Home Health Care Explained

Home health care is basically care provided by skilled nurses or other health care services, in the confines of the home for the treatment of an injury or illness. When the patient starts to receive this type of  health care it often involves learning about a newly diagnosed disease such as diabetes, heart failure or pulmonary disease which they will receive treatment for in heir home. This form of health care really takes the burden of caring for your elderly loved ones off of your shoulders if you are a close relative of the infirm. It also gives your elderly loved ones better care than you can provide them in some cases.

Home health care is the fastest and continually expanding expense in the Medicare program because of the aging population, the increasing prevalence of chronic disease and increasing hospital costs. Patients and families are choosing the option of home care more frequently. Some care agencies have reported that they have been avoiding sicker patients who have chronic costly conditions because they do not receive adequate reimbursements under the payment systems available. They do not want to accept patients who have costly long-term needs. Home health care in some states includes nursing care as well as other care services such as occupational and physical therapy, speech-therapy, and medical social service. A home health team gives services to, and assists the GP in coordinating, the care and therapy which your doctor has specified for your recovery.

Patients can also attach a blood pressure cuff or other devices using a Bluetooth wireless link and relay vital signs to a nurse. T+ Medical offers more targeted products, such as a diabetes management program that runs on a cell phone and helps patients track and report blood glucose levels.

Patients who need assistance with everyday tasks and household chores rather than medical care can reduce medical expenses by returning to their homes. Furthermore, most patient and in particular the elderly, are known to prefer care in their homes rather than in nursing homes or other in-patient facilities.

When home diet is a problem, nurses, after being asked to assess their clients, are able to determine a client’s nutritional risk relative to others, but tend to underestimate the degree of risk. Routine nutrition screening, further training of home health providers and access to dieticians for consultation could minimize poor nutritional status as a complicating factor in the treatment of home care clients.

Personal care services can include bathing, dressing, and using the toilet. Personal care provided by home health aides, such as bathing, toileting, or providing help in getting dressed when this is the only care you need. Medicare classifies this as “custodial care” because it could be provided safely and reasonably by people without professional skills and training.

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Tags:aging population,blood glucose levels,blood pressure cuff,bluetooth wireless,custodial care,diabetes management program,health care at home,health care services,health team,heart failure,home health care,household chores,medical social service,medicare program,personal care at home,pulmonary disease,skilled nurses,speech therapy

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