Home health gives you the opportunity to receive the care you need in your most comfortable environment – your home. The goal of these services is to provide care on an intermittent basis to help you maintain independence and improve quality of life.
Home health is designed to meet patients where they are. Whether it’s recovering from a surgery or recent hospital stay, or managing a disease or injury, home health can provide the necessary care to help you achieve the best outcomes.
What Services Are Provided Through Home Health?
Home health requires the need for skilled services, which is medical care provided by licensed healthcare professionals. The home health team works closely with your physician to create a customized plan of care and regularly informs them of your progress.
Skilled care refers to nursing and therapy. Skilled nursing monitors your plan of care and provides necessary treatment, while physical, occupational and speech therapy help improve your functional abilities. Examples of skilled services include wound care, disease management, and patient and caregiver education.
It’s important to choose a home health agency that takes a holistic approach to care, meaning they treat the whole person. Through this approach, non-skilled services can be provided to support the medical care you receive, as long as there is still a need for skilled care. Your plan of care may include the help of medical social workers, who find available community resources, and home health aides, who help with daily activities like bathing and dressing.
How Can Home Health Benefit me?
In addition to receiving care in your own home, home health care can help you:
- Maintain your independence and improve quality
of life - Receive patient-centered care specific to your
needs - Avoid potential hospitalizations and the need
for emergency care - Ease the load on caregivers and loved ones
- Increase your overall health and well-being
Do I Qualify for Home Health Services?
If you think you or a loved one could benefit from home health care, talk to your physician and ask if home health is an option for you. For services to be covered by Medicare, your physician must decide you are homebound, meaning you have difficulty leaving home, and have a need for skilled care.
The content of this site is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding any medical conditions or treatments.
