Home Healthcare
Who Typically Receives In-Home Health Care?
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Home health care is any medical supervision provided by registered nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and other licensed professionals. Home health agencies or hospice agencies often perform them, usually following a prescription from a physician as part of a senior medical care regimen following hospitalization for an illness or injury.
The health professionals deliver the care directly in a patient’s home to treat or manage an illness, injury, or medical condition, both for long-term and short-term care.
In-home health care should not be confused with in-home care, though both can be important. The differences come down to the type of services each one is legally allowed to offer: licensed medical professionals perform home health care, encompassing many diseases and physical ailments; home care provides non-clinical help, including daily activities like meal preparation, transportation, and companionship.
Providers of personal care services are necessary for assisting with long-term care and in-home health care. For example, a caregiver can remind their charges to take required medications or perform routines for physical therapy. However, they cannot dispense medical advice, and not all seniors require personal care on top of in-home health care.
Home health care may not be necessary for seniors aging in place without significant medical concerns. It more often benefits elderly adults who need medical care related to recent injuries or are prone to falls. Others who have been diagnosed with a chronic condition such as diabetes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could also require these medical services.
Health professionals can also help seniors recently discharged from rehabilitation, hospital stays, or nursing facilities, as well as those who need monitoring after a recent medication change. Seniors experiencing an overall decline in function could benefit from occupational or physical therapy through in-home health care to regain independence.
The performance of in-home health care services takes place at the patient’s residence, an assisted living community, or a memory or residential care facility.
So long as a medical condition or mobility issue prevents a patient from leaving their residence, an in-home health care plan can be necessary. It may include the following services:
In-home health care can also encompass specialized services. These can include live-in care, 24/7 emergency response, and care for clients with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Every province and state has its own average cost, coverage, and charges associated with in-home health care. Government and private insurance plans cover much of the expenses related to in-home health care when prescribed by a physician. Ask your loved one’s doctor about home health if you think it would be beneficial, and see if they have long-term care insurance coverage.
The cost of health care and in-home senior care can depend on the number of hours the designated care worker spends with the senior. It also depends on the kind of services and supplies necessary to ensure that the senior can live a dignified life as they age.
Since home health aides are licensed medical professionals, their rates are higher than those of home care aides who don’t offer medical assistance.
When developing a care plan, any private in-home health care must meet your specific medical and personal needs. If meeting with care agencies, look for the qualifications and experience of the staff. In-home care service providers include trained, certified nurses and professionals specialized in care for the elderly. The credentials of every staff member will give you an indication of the level of care that the home care provides for their clients.
For you and your loved one’s peace of mind and quality of life, ask whether or not every member of the staff is insured and bonded before hiring. Also, ask care agencies if they provide background checks and validation that the candidate is a capable, appropriately trained health care provider. There is the potential for financial exploitation and even physical abuse when a non-professional takes care of a frail, functionally limited, and often cognitively impaired individual.
Lastly, remember to always make sure to include your loved one in the coordination of care. They must feel comfortable with the health professional assisting with these medical services!
Chronic diseases such as hypertension, asthma, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, chronic respiratory disease, neurological disorder, dementia, or emotional problems are among the many people who get care at home.
Patients who consult their primary care physician about home care are generally referred by their social worker or care assistant. Patients coming home make contact with care managers while hospital specialists can also contact a social worker to help patients with follow-up.
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