Home health care workers provide services that allow injured or ill older adults to stay in their homes as opposed to a live-in care facility. Older adults often want to live as independently as possible for as long as possible, and home care can help them accomplish this.
Choosing whether a home care service is right for you or a loved one can be difficult. For that reason, it's good to get all the basic questions answered first.
How Much Will Home Care Services Cost?
The cost of home care services varies by provider and patient needs. However, some patients qualify for medical programs, like Medicaid, that pay for the services.
The price also varies by whether the elderly person needs non-medical in-home care. Non-medical care is not always covered under insurance.
If you are considering home care, it's best to consult with your insurance company to determine what it does and doesn't cover. You can also look into other programs for ways to help cover costs.
What Services Do Home Care Services Provide?
The goal of home care services is to delay a person's need to move into a long-term nursing home. This would mean leaving a home the person truly loves and where they feel most comfortable.
Home care providers offer a variety of different services based on patient needs. It's best to assess those needs before hiring a care provider to ensure they offer adequate care.
Care providers follow a plan provided by the patient's physician and may perform the following tests.
- Checking vitals
- Meal planning
- Pain management
- Therapy prescribed by a doctor
- Infusion therapy
- Social work
- Psychiatric services
In-home health workers also assist with basic hygiene requirements and ensure the patient's safety in the home.
How Long Will Home Care Visits Last?
The length of home health care visits also varies by the patient and their needs. Some caregivers come by a few hours a day to check vitals and do other medically necessary tasks. This is often the case for a patient who is recovering from an illness and only needs periodic check-ins.
Some ill patients, like frail elderly or those with dementia, require care around the clock. The patient's age, illness, and abilities all must be taken into consideration when searching for home care providers that fit individual needs.
Oftentimes, the elderly are happier and healthier at home. And even those who just need home care to recover from an illness seem to get well faster when they can stay in the comfort of home. For this reason, home care services are important to patients' overall wellbeing.
