Home Health Care

Are you aware of the fact that the 12 percent of all Americans who suffer from chronic illnesses or diseases are solely responsible for a massive 75 percent of all of the health care costs in the entire United States?

Right now you may be wondering what that has to do with home health care.

The fact of the matter is that home health care has benefits which go above and beyond just keeping someone comfortable in their own home. Consider this - home visits do cost money. However, a home health care visit will cost Medicare only 10 percent of what a single day in the hospital will cost. Quite a difference, right? In fact, these types of services can and do save Medicaid and Medicare multiple millions of dollars each and every year. It also has a track record that has been proven for things like managing conditions that are chronic as well as reducing those expensive visits to the emergency room and even admissions to the hospital.

Aside from the financial benefits, patients who take advantage of home health care heal in a faster period of time than do those in hospitals. This is a scientifically proven fact. Additionally, morbidity and mortality rates are reduced for those who take advantage of this type of care. A whopping 90 percent of senior citizens would prefer being treated at home as to opposed to being institutionalized. This allows families to remain together while the independence of the patient is encouraged.

The thing is, nursing care is not the only thing that can benefit senior. Services also can include things like socialization, nutritional services and even transportation. Care professionals can escort seniors to their various medical appointments as well as providing myriad homemaker services such as planning meals and helping with chores. They can also be there through the night as companions or to provide the patient with a sense of security should a medical emergency be experienced in the middle of the night.

Determining and Providing Planning and the Execution of Management for Eldercare

This area involves not just advising but also assisting families when it comes to determining what the needs of an aging adult are. Caregivers can navigate through many of the myriad resources for long term care that are available in your community. This includes educating, informing and even presenting the family with options and then going so far as to assist them in the implementation of those options and then monitoring them.

Typically, an agency will have an RN who has received specialized geriatrics training available who can assist with things such as:

    Being a liaison for the family when they live long distances from the elderly person in question
    Advocating for and educating clients/patients and family members
    Assisting with all of those pesky and confusing forms for insurance, medical assistance and Medicare
    Screening help for in the home as well as arranging for such help and monitoring it
    Doing the same thing for care options regarding residential or even institutional care
    Care planning that is personalized to the individual in question

Home health care is a good choice for many reasons. You are able to keep your loved one at home, and the cost of the care is much less than an institution such as a nursing home. If you have a loved one that needs care look into the options and benefits home health care offers.

Kathryn McDowell recommends home health care services for anyone trying to meet the needs of an aged parent or loved one. Home health care keeps your loved one in their own home, or in yours, enabling families to stay together yet get your aged parent the care they need.

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