What is a Home Health Care Service?
Home Health Care Service is essential for individuals who face challenges with daily activities due to age, illness, or injury. As we age, our bodies naturally become weaker, making everyday activities—like walking or even using the bathroom—more challenging. Family members often try to help with daily chores, but their own responsibilities, work obligations, or the distance from home can make regular support difficult. Similarly, individuals who have experienced an accident may face temporary or permanent challenges in taking care of themselves. Even when loved ones are willing to assist, caring for someone with medical needs often requires specialized knowledge and skills.
Who Receives Home Health Care?
Home health care encompasses a wide range of conditions, making it impossible to list them all individually. Many chronic illnesses require continuous monitoring and consistent medication management. For example, managing chronic diseases such as HIV/AIDS or thyroid disorders often involves regular use of prescribed medications, adherence to special diets, and routine follow-up appointments with healthcare providers.. In general, if you have any of the following conditions, you may want to consider taking advantage of home health care:
In the presence of surgical wounds or pressure sores
Intravenous injections or injections containing nutritional therapy
Serious diseases such as cancer
Chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart failure
Newborns at risk
Having an unstable health condition that requires follow-up
The postoperative healing process
What’s Included in a Home Health Care Service?
Home health care refers to the care provided by licensed medical personnel in a person's own home. The general purpose of the service is to improve their health by providing the necessary care to people who are injured or have an illness. Thanks to the service provided, you can recover, regain your former independence, extend your life span, and maintain your current condition. In addition to health, that also provides an opportunity for patients to be independent. In this context, you can expect the following in home health care:
- Personal care: Taking a bath, going to the bathroom and eating are among the daily activities that a healthy person can do alone without difficulty under normal conditions. However, it may be difficult to perform even these activities in illness or old age. In this case, the person who cares for you will help you provide your personal care.
- Monitoring of vital signs: Criteria such as blood pressure, respiratory rate, body temperature give information about people's vital activities. It is necessary to ensure regular follow-up in case of a serious illness, after surgery or in elderly people.
- Medical treatment: People who benefit from home health care often have medications that they need to consume regularly. These medications might be taken orally, as well as intravenous administration may be required. In addition, some patients may not be able to be fed orally. In this case, a patient might be fed by various ways such as nasogastric, gastrostomy, or intravenous. In these and similar cases, a medical staff trained on the subject will support you in the implementation of the treatment planned by the doctor.
- Chores and garden work: It is not enough just to receive good medical care for the improvement of health. The cleanliness of the environment you are in, your healthy and balanced diet are also effective in this process. For this reason, a care personnel who will support you in maintaining your social life such as cleaning, cooking, washing the laundry, or gardening, and paying bills may be included among the person or persons who will provide care within the scope of home health care.
- Social life: The definition of health is defined by the World Organization as a state of well-being both physically and mentally. It may not be enough to implement your medical treatment properly and well at home. Mental health is also very important during the stressful recovery process. It may be good for you to spend time with family members and friends during this process. However, in some cases, there may not be someone constantly next to the patient. The formation of a bond of trust with the person providing your care during this process may make the patient feel that their need for sociability has been met.
Where to Apply for Home Health Care?
There are several ways to apply for home health care, but the process always begins with a doctor's evaluation. After reviewing your examinations and medical history, your doctor will develop an appropriate home health care plan. With this plan and a doctor's prescription, you can apply through your insurance provider or contact home health care agencies directly for more information.
Regardless of the method you choose, it's important to gather detailed information about what the service includes, the quality of care provided, associated fees, and available payment options. Before enrolling, verify whether the service meets any eligibility criteria and fully understand the terms of coverage and payment.
How Much Does Home Health Care Service Cost?
Home health care services can be adapted to a wide variety of situations. If you find it challenging to manage daily activities on your own or require ongoing support for your treatment, you can turn to a specialized institution for assistance. The level and type of care provided can vary greatly: in some cases, visits every few days may be sufficient, while in others, you might need overnight support. For some, care may simply involve monitoring medical treatment, while for others, comprehensive personal care may be necessary.
The specific services you need”and whether they are provided by a nurse, physical therapist, or a patient caregiver”will influence the overall cost of care. To ensure you receive the most accurate information about home health care fees and insurance coverage, it's best to contact a reputable provider. They can offer details about the range of care services available, insurance options, costs, and payment plans.
* Liv Hospital Editorial Board has contributed to the publication of this content .
* Contents of this page is for informational purposes only. Please consult your doctor for diagnosis and treatment. The content of this page does not include information on medicinal health care at Liv Hospital .
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