Health All Day

Archive for August, 2009

Advance Health Care Directives And Living Wills: A Step-By-Step Guide

Few decisions are more personal — involving both health and death — than those embodied in an advance health care directive or a living will, or a similar document. Some individuals want their lives prolonged by any means necessary, while others want medical treatments withheld, allowing for a natural death.

An advance health care directive lets caregivers and family and medical providers know a person’s healthcare wishes if he’s unable to speak for himself. The document can also appoint someone else to speak with legal authority for the person if he’s unable to do so for himself.
If someone plans to set up an advance health care directive, living will, or similar document, here’s what he needs to think about:
By the way, we hate spam as much as you do and will never sell your email address.

1. The person should consider how he wants to live during a terminal illness, and what his end-of-life preferences are when creating a health care directive or living will.

It’s not easy to bring up the subject of dying (especially if it’s your parent you’re caring for). But you, the individual, and the rest of his family will gain some peace of mind if you can get him to start thinking and talking about this subject, and eventually to execute documents that set down his wishes.

·One way many people get this discussion started is by showing the person the advance health care documents they’ve prepared for themselves. This both breaks the ice and gives the person a model on which to base his own documents.

·The job is to get him thinking about what will be important to him when he is incapacitated, and particularly when he’s dying, such as where he wants to be — at home if possible, or in a hospital — and what treatments (particularly life-prolonging ones) he wants and doesn’t want.

·He also needs to think about who he wants to make decisions for him if and when he’s unable to do so himself.

·The person should discuss these things with family, healthcare providers, and trusted advisors who will help him consider his wishes, options, and fears.

·But remember that a conversation doesn’t have the same legal force as an advance health care directive or similar written document, even if a doctor records it. In most states, only a written, signed, and witnessed advance health care directive legally must be followed by healthcare personnel and institutions.

2. The person should carefully consider whom he wants to serve as the agent to make decisions for him and support his choices when creating a health care directive or living will.

The agent the person in your care names in his advance health care directive should have several qualifications:

·The job can be emotionally difficult, so it should go to someone who cares deeply about his welfare.

·It should also be someone who is likely to be able to remain physically near him during a prolonged healthcare crisis.

·And it should be someone who has a strong enough personality to stand up to family members, doