Finding the Best Care from the Comfort of Your Home
In some cases, you may need medical care but do not need to be a hospital patient. That is when professional home health care is needed. For instance, someone may need professional home health services after recovering from an illness or accident.
The article below analyzes what home health care involves, the types of services and costs.
What is Home Health Care?
Home health care involves exactly what the name implies. It includes medical care that is provided in a person’s home. Home health care may include various specialists and services. Generally, healthcare professionals, such as nurses, nursing assistants and therapists, provide services.
Similar to when a person is in the hospital, your doctor orders home health care for you at discharge. The doctor specifies the types of home care needed.
Once the order is written, a representative from the home health care agency associated with the hospital or doctor sets up the appointments to come to your home to provide services.
There are several benefits of receiving home health care. For example, home health services may help someone recover faster from their condition. It also helps someone gain self-sufficiency at home and provides better symptom management.
It also improves emotional well-being since an individual is in their own home. Home health services might be less costly than continuing to stay in a hospital. It also helps someone gain self-sufficiency at home.
What Types of Services are Provided?
Several types of services are available through professional home health care. Someone may need more than one type of care. Home health care services may include:
Nursing Care
Nursing care involves care from a licensed nurse. The exact type of nursing care depends on the person’s needs. Examples of care include intravenous medication administration, blood draws, wound care and pain control. In some cases, nurses also educate the patient or family members to provide care, such as changing a dressing or giving medication.
Physical, Speech and Occupational Therapy
Home care often includes physical, speech and occupational therapy. Physical therapists develop a treatment plan to help someone regain mobility after recovering from an illness or accident. They might work on ways to help a person gain strength or re-learn to walk.
Occupational therapists also provide treatment to help an individual re-learn activities associated with daily living, such as dressing, bathing, or eating. Speech therapists help patients with language or swallowing issues. In many cases, someone may receive home health services from all three types of therapists.
Respiratory Therapy
Respiratory therapy may include setting up oxygen or other types of equipment that someone needs to assist with breathing. In some cases, it includes setting up a mechanical ventilator and teaching family members how to react to alarms and recognize an emergency.
Medical Social Services
Home health care may also include medical social work services. Navigating a medical condition can become a complex process. There are several aspects to deal with, such as costs, emotional concerns and family dynamics. A medical social worker can provide support to the patient and the family during this time. It may include providing resources or additional services, counseling, or assisting with insurance issues.
What is Basic Homemaker Care?
Homemaker care differs from home health services. Basic homemaker care is not typically considered medically necessary. This type of care includes an aide or home worker that helps with chores, such as cleaning, cooking and laundry. Insurance companies usually do not cover this type of care.
Where can You get Home Health Care?
You can get home health care in a home that you rent or own. You can also get home care if you live in an assisted living facility. The doctor that prescribes the home health care services should provide you with home health agencies to use for services.
What are the Costs?
The costs associated with home health care vary greatly depending on the types of services, the length of time services are provided and the part of the country you live in.
Most health insurance plans, as well as Medicaid and Medicare, pay for some skilled home health services. The doctor writing the order has to indicate there is a medical need for services. Certain insurance providers may have a specific length of time they will cover the cost of services.
Since there are so many variables on the costs related to home health care services, it is best to talk with your insurance company for specific information. For instance, you may have a co-pay or a limit on services.