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As people age, they want to live in a place known to them, surrounded by people they love. Their surrounding makes up most of their universe, hence it is of utmost importance.
In such a scenario, providing healthcare at home makes a world of difference. Getting the right kind of care within their own environment can help them physically as well as mentally.
And that’s our topic of discussion today – home health care. Let’s understand more about it.
The delivery of skilled care directly to a patient’s home is home health care. The care is provided by licensed medical professionals such as nurses, aides, therapists and more. Home healthcare providers can attend to injuries, illnesses and other medical conditions. The aim is to keep your senior out of the hospital and safe at home.
Some of the most common home health care examples include physical therapy, occupational therapy, skilled nursing and speech therapy.
Home health care services are ideal for patients who are homebound. Many insurance plans cover home healthcare too!
When the condition of the patient prevents them from leaving the home safely without assistance, then the situation is known as homebound. People are considered to be homebound even if a person uses an aid such as a wheelchair or a walker or can leave home with the aid of another person.
Overall, homebound means even if they leave home, it is only periodically and for a short time. When patients have to leave the home for medical treatment that cannot be provided at home but not for other daily activities, then also they are considered to be homebound.
While these two terms are often used interchangeably, they are not the same. Home health care is provided by licensed medical professionals and covers a variety of diseases and ailments such as post-operative care, wound care, treatment for dementia, Alzheimer’s, chronic health conditions, physical therapy and others.
Home care, on the other hand, is assistance with daily activities to enable people to stay at home safely. Home care involves personal care, companion care, custodial care and others. Homecare services may include bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, house cleaning and doing other chores, meal preparation, companionship, transportation, medication reminders and other day-to-day activities.
The principal benefit of home healthcare is that it is delivered directly to the patient’s residence, be it their own home, an elderly care centre or a retirement home. This enables a senior citizen easy access to medical aid, without paying expensive hospital bills.
Family members can be active participants in home health care too, to attain a common set of goals for the patient. By working together with home healthcare providers, family members can ensure to provide the right kind of care to the seniors as well as develop a bond with them.
Home healthcare can have other advantages too such as:
Home healthcare is ideal for people who:
You can find a reputable home healthcare service for the assistance you need. Choosing the right service makes a world of difference to the experience the patient has.
So what kind of services can you expect from a home healthcare provider? Well, the good news is the scope is limitless. From nursing care to specialised medical services – you can choose a range of services based on what you need. You can speak to your doctor to understand what kind of homecare service will work out the best for you.
Let’s take a quick look at some of the most common ones:
The world has moved online, so anything can be availed sitting in the comfort of your home. Through home healthcare services, you can book an online consultation with your doctor. If your senior needs any additional services such as advice from a dietician, a psychologist or another specialised doctor, that can also be done through home healthcare services.
This is the most common type of home health care and caters to a range of personal needs. You can get help from a registered nurse who can help you stick to the recovery plan designed for your senior. Nursing care may include intravenous therapy, wound dressing, administering medication, ostomy care, pain control, monitoring the general health of the patient and other types of support.
While we mostly assume that home healthcare services are limited to elderly home care, this is not so. An illness or injury may lead to any patient requiring different types of therapies which a home healthcare service can provide. A physical therapist can help a patient who needs assistance to regain their physical strength or strengthen their muscles or joints.
Occupational therapists can help patients regain or develop their physical, social, developmental or emotional abilities and relearn how to perform their daily activities. Often, injuries can impair a person’s speech, which may require regular speech therapy. You can book the services of a speech therapist through a home healthcare service.
New mothers and their newborn baby require utmost care for at least the first six weeks post-delivery. This kind of care is known as postnatal care, which is provided by home healthcare apps such as TrueCare2U.
This is a new phase in a family’s life and a demanding one too. While in many cases the elder women of the family assist their daughters or daughters-in-law through this phase, it may not be feasible all the time. Effective post-natal care helps the mother recover from the delivery while getting accustomed to handling the fragile body of the newborn. Post-natal home care can be highly effective in such cases.
A natural extension of post-natal care is breastfeeding care. Breast milk is the perfect food for babies and the most essential food for them at least for the first six months. Although it is a natural process, it is a skill to be learnt for both the baby and the mother. It requires practice and patience for the mother to train their child to breastfeed properly. There can be a few hiccups on the way too. You can book breastfeeding care from a home health service provider to learn about the basics as well as avoid common issues. After the first two to three weeks, things become easier for both the mother and the child.
As the term healthcare suggests, home healthcare includes only medical services. It does not include services required daily such as cleaning, cooking, bathing and transportation. These services are provided by home care providers, although some home healthcare services may offer these services at an additional cost.
Also known as a medical house call, a doctor’s home visit is done by a physician in the patient’s place of residence. These are usually done for homebound adults with no or limited access to regular medical care.
The principal benefit of physician house calls is homebound patients have access to world-class medical care in the comfort and convenience of their own homes. This enables patients who have limited access to healthcare to obtain regular medical care. For patients suffering from chronic conditions, home doctor visits help in monitoring their conditions without having to visit emergency services and hospitals often. This helps them mentally as well, assuring them that everything is alright. Of course, it is economically more feasible also, being more affordable than hospital visits.
However, please bear in mind, that doctor’s house calls are not ideal for hospital emergencies.
Two kinds of skilled professionals provide nursing home health care – nurses and physical therapists.
Home healthcare nurses are trained licensed nurses who are equipped to follow a physician’s plan of care. While these nurses usually work with elderly patients, they may also provide services for children and adults. They are specially equipped to take care of children with developmental or mental issues or patients with disabilities.
A home healthcare nurse is skilled in following the doctor’s advice and sticking to the plan. Some of the tasks performed by a homecare nurse include:
A home healthcare nurse also maintains communication between the doctor, patient and the patient’s caregiver. When it comes to medical care, continuity is very important. A home healthcare nurse plays a pivotal role in maintaining this continuity. They also play a pivotal role in training patient’s caregivers to continue with the treatment and recovery plan.
Your choice of home healthcare provider is crucial in ensuring the kind of experience the patient and you face. This is why you need to choose carefully.
If you are looking for home healthcare near me, the best way to find a good home healthcare provider is to ask people for recommendations. Talk to your friends or family to understand their experiences with a provider. Another good way is to ask your doctor or hospital. You can also check out online reviews to get more information.
TrueCare2U is Malaysia’s leading Home Healthcare provider offering specialised services at the patient’s doorstep. The range of these services includes:
Additionally, TrueCare2U also offers telehealth services, enabling you to obtain consultation from world-class providers no matter where you are located. Our registered services include:
You can connect with them through call, chat, and video. You can also perform a range of functions on the app including booking an appointment, cashless payment, choosing the kind of care and more. You will receive a summary of every visit directly on the app after each care session. You can book an appointment as per the date and time of your convenience.
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