In-home health care for seniors involves performing a wide range of specialized services that provide comfortable senior living solutions. The senior does not reside within an assisted living facility in this scenario. Instead, they can still spend time with the people they care about while receiving the medical care they need.
This form of senior care is usually beneficial for unwell or injured seniors. It involves medical social services and personal care assistance performed by professional caregivers and skilled nursing care.
Difference Between Home Health Care Services and Home Care Services
Home health care services differ from in-home care services because a home health care service will deal with medical services while home care services deal with typical home chores. This means a home health care provider will help you recover from an illness or an accident, while a home care service giver will help you with house cleaning and other general services you may require at home.
Usually, people employ licensed practical nurses, therapists, and home health aides to take care of the elderly at home. You can get these professionals from state-licensed home health organizations, hospitals, or public health authorities.
Types of Home Health Services
There is a wide range of home health care services available today. In this case, the doctor will recommend the home health service suitable for you, depending on your situation. These services include:
Nursing Care
Skilled nursing care done by registered nurses is among the most widely known forms of senior care. Nurses provide personal care services and additional services like wound dressing, ostomy care, intravenous therapy, medication administration, patient monitoring, and pain control. The type of care offered by nurses depends on the patient’s needs and is always done in consultation with a doctor.
Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapy
Following an illness or accident, older adults may require assistance in relearning how to do daily tasks or improving their speech. In such cases, a speech therapist uses speech-language pathology to assist patients in regaining their lost ability to communicate. On the other hand, occupational therapy involves helping patients with physical, emotional, social, and developmental problems to relearn daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, eating, and other activities. Physical therapists develop treatment plans to assist patients in regaining or strengthening muscle and joint function.
Nutrition Care and Laboratory Services
A registered dietitian develops specialized feeding regimes used in meal preparation to support the treatment plan. A specialized diet shortens the recovery time of older adults and promotes optimal health.
Usually, laboratory technicians perform laboratory procedures like blood, urine, and stool tests at the client’s home. Radiologists can also perform at-home X-rays using portable X-ray machines.
Home Health Care Aides
A home health care aide performs personal care assistance on daily activities the older adult cannot do by themselves. In addition, they help with light housekeeping duties like laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, and assisting older adults in traveling from one location to another. These are home care professionals and must complete the required specialized training.
Finally, home health care aides perform first aid and monitor vital signs like blood pressure and pulse. Their work is to keep track of a client’s physical and emotional health, their amount of exercise, food and fluid intake, and bowel movements. They monitor this information and report it to the doctor, nurse, dietitian, or other health professionals for further action.
Benefits of Home Health Care
Home health care ensures the elderly are where they want to be-at their homes. As a result, you and your family members enjoy the following benefits:
Assistance to Family Caregivers
Family caregivers benefit from home health care by relieving them of common caregiving responsibilities like bathing, dressing, and other daily duties. Additionally, home health aides also educate family members on offering follow-up care. This assistance gives caregivers peace of mind and helps them avoid burnout.
Home Health Care Ensures Safety, Convenience, and Comfort
According to research, older adults are more likely to recover faster at home and have fewer difficulties than in hospitals. Patients get help with their medication prescriptions through home health care, thus preventing hazardous drug interactions.
An occupational therapist creates a safe environment to lessen the danger of falling. Moreover, being at home assists older folks in preserving a sense of normalcy in their lives by sticking to their daily routines in familiar surroundings.
Prevents Unnecessary Hospital Visits
By treating their illnesses at home, older persons may avoid multiple trips to the emergency room. Continuous monitoring and therapy services are done at the client’s home. In addition, patients can access the required health professional if they are experiencing unusual or troubling symptoms.
In-Home Health Care Is Cost-Effective
Families who opt for this form of care for their senior adults often find it cost-effective, as they avoid costly multiple hospital visits. Home care also saves you money by prolonging or eliminating any need for an assisted living facility like a nursing home care or any other residential care community.
It Combats Loneliness That Can Come With Hospitalized Care
Home health services provide companion care, which caters to the emotional needs of older adults. Patients undoubtedly receive more social connections at home because there are no time constraints or specified visiting hours. Additionally, visiting a senior person at home is easier than seeing them in hospitals or other facilities.
This helps alleviate feelings of loneliness or isolation and draws families closer.
Paying for In-Home Care for Seniors
The price of home health care varies by state and region. Furthermore, expenses will vary depending on the type of health care provider needed. Many families opt for cash payment for home care services, while others get financial assistance through public and private channels.
Finding a standard health insurance provider, in this case, to cover you can alleviate the cost of in-home care. Medicare insurance, the Older Americans Act, Medicaid, private insurance, and the Veterans Administration are all funding sources for home health care.
Final Thought
Although most state laws require home health care companies to conduct thorough background checks on employees and screen candidates, some specific requirements differ from one state to the other.
Therefore, before hiring a home health care agency, check with your local area agency or the public health department to see what laws govern your state.
For In-Home Care for Seniors & the Disabled solutions, give Caring For Portland a call at 503-836-3909.
We are an Oregon-based agency offering family-focused care from your client’s home. We are also licensed by the Oregon Health Authority to foster independence among senior persons while celebrating life and nurturing dignity.
