Choosing Home Care

Older people prefer to live in their own homes as long as they can – even if they are in poor health.

Living at home is less expensive than moving to a retirement community, assisted living residence or nursing home. They feel secure and independent, connected with family, friends and community in familiar surroundings.

Providing care to an older adult who lives at home can be very time consuming and stressful. Some family caregivers find it helpful when another person is available to provide care to an older adult who needs help with household chores to live at home comfortably and safely. A person who was recently discharged from the hospital may need help taking medicine, getting dressed, physical therapy exercises, wound care or other treatments.

Family caregivers provide much of the help their older relatives need. Professional home care providers can also lend a hand with everything from household chores to administering medical care. Professional home care services make it possible for older people to recover in comfortable, familiar surroundings of their own homes instead of in a hospital or live at home rather a nursing home. These professionals also provide a cheerful break in the homebound person's day and some time off (also called respite) for family caregivers.

HOME CARE PROVIDERS & SERVICES

Registered nurses work with doctors to develop a care plan for home care after patients are discharged from the hospital.

Their visits include:

• Taking blood pressure.

• Making sure wounds are healing properly

• Changing bandages.

• Giving intravenous (IV) medications, chemotherapy or tube feedings.

• They can also teach families and patients how to do certain procedures themselves.

Home care aides are specially trained to work with older people and are supervised by a nurse.

Aides:

• Help older people bathe, get dressed and eat.

• Take temperatures, monitor blood pressure.

• Help with exercises prescribed by physical therapists.

• Alert the nurse or doctor about new symptoms or complications.

• Fix meals for their patients, change the bed, do laundry.

Physical, occupational, and speech therapists work with patients to help them recover the skills they need for daily living.

Therapists:

• Prescribe exercises

• Teach patients and families how to do exercises

• Suggest ways to make the house safer and more convenient.

Social workers:

• Help families fill out insurance forms, review bills, and apply for benefits.

• Offer short-term counseling

• Connect older adults with other community services like home-delivered meals, transportation services, or adult day care programs.

FINDING HOME CARE PROVIDERS

Home care services are available from profit and not-for-profit agencies, hospitals, nursing homes, and county and local government agencies. Most states require home care agencies to be licensed. Some providers are certified to accept Medicare or private insurance when skilled care is provided. Home care agencies can be certified by the National Association for Home Care and Hospice if meet or exceed quality standards NAHCH quality standards. Hospital social workers or discharge planners also recommend and refer patients to home care agencies when older patients are discharged from the hospital.