Many of you still have memories of a doctor’s ‘house call’ to your home when you were sick and needed to stay in bed. How convenient it was when the kindly doctor showed up at your door. With medical bag in hand, a warm and friendly conversation ensued with assurances that your medical needs would be met and healthier days were certainly ahead. So very comforting and healing were those personalized visits right to your home.
Those days are certainly gone, right? After all, the medical system doesn’t allow for medical practitioners to drive around going from home to home! It doesn’t make financial sense and a doctor’s time is too valuable! But wait, maybe we all need to reconsider! Obviously the patient does benefit tremendously if not forced out of their home and comfort of their bed when recovering from illness or recuperating from a medical episode or trauma.
But wait . . there is an answer . . . its called Home Health Care!
With the referral from a physician, a qualified nurse can come to one’s home to provide a variety of medical care! Also available are therapists, case managers, supportive care certified nursing assistants, and even those aiding in spiritual needs of patients.
Doctors from hospitals and clinics are now referring their patients for Home Health Care services in greater and greater numbers. With Home Health Care, the patient continues to live at home and receive an array of professional nursing services and rehabilitation therapies.
Many Home Health Care Agencies also offer a hospice component providing comfort care and nursing assistance in the homes of people with a terminal medical diagnosis. Social workers and chaplain services are also a part of Home Health Care and Hospice services.
Everyday hospital and nursing home residents are being discharged ‘back home’ understanding the necessary additional nursing care is now available through Home Health Care agencies. I believe, to some extent, it is the result of patients receiving good institutional care and asking, “Could my nurse follow me home?” for further recuperative care. Through quality Home Health Care agencies the answer can basically be .. . ‘Yes, you can get nursing services in your home!’
Some patients being discharged from hospitals and nursing homes have other ‘non-medical’ needs. They are saying, “I don’t need nursing care, but what I would really like is to have someone give me some simple assists, like help with shopping or some light cleaning, could you do that?” The answer now is ‘YES!” As a separate operating division, most Home Health Care agencies provide ‘supportive care’ services. This is a non-medical program in which a whole menu of home ‘chore’ services are available! Supportive Care is generally available for all people of all ages. Services usually include:
Personal care such as bathing, grooming, dressing, hair care, skin care
Escort and transportation for shopping and appointments
Meal planning and preparation
Laundry and light housekeeping
So, as you can see ‘house calls’ now come in the form of Home Health Care!
Tags: Home Health; Cedar Home Health and Hospice; Health Care; Nursing Homes