About 12 million people across America need home health care, with most of them being the elderly.
There are many benefits of home health care, apart from helping people recover from injury, illness, or surgery in the comfort of their own home. Home health care is a very attractive option for seniors as it lets them stay at home, delaying and even removing the need to use an assisted living facility or nursing home.
Home health care comprises a variety of services such as:
- Skilled nursing
- Occupational therapy
- Physical therapy
- Nutrition therapy
- Speech therapy
- Medication management, etc
It can also assist seniors and other people that need help with activities of everyday living, such as cooking, eating, dressing, and bathing.
Home health care is normally provided by therapists, registered nurses, medical social workers, or home health aides. Apart from in-home medical care, home health care can also include services like housekeeping, cleaning, and cooking. Here are the top 10 benefits this service provides.
1. Quality of Care
With home health care, the patient gets one-on-one care, something they wouldn’t receive if they were staying in a nursing home or hospital. In a nursing home, one member of staff is often tasked with looking after 10 or more people.
2. Independence and Comfort
Staying at home lets your family members be independent and not feel restricted. They’re able to receive the care they need in the comfort of their own home.
The AARP reports that about nine in ten older adults intend to continue staying in their current residence in the next 5-10 years.
Since many older people don’t want to move out of their own homes any time soon, home health care remains the best option to let them achieve this because it provides them with the most freedom and lets them live in a comfortable, familiar environment.
Uprooting perfectly capable older adults who just need care a few times a week and sending them to a pricey facility is not necessary with in-home medical care.
3. Safer From Infections
Most facilities try their utmost to prevent germs from spreading but, sadly, there’s just so much they can do in confined and crowded spaces.
Viral gastroenteritis, flu, colds, staph infections, and other diseases are genuine problems during hospital admissions. These can be particularly dangerous to people with a weak immune system, which often means that home care is much safer than living in a nursing home or hospital.
4. Family Involvement
Providing your loved one with home health care allows the entire family to be involved in their life. Thanks to home care, family members can still help with caretaking, help around the house, and spend some quality time with their loved one.
Having a nurse or home health care assistant ensures that families can go on with their day-to-day activities while letting their loved ones continue staying at home without worrying about their health and well-being.
The ability of family members to give their loved one emotional support all the time is also one of the most important home health care benefits.
5. Privacy and Familiarity
Home health care provides privacy since your loved one doesn’t have to share a room with strangers (and their visitors). Your loved one can enjoy being around a pet, instead of missing one and worrying about it while staying in a hospital.
And even things such as a bunch of bonsai trees or a favorite comfortable chair are vital for recovery. These familiar items help patients get more comfortable, which may help with recovery and lead to an improved quality of life.
6. Support With Nutrition and Diet
Is your loved one getting the necessary nutrition to stay healthy? Older adults aged 65 and above, people with chronic illnesses and those who’ve recently left a nursing home or hospital are likely to need nutritional support.
Injury, illness, bed rest, and aging can all make your loved one lose their lean body mass. Home care can include home-cooked meals and nutritional counseling to protect your family members from malnutrition.
7. Financial Benefits
Unlike in the past, home health care is now much more affordable partly due to its rising demand today. You can now provide your loved ones with home health care services at a fairly low cost.
This varies depending on your loved ones’ needs but, by and large, home care is cheaper than staying in a hospital for an extended period.
Many home care services are financed by private insurance, the Veterans’ Administration, Medicaid, Medicare, and other sources.
8. Help With Household Chores
With home care services, you probably don’t need help with post-surgical care or medications. Maybe your biggest worry is that your family member will not be able to clean, cook, or generally carry out day-to-day activities.
It happens that your loved one doesn’t have to stay in a nursing home or hospital because of this. You don’t have to use a skilled pro. Many agencies have home health care aides who can assist your family member to clean and cook, and even help them bathe.
9. Peace of Mind
Home health care providers will be there when you’re not available. If you’re giving care from a distance, using home health care services will give you some peace of mind.
Qualified and experienced professionals can evaluate safety risks and implement some changes in your home–from securing a slippery floor with a rug to recommending an ambulance service.
10. Research-Based Peace of Mind
If you’re considering placing your loved one in home health care, rather than in a nursing home or hospital environment, you can do your homework and be sure to make use of any references.
If it’s more than one family member, bring everybody together so that you all can be involved in the decision.
Finally, consult your loved ones about their wishes. They’re the ones who’ll have to agree to the plan, after all. Therefore, it’s important to talk with them about their options and, if possible, let them be involved in making the decision.
Reaping the Benefits of Home Health Care
Now that you understand the benefits of home health care, does this sound like a route your family would be interested in pursuing?
If so, we’d love to be a knowledge resource for you. To learn more benefits of home health care and choose a provider for your loved one, be sure to contacts us today!
Young man taking the blood pressure of an older lady
