HOME HEALTH CARE DEFINITIONS HOSPICE CARE DEFINITIONS
Home Health Care Definitions continued from page 77 coordination abilities, teach home exercise programs and enhance basic mobility skills. Occupational Therapy – Refers to services to assess and treat patients to improve their ability to perform tasks in their daily living and working environments. Patients may have mental, physical, developmental, or emotional disabilities. Therapists also help them to develop, recover, or maintain daily living and work skills. Occupational therapists help clients not only to improve their basic motor functions and reasoning abilities, but also to compensate for permanent loss of function. Respiratory Therapy – Refers to services for care of patients with deficiencies and abnormalities associated with the cardiopulmonary system. It may include the therapeutic use of medical gases and their equipment, environmental control systems, humidification, aerosols, ventilator support, bronchi
pulmonary drainage and exercise, respiratory rehabilitation, assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and maintenance of natural, artificial, and mechanical airways. TRACH CARE – Refers to care administered to patients who have undergone a tracheotomy. A tracheotomy is a surgical procedure in which a cut or opening is made in the windpipe (trachea). The surgeon inserts a tube into the opening to bypass an obstruction, allowing air to get to the lungs, or remove secretions. WOUND CARE – Refers to services for providing diagnosis and treatment for ulcers, pressure sores and other wounds. Treatments may include but is not limited to irrigations, dressing, and wound vacs. Some agencies may employ specialty nurses to provide and instruct in care specifically for patients with more complicated wounds. ~
Hospice Care Definitions HOSPICE Hospices provide individuals facing terminal illness with care at home or in a healthcare facility. The goal is to assist patients to live the last stage of their lives with dignity. The focus is on comfort rather than treatment.
Services Provided: N-NURSE – Assesses patient’s physical needs, develops and coordinates the plan of care, ensures symptom control and management, provides patient/family teaching as needed SW-SOCIAL WORKER – Assesses patient and family emotional and social needs, develops a plan of
82 EASTERN NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA – SUMMER 2021-WINTER 2022
