.

Women’s Philanthropy

Eastside Lunch & Learn 12:00–1:30 p.m.

Ft. Lauderdale

Women’s Philanthropy

The Event

A Celebration of Women 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

David Posnack JCC, Davie

First Night of Chanukah

Super Sunday Phone-A-Thon

10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

David Posnack JCC, Davie

Community Campaign Celebration 6:00 p.m.

Dates and times subject to change.

For more information visit www.jewishbroward.org or call 954-252-6900

Amy Bloom, LCSW, CLCP, C-ASWCM

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Chai Care Director 954-252-6920 | abloom@jewishbroward.org www.jewishbroward.org/chaicare

Together, we are making an impact during times of need.

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Program of the Jewish Community Foundation of Broward County

Choosing a Home Care Provider

By Zachary Desmond, Executive Administrator, Alternative Home Health Care

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hoosing a home care provider can be an overwhelming task for an aging individual in need, or a loved one acting as a family advocate. In South Florida there are several ways to hire a caregiver, all with varying levels of risk. As a licensed home health agency providing W-2 employees, we at Alternative Home Health Care feel that no matter what choice you make, being informed is extremely important. The following is an explanation of the options available, general descriptions regarding the employer/employee relationship, and the business model the providers adhere to.

Private Person “off the street”

In this business relationship the client, or their representative, acts as employer and obtains the services of home health care from a private health care worker.

It is likely that the relationship the ­client establishes with the employee is that of an employer, and all risks and duties associated with being an employer are the responsibility of the client. These include workers compensation insurance, the employer portion of FICA (just over 7%), Federal Withholding taxes, mandatory overtime, and unemployment taxes.

Additionally, clients should ascertain if the private citizen has the right to work in the United States, is free of communicable diseases, has the requisite training to perform services required, and has a background free of criminal offenses.

Clients are responsible for supervising their employees.

Hiring a private person off the street brings the highest level of risk and families must plan for protection due to the possibility of theft or workplace injuries. Keep in mind, many homeowner policies will not cover theft or injury if you knowingly hire an independent contractor.

Nurse Registries

Nurse Registries procure the services of home care workers on an independent contractor basis. These workers are directed to care for clients, by the client.

This means the registry is not

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r­esponsible for workers compensation insurance, the employer portion of FICA (just over 7%), Federal Withholding taxes, unemployment taxes, mandatory overtime and in all cases it is construed that the worker is responsible for these items. Workers must maintain their own employment benefits/taxes.

There is much ambiguity about the true status of registry workers. Clients, their representatives or their estates can be construed as the employer in this arrangement, and can be held liable for providing the above employment benefits/taxes. Clients still have exposure to risk when they employ individuals from a Nurse Registry.

Registries are required to ascertain if the worker has the right to work in the United States, is free of communicable diseases, has the requisite training to perform services required, and has a background free of criminal offenses.

Registries are not required to supervise, or train, their workers placing this burden back on the family.

Nurse registries are common in Florida, however not a recognized business model in the majority of states across the country. The same risks associated with hiring a private caregiver off the street related to theft or workplace injury apply to utilizing a Nurse Registry for your home care needs.

Licensed Home Health Care Agencies

Agencies hire home health care em­ ployees. These employees are scheduled

to care for clients. Their activities are managed and supervised by agency staff, and in some cases by Registered Nurses.

The agency is responsible for workers compensation insurance, the employer portion of FICA (just over 7%), Federal Withholding taxes, mandatory overtime, major medical, and unemployment taxes.

In most cases Agencies also carry general liability insurance and a dishonesty bond, which afford additional coverage for employees and clients. The employer (agency) is responsible for all risks associated with work performed by the employee.

Agencies must assure that the employee has the right to work in the United States, is free of communicable diseases, has the requisite training to perform services required, and has a background free of criminal offenses. It is also common for agencies to competency test their employees, and to provide continuing education (depending upon the type of agency).

As a two-time winner of the Sun Sentinel’s Top Workplaces award for the past two years, Alternative Home Health Care has been a leading, licensed home health agency in South Florida since 1996, serving Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. Our agency only provides W-2 employees providing the most protection available to a family.

To learn more about choosing the right provider, contact Alternative Home Health Care at 954-622-0588 or find us online at www.alternativehomehealth.com.

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Rose’s Corner

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From the desk of Amy Bloom, LCSW, CLCP, C-ASWCM Chai Care Director abloom@jewishbroward.org | 954-252-6920

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As a Floridian you know the increased A R possibility of losing power during a hurricane.

