Navigating the home health care industry can leave many caregivers and loved ones scratching their heads. We’re here to get you up to speed by answering the most common home health care questions we see.
What is home health care?
Home Health Care is a blanket term that covers a wide range of in-home health care services. These services are typically intended to improve the quality of life of those who are disabled or elderly and delay the need for long-term nursing home care.
The services home health care professionals can range from occupational and physical therapy to assistance with daily living activities and companionship. These services are provided in your home by health care professionals who are trained to administer the level of care needed.
Some professionals, such as Private Duty Skill Care nurses, are highly trained in services like intravenous/ intramuscular injection administration. While others, such as Companion Care nurses, are trained to only help with daily tasks such as cooking and stimulating entertainment.
What’s the difference between home care and home health care?
While the terms are very similar, home care and home health care aren’t quite interchangeable. The difference between home care and home health care lies mainly in the skill level involved in administering care.
Home care services are services that are not medical in nature and do not require medical training to provide. These services are intended to assist an individual in daily activities and to keep them safe such as cooking, cleaning and companionship.
Home care services are excellent for people who are not able to check on their aging parents very often but want to make sure that their basic needs are met and that they are safe. These professionals help seniors retain independence longer and provide their family members with peace of mind.
Home health care refers to home care services that require more skill, medical knowledge, and training to provide appropriate care. While some home health care professionals provide assistance with tasks related to daily life, such as bathing and administering medication, these nursing professionals are trained to provide medically related care to their patients. Home health care nurses are trained to administer medical services ranging from wound care or distribution of medication to Occupational or Physical Therapy.
Patients who are recovering from surgery, have a medical condition, or need assistance with medical-related tasks find that home health care services help expedite their recovery and improve their quality of life.
How do I know what level of care my loved one needs?
Home health care nurses are not authorized to make a diagnosis or write prescriptions. If you have any concerns about your or your loved one’s health, see a doctor before considering if home health care is right for you.
If you are unsure what level of care you or your loved one needs for a diagnosed condition or daily nursing care, reach out to a home health care company like NurseCore for help. We will connect you with our Client Specialists who will assess you or your loved ones needs and match you will a health care professional who is trained to meet your specific care requirements.
What are the benefits of home health care?
Aside from receiving care in the comfort of your home, home health care can be extremely beneficial in helping relieve some stress from family members caring for loved ones. Caring for a loved one, while an act of love, can be time-consuming, stressful, and emotionally draining.
Home health services help caregivers provide the best possible care to their loved ones and improve the quality of life of both the caregiver and the patient. These services often help patients retain independence and postpone the need for inpatient care, such as a nursing home.
At NurseCore, we provide a wide range of in-home care services to those caring for children, patients with disabilities, individuals with medical conditions, those recovering from surgery, the elderly, and patients who have dementia or a related memory condition. With a wide range of services, NurseCore takes great care to ensure each person is placed with a nursing professional that meets their specific needs.
If you have any other questions, would like to know more information on what NurseCore can do for you, or would like to be matched with a nursing professional, please contact us. Our Customer Services team will help you every step of the way!
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