Home Care

Home Health services assist patients who are recovering after a facility stay, whether hospital or other long-term, or someone who simply needs additional support to remain safely at home and avoid institutionalization. This care may be provided by a range of professionals from doctors who provide for medical treatment needs or by other qualified ancillary caregivers such as nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and others who administer assistance to ensure that activities of daily living (ADLs) are well managed.

The services that are provided by home care personnel can include the following:

• Personal care such as assistance in eating, bathing, dressing, ambulating, and using the toilet.
• Medical care such as assistance in administration of medications, care of medical contraptions (like IV lines, feeding tubes, endotracheal tubes, care of ostomy sites, care of wounds and pressure ulcers, among others.
• Therapy such as physical therapy, speech therapy, or occupational therapy
• Pain control
• Daily homemaking tasks such as cooking, cleaning, shopping, and laundry

Patients who may benefit from Home Care services include the following:

• Elderly - Home care is most commonly employed in elderly patients who are often necessitating assistance with their activities of daily living. Home care is needed especially in cases when the elderly suffers from degenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s dementia, arthritis, and others, which prevent them from functioning optimally.
• Chronically Ill Patients - Patients with long-term illnesses may choose to get treatment at home rather than stay in the hospital for a long period of time. Chronically ill patients, such as those with cancer, stroke, paralysis, chronic pain, or other long-terms conditions, might benefit from staying at home rather than being institutionalized indefinitely.
• Post-surgical Patients - Patients who underwent major surgical procedures may not be able to immediately perform their activities of daily living after the surgery. These patients might benefit from home care which can assist them in their daily activities while they are transitioning into a full recovery.
• Hospice Patients - Terminally ill patients or those who are dying might choose to spend the last days of their lives at home, in a more comfortable environment. Terminally ill patients can receive hospice and palliative care at home while anticipating death.