This can happen no matter where you live. All senior residences, including assisted living and nursing homes are licensed by the State and have a plethora of regulations they must follow to keep their licenses, including an emergency management plan for things such as losing power, experiencing a flood or a fire.

As advocates for our donors, Chai Care’s professional care managers are familiar with not only senior residence regulations, but those of Medicare and other health care providers.

Our role as a care manager is simple: EVALUATE (your needs) EDUCATE (you on your options, entitlements/benefits and health related regulations) ADVOCATE (for you so you receive quality care)

Amy Bloom

A salute to our volunteers Who are exceptional human beings In a quiet way, you’re everywhere, Giving so much of yourself to share.

No, you do not make a lot of noise, Only in a gentle way you raise your voice.

Whether in rain or shine, you’re there.

Yes, there are many hats you wear.

But they are not visible, Only you, with your deeds are.

Oh, a volunteer’s work is never done, But therefore, higher than charity.

Because you give of yourself, And never say I’m tired.

It’s only you, who repair the world, So please, accept my sincere and kind words!

By Rose Boyarsky

Coming Together in Times of Disaster

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exico, Puerto Rico, Barbuda, St. Maarten, the Virgin Islands, Houston, Texas and Florida. It’s been an incredibly hard year with these natural disasters, and the Jewish community has not been exempt. Synagogues have been damaged and some destroyed, Jewish day schools have sustained major damage, community members have been forced to evacuate and homes have been damaged or ruined.

As a community, we have risen up and come together to help each other.

In order to effectively address the needs of communities during times like these there must be an organized response and infrastructure. That’s one of the reasons Jewish Federations are so important — here in Broward County, as well as Houston, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and around the world.

In our community, Federation took the lead in raising funds to help those most devastated. In addition to our ongoing fundraising efforts, the Federation partnered with the United Way of Broward

County and the Community Foundation of Broward to create Broward Cares, so that we could quickly get funds and supplies to those who needed them.

Immediately following Hurricane Irma, working together with organizations and groups that we support and collaborate with, we were able to facilitate the distribution of 6,000 ready-to-eat meals, 6,000 meals, water to seniors in our community. Additionally, we obtained and delivered over 20 pallets of food to The Cupboard, Goodman Jewish Family Services’ new foodbank, whose supplies had been depleted.

Following Hurricane Maria, we helped resettle a family who fled the islands. As the recovery efforts continue, Federation is prepared to help resettle multiple families in our area, whose children may need to enroll in our Jewish Day Schools.

We also helped make arrangements to

get over 200 generators to Puerto Rico and the Florida Keys to help Jewish communal agencies and individuals.

Over a month after Hurricane Irma made landfall, we continue to support the social service providers and programs that serve our community and assist those agencies that have sustained damage.

While we’re doing all this, we continue to support the agencies and programs who depend on us during ordinary times, to ensure they can continue serving our community.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 | 3

Ensure your philanthropic passion

by supporting our VISION FUNDS, which enable you to select areas of a particular interest to fund in perpetuity: • Klal Yisrael: Enrich Jewish life in Israel and around the world through the support of programs that transform lives in more than 75 countries.

• Shoah Fund: Provide support for programs that perpetuate the memory of the victims of the Holocaust (Shoah) and ensure that the survivors live their lives with dignity.

• Broward Hesed Fund: Sustain programs that assist and restore hope to families, children and the elderly who are in crisis or immediate financial need.

• The Jewish Living and Learning Fund: Inspire minds through programs that strengthen Jewish identity and education.

• Leadership and Community Involvement Fund: Build community through initiatives that seek to increase engagement in synagogues, agencies and our Federation.

• Special Needs Fund: Embrace individuals with special needs by ensuring they are connecting to our Jewish community and are able to reach their full potential.

For more information about Vision Funds and Chai Care eligibility, contact: Keith Goldmann, Director of the Jewish Community Foundation kgoldmann@jewishbroward.org | 954.660.2085

WE ONLY PROVIDE W-2 CAREGIVERS INSURED

BONDED

SUPERVISED

For worker’s compensation, unemployment and liability.

Allows for client’s personal property protection if needed.

All caregivers are overseen by, and report to a supervisor.

BROWARD

MIAMI DADE

954.622.0588 Lic. # HHA299991246

305.652.0066 Lic. # HHHA299992273

PALM BEACH

561.921.9031 Lic. # HHA299993391

WWW.ALTERNATIVEHOMEHEALTH.COM | TOLL FREE: 855.622.0588 4 | CHAI LINE

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017