Receiving care at home is a key step toward achieving positive health outcomes for many people. Sophisticated technology is expanding the range of services that can be provided in the home, while offering a safer and more comfortable environment for healing. Each home health agency offer a unique set of services to the communities they serve. Use the agency finder on the right to find the ones that best fits your needs.
Nurses provide in-home visits to clients of all ages. Their services may include skilled assessment, planning, monitoring, treatment, symptom management and evaluation in collaboration with your physician and other members of your health care team. They oversee the development of an individual’s plan of care and the staff assigned to perform various functions in the home and make recommendations for changes to the plan.
Physical, Occupational and Speech therapists offer a variety of services, especially after an illness or surgery, or to promote a safe home environment. All recommendations are developed as part of the client’s overall treatment plan.
Licensed nursing assistants help individuals with daily living activities and provide “hands-on” personal care. Specific duties depend on the needs of the individual.
Care given by a licensed, private duty nurse who provides daily, continuous, skilled care for one individual, residing in a nursing home or in his or her own home. Medicare does not cover private duty nursing. Most nurses who provide private duty care are working one-on-one with individual clients. Care is most often provided in the client’s home, but private duty nurses can also be used in an institution, such as a assisted living residence, hospital, nursing home or other such facility. Non-medical care could also be provided by the nurse but is most often provided by other caregivers. These caregivers often do minor housekeeping chores for their clients, but they cannot provide skilled nursing care.
Before a surgical procedure, home health staff can work in partnership with your physician to provide information on preparing for surgery. They can also offer instruction on post-operative care, proper use of assistive devices, and ensuring a safe home environment. After surgery, the home health team is available for nursing care, rehabilitation therapy, support services and personal care. Additional consulting is available for clients and their families to help with a better understanding of disease process, treatments, equipment, medications and nutritional needs.
Medical social workers provide psycho-social support and planning assistance for the individual and family regarding limitations of an illness or injury. Working as a member of the health care team, they offer assistance and coordination of resources, help families explore options, consider financial implications, and provide emotional support. Their services help improve the coping skills of the family or other caregivers.
A registered dietitian assesses and plans for a client’s nutritional needs, from basic meal planning to complex therapeutic diets. They determine whether enteral/parenteral feedings (hyperalimentation or tube feedings for clients with GI dysfunction) are adequate to meet nutritional needs.
Services include IV starts and re-starts; care of peripheral, central and P.I.C.C. lines; instruction to clients and caregivers; and management of all types of pumps for hydration, hyperalimentation and medication administration such as antibiotics, chemotherapy and pain management. Specimen collection and delivery to area laboratories for testing and analysis. Blood draws, blood screening tests and lab work, including cultures and urinalysis.
Different from hospice, this service offers an integrated array of supportive and clinical care where clients are able to continue to receive aggressive treatment. An agency does not have to be a Medicare-certified hospice to deliver these services.
Receiving care at home is a key step toward achieving positive health outcomes for many people. Sophisticated technology is expanding the range of services that can be provided in the home, while offering a safer and more comfortable environment for healing. Each home health agency offer a unique set of services to the communities they serve. Use the agency finder on the right to find the ones that best fits your needs.