The Type Of Home Health Care You Receive Depends On Your Health Needs And Your Doctor's order

Home health care is a wide range of medical care services that can be given in your home for an illness or injury. It's usually less expensive and more convenient than getting care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility (SNF). Medicare, private insurance and long-term care policies often pay for home health care.

The type of Northeast Ohio Home Health Care you receive depends on your health needs and your doctor's order. The plan must include skilled home health care services, such as nursing care and physical, occupational or speech therapy. It must also be supervised by your doctor and reviewed at least every 60 days with a face-to-face visit. Home health aides may also help with personal care, such as bathing and dressing or preparing meals. Other services may include arranging transportation to medical appointments or shopping, assisting with medications and monitoring your condition.

If you're considering home health care for yourself or a loved one, start by asking friends and family members for recommendations. "They might be able to refer you to a home health agency that they've used," Yount says. You can also ask your doctor for a referral or talk to someone in your church who uses home health care services and ask them about their experiences, she adds.

Before starting home health care, be sure your doctor approves the plan of care and that it meets Medicare's requirements. To qualify for home health care, you must be considered "homebound," which means leaving your home requires considerable effort and you can't do it without the aid of a cane, walker or wheelchair. You must also have a doctor who can certify that you need intermittent skilled home health care and that you've seen the home health nurse within the last 60 days.

Some people don't need skilled home health care but need help managing daily activities or maintaining their independence. Home health aides can provide this kind of care, which is called custodial care, or personal care. Home health aides have specialized training for working with seniors. They can also provide reminders to take medication and assist patients in transferring from a bed to a chair or wheelchair. Home health aides can also give patients a dietary assessment and prepare special diets for them.

In addition to home health aides, you may be able to get other types of home care, such as visiting nurses or physiotherapy. You can also purchase home healthcare equipment and supplies, such as a bed alarm or blood pressure monitor, from a home healthcare company.

The goal of home health care is to help you recover from a serious illness or injury and stay as healthy as possible at home. It's important to follow the instructions your home health team gives you and keep them informed of any changes in your condition or treatment. If you have a chronic disease, your home health team will teach you how to manage it and help you avoid hospital readmissions. Hospital readmissions can be costly, but home health agencies are working to reduce them by acting as partners with hospitals and using best practices to improve care for their patients.