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STATE
OF NEVADA
DIVISION FOR AGING SERVICES
SERVICE
SPECIFICATIONS
TELEPHONE
REASSURANCE
(Revised
11/03)
Any exception to these
Service Specifications must be requested in advance in writing and approved by
the Administrator.
SERVICE
DEFINITION:
This
service provides telephone reassurance to seniors. The scheduled telephone
contact provides the senior with a means to ensure their safety and prevent them
from becoming isolated.
SERVICE
CATEGORIES AND UNIT MEASURES:
Telephone Call: Telephone
calls are made to seniors to reassure their safety and well-being.
Programs
may be personalized or computerized. A service agreement is based on a 7-day
week schedule. Emergencies are handled 24-hours per day.
A.
Personalized programs establish a service agreement that
determines the frequency and type of calls needed by a client who is then
matched to a volunteer caller. Emergency contacts are handled by a program
coordinator who makes the required contact.
B.
Computerized programs
pre-determine an emergency contact, such as a friend, relative, neighbor or
caregiver, who is automatically notified if a client fails to respond to
scheduled calls. The responding cycle automatically repeats for 12 hours until
one of the designated responders is able to follow up on the problem.
One
unit consists of one telephone contact, or one contact with, or on behalf of, a
client.
SPECIFICATIONS:
1.
Required Services:
1.1
Provide telephone reassurance on a regularly scheduled basis to seniors to
assure their safety and well-being.
2.
Service Prohibitions:
2.1
Staff shall not accept tips, gifts, fees, loans, or anything of value from
clients.
2.2
Staff shall not solicit during phone contact.
2.3
Staff shall not share calling list with other parties or organizations.
3.
Documentation Requirements:
3.1
Develop a service agreement that includes the name of the client, address,
phone number, frequency/type of contact desired by the client (check or chat),
and the designated list of emergency contacts to be called (family member,
neighbor, landlord, caregiver, police). A copy of the service agreement must
be provided to the client and maintained in the client file. The service
agreement must be amended whenever changes are made to the schedule of
services. A copy of the amended service agreement must be provided to the
client and maintained in the client file.
3.2
For computerized programs, a computer generated calling record for each client
will include client name, phone number, type of contact desired (check or
chat), date and time called, and verification of client wellness.
4.
Quality Improvement:
4.1
A quality assurance contact must be conducted within 90 days of enrollment and
once per year thereafter to assess client satisfaction and to amend the scope
of the service agreement as necessary. The quality improvement contact will be
performed via the telephone. It will assess the degree of satisfaction with
frequency of calls, appropriateness of the message, time of calls, and current
list of responders. Results will be documented in the client file.
