Home health care has rapidly become an essential service within the healthcare industry allowing personal medical assistance and non-medical support to be offered to individuals living at home. As the demand for in-home care services has been increasing over the last few years this form of living in the comfort of your home has proved to be a very successful solution for patients who are over 65 years of age who have chronic ailments, and post-surgical patients to also enable them to live at home comfortably as well as individuals suffering from disabilities at home.
What is Home Health Care?
Home health care is a large and rather broad term which incorporates a variety of medical care and personal care services that are provided in a home environment. These services offered in the home environment can be in the form of short-term aid which is usually required when individuals are recovering from illness or surgery and also long-term aid which is required by patients who are needing to be watched and supported by a medical professional on a daily basis. Home health care has the large aim of delivering high-quality healthcare to patients who are receiving treatment and their independence and comfort are maintained in return.
Types of Home Health Care Services
Medical Home Health Care
- Skilled nursing services including wound care, injections, administration of IV medication and post-surgical care.
- Physical, occupational and speech therapy to assist the patient as well as individuals receiving these services also benefits, from the therapy provided.
- Medicines are administered by trained health care providers using computerized systems to give medications to the patient.
- Management of chronic diseases including diabetic patients and heart patients also benefits from therapy provided by trained home health care workers.
- Chronic disease management for patients with conditions such as diabetes and heart disease is provided by trained caregivers as well as specially trained home health care workers.
Non-Medical Home Care
- Personal Care Assistance (bathing, grooming, dressing)
- Meal Preparation and Nutrition Support
- Light Housekeeping and company of the elderly
- Transportation of Doctor’s Appointments
- Emotional and Social Support
Comfort and Familiarity**: Patients can recover and thrive in their familiar surroundings.
Personalized Care**: One-on-one care allows for highly tailored and devised care plans.
**Cost-effective**: Home care is usually more cost-effective when compared to hospital stays or nursing homes.
- **Independence and Dignity**: Patients retain a high level of independence in their daily lives and are associated with dignity.
**Family Involvement**: Loved ones are able to take part in the care that is provided to their relative.
Who Needs Home Health Care?
- Seniors who require assistance with day to day tasks that would otherwise become difficult or impossible to handle
- Patients who are recovering from recent procedures and hospitalization
- Individuals who have been diagnosed with conditions such as chronic illnesses like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease or diabetes
- Patients who require rehabilitation therapies after an accident has taken place
- Individuals who are disabled and require care in a long-term setting.
- Healthy adult individuals who have family responsibilities and could not find the time required for them to realistically deal with such routine day-to-day tasks.
Choose the right home health care provider to ensure quality care, this is a crucial factor that should not be ignored. When selecting a provider think about the following factors:
Licensing and Certification**: Ensure that the provider one seeks is accredited and meets the regulations and requirements related to the healthcare environment.
Experience and Expertise: Look for professional healthcare personnel who are qualified and have vast experience in home health care.
Customised Care Plans**: Seek providers that offer personalized care to patients on a large scale as per their needs.
Feedback: Seek the most comprehensive evaluation from clients and their families regarding the quality of service they are receiving.