Most people don’t know what home health care is or what it is for until they receive it for the first time. This post explains four key facts about home health care that you should know, whether it’s for yourself or to know about resources for a loved one.
Home Health Care is a Bridge Between You and Your Doctor
A doctor must decide when home health services are necessary and document the specific reasons why home health care services are needed. The home health care agency providing these services serves as a bridge between you and your doctor. While you are receiving services such as nursing care at home, your home health care team works with your doctor to coordinate your care.
Your home health providers see you on a more regular basis than your doctor does. These regular visits mean that your home care provider can discuss concerns you might have or issues that arise with your doctor in real-time. You doctor might even refer to the home health team as their “eyes and ears” between office visits. As a result, your recovery can proceed faster and smoother than it might without home health care.
Care is Provided at Home
When patients are hospitalized or experience a setback that requires a stay in a skilled nursing facility, it’s difficult to start making progress toward recovery. Receiving home care service helps with this progress because your home health care team can see you in an environment you’re comfortable in. They see how you live at home and can suggest solutions or adjustments to activities that might present a problem and make sure you are safe at home.
Your home care team will also teach you about how to care for yourself while living with an ongoing disease or condition while you receive services. This education will help you stay out of the hospital and contribute to your overall health.
Home Health Care Reduces Unnecessary Hospital Visits
One of the main reasons that doctors order home health care for patients is to reduce hospital visits. While it isn’t guaranteed to prevent admission to the hospital, home health care personnel help to identify potential issues at home before they rise to the level of a hospital admission. Home health also encourages patients to be as independent as they can be while remaining safe at home.
This is why nurses, therapists, and other personnel take time to educate patients about aspects of their health and well-being through tools like teaching and home exercise programs. By learning to manage chronic illnesses appropriately or addressing ways to prevent injuries at home, home health care will reduce hospital visits that could have been prevented.
Home Health Care Improves Mental Health
Getting older is never easy, and it’s not uncommon for seniors to get older without family nearby. Home health services give seniors the opportunity to talk to someone who will listen to and hear their concerns. Our trained team of professionals are skilled at listening. We often see written feedback in our patient satisfaction surveys that mention things like “we enjoyed and looked forward to the visits” or “we feel lucky to have this nurse in our lives.” Many seniors are isolated and have no one to talk to. As a result, they feel like they’re alone and have been forgotten. This socialization provided by home health care services can help improve that a person’s day or week.
Home Health Care is Commonly Confused with Home Care
For those new to the care in the home, this can be confusing. In a nutshell, Home Care is typically provided by a non-medical caregiver. Home Health is provided by a “skilled” team of nurses, therapists, aides, and social workers under the supervision of a physician. For a quick read about the differences, we have a dedicated blog article to the differences between Home Care and Home Health.
Are you ready to find out how home health care services can help you or your loved one in the Chico, Paradise, Oroville, Willows, or Red Bluff, CA area? Reach out to Butte Home Health. Our team of home health experts will be happy to assist you.
