Six Important Things To Know About In-Home Health Care For A Loved One
If a parent or loved one in your life is in need of in-home care services, it's important that you and your loved one are as informed as possible to make the most of this valuable type of health care service. The following are six important things to know about in-home health care for a loved one.
The need for the doctor to recommend home health care
A doctor typically needs to recommend in-home health care before it is set up for a patient. If you think your parent or loved one needs in-home care but it hasn't been mentioned yet by a physician, you might want to bring up the possibility with the physician and see what he or she thinks.
The goals of home health care
It helps to be aware of the goals of in-home health care so that you can help your loved one to meet those goals. In-home health care is usually focused on treating a particular condition, and its goals include allowing the patient to get back their independence and recover from their condition.
In-home health care also focuses on improving the quality of life of the patient by minimizing the need to make hospital visits where possible.
The tasks home health aids can handle for patients
There is a wide variety of tasks that in-home health care aids perform for patients. These tasks include both general care and assistance with more specialized medical procedures.
When it comes to general care, in-home aids will typically check on the patient's diet, ask them questions about their symptoms, and inspect the safety of the home. They may also perform injections, treat wounds, check on the vital signs, and arrange for necessary medical appointments for the patient.
The benefits of home health care
There are many benefits to in-home health care. This type of care gives family members greater peace of mind when they can not be there to check on elderly or ill loved ones themselves.
In-home care also provides the benefits of giving the patient regular access to skilled nursing care and assistance with personal care tasks where necessary.
The importance of communicating about in-home health care with your loved one
One of the most important factors when it comes to transitioning the patient to in-home health care is communicating clearly with the patient about what to expect.
Explain to your loved one why in-home care is necessary and what should be expected of it. It's a good idea to be present the first time the nurse or health care aid comes for an in-home visit to support your loved one through the experience and adjustment it involves.
The insurance coverage for in-home health care
It's essential to explore what insurance coverage options your loved one has available for in-home care.
While Medicare typically won't cover non-medical in-home care, it should offer coverage for any in-home care classified as medical care. Medicaid should offer coverage for medical and non-medical in-home care.
