Inhome Care Services

Inhome care services are available to help individuals live safely in their homes. These services range from non-medical support to home health care.

Some people rely on friends and family members to care for them at home. Others may need a professional caregiver. If you are considering home care services for your loved one, read this article to find out what options are available.

Caregiver

Home care can be a wonderful solution for older adults who want to live in the comfort of their own homes. It can be provided by caregivers, nurses and other health care professionals. It may be covered by private insurance or through state-sponsored waivers. Some of the services include home health aides and nurse home visits.

Caregivers, also called homemakers, help their clients perform daily tasks such as bathing, dressing and grooming, moving from one place to another and taking medication. They can also do laundry and prepare meals. They may also accompany them to medical appointments and handle emergencies.

Families can hire caregivers independently or through a home care agency. Both approaches have pros and cons. Choosing an agency can make the process easier and more efficient, but it is usually more expensive. You can also find caregivers through public registries, which can be less expensive but have the added benefit of a better fit and flexibility.

Health care

Home health care services are often directed by a doctor and may include nurses, therapists, and home health aides. They can be short-term or long-term, depending on a person's needs.

Many patients with chronic illness or disability receive home health care to manage their conditions and prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and premature nursing-home admissions. Studies show that such care improves health outcomes for patients and also saves money for Medicare and other health insurance payers.

Licensed home care services agencies and private health insurance companies offer home care to people who pay out of pocket or use managed long-term care (MLTC) coverage. These providers must meet state requirements and are subject to rigorous oversight.

Home health staff can help with medical tasks such as monitoring a person's blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, and breathing; checking in on wounds; and maintaining equipment such as colostomy bags and oxygen tanks. In addition, they may assist with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and cooking.

Nursing

Home nursing services bring medical expertise and dietary guidance to clients in the comfort of their own homes. This type of home care is typically provided by nurses, therapists and other health care professionals.

Nursing at home also helps patients manage chronic health issues or recover from a serious illness. Nurses work with doctors to create care plans that achieve specific goals.

Because they spend so much time in patients’ homes, home health aides and nurses often build strong bonds with their patients. They can help their patients manage daily tasks and assist with a variety of healthcare procedures, including wound care, medication management and injections. They can also help their patients access social work and therapy services that are part of the managed long term care system. Home health care workers can easily track their shifts with an employee time clock app and keep up to date with the latest information on patient health using an incident report app, equipment visual checklist, simple medication risk assessment apps and more.

Companion

The companion who provides home care services is a non-medical caregiver who helps elderly people with daily living tasks such as cooking, running errands and performing household chores. A companion can also help with bathing and dressing, although this doesn’t fall under the duties of some home health aides. Many individuals who hire a companion do so through an agency, which may conduct background checks and provide training in first aid and CPR. Agencies also offer specialized services for clients with specific needs like dementia.

Elderly adults who spend too much time alone are at risk for a variety of conditions and diseases, including cognitive decline, heart disease, chronic inflammation and depression.1

A home healthcare companion can help reduce these risks by providing a regular source of social interaction and camaraderie. For instance, an in-home care companion can sit with a loved one and chat over a cup of coffee or play a board game together.