Benefits of In Home Care
In Home care allows your loved one to receive quality in-home senior care without having to travel long distances. Look for providers that offer multiple forms of payment and can assist you in finding resources to help offset the cost of care.
Most agencies will perform a needs assessment to determine what type of services are required and will work with you to ensure coverage by Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance including long term care or veterans benefits.
1. Personalized Care
Personalized in-home care provides clients with personalized care and services, which can include mobility assistance, medication management, companionship, and more. This type of care can help seniors maintain their independence, as well as promote better health outcomes and reduce stress and depression.
For example, if a senior needs home healthcare, their caregiver will meet with them and their family to understand exactly what their goals and needs are. This can improve the quality of care they receive, and also ensure that they are matched with the right caregiver. In turn, this can help to reduce caregiver turnover and provide a higher level of care. This can be particularly beneficial for those with chronic illnesses or disabilities.
2. Peace of Mind
Home health care gives your loved one the peace of mind that comes with knowing their medical needs are being met in a comfortable and familiar place. In fact, they’ll probably recover faster at home than they would in a hospital.
It can be difficult for a senior to accept home care at first, but keeping them involved throughout the process and asking them for feedback will help. You can also ask their doctor or geriatric care manager to recommend providers they know have a good reputation.
Look for providers that reassess each client’s status periodically and adjust their care plan accordingly. It’s also important to find out if the agency requires ongoing training for their caregivers, and if they require any certifications or accreditation.
3. Reduced Risk of Infection
Home health nurses have an intimate understanding of your loved ones health care needs. They can monitor for potential infections like a skin ulcer, wound infection or pneumonia. They can also ensure your loved one is taking their medications properly and on time.
Researchers have found that home health patients are hospitalized less often, have better outcomes and a lower risk of infection than those in hospitals or nursing homes. But, research is needed to improve communication and information sharing between healthcare systems, clinicians, and home health nurses.
Consumers who hire home health aides and nurses directly take on employer obligations including payroll taxes, workers compensation, insurance and liability. Working with a home care agency alleviates these responsibilities. The agency also provides ongoing training, supervision and supports for their employees.
4. One-to-One Attention
One-on-one attention is a teaching method that allows tutors to focus on each students individual weaknesses and problems. It also provides the student with a deeper understanding of subject material.
Home health care involves a team of professionals such as nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and social workers, who are all overseen by your physician. Home health care is less expensive than hospital or longterm care facility admissions, and patients typically go home sooner.
Home care nurses are involved in a significant number of adverse events that result in hospitalization1. Improvements in the information exchange between hospitals and home health care nurse may decrease these incidents. Healthcare systems and clinicians should include home care nurses as part of their patient engagement strategies.
5. Reduced Travel Time
In home nurses provide completely personalized care. They have a deep understanding of your loved one’s needs. They also have a close connection with them which they often develop into a family relationship.
Keeping the same nurse throughout an episode of home health care has been shown to improve patient outcomes and reduce adverse events, such as falls, medication errors and wound infections. However, coordinating visit schedules and estimating travel times can be challenging.
A few local authorities, such as Cornwall county council and Newham in east London, are bucking the trend by compensating home care workers for their travel time. This includes all non-exempt hours except basic commuting at the beginning and end of the day. Using software can help care coordinators create team schedules quickly and accurately with estimated travel time estimates.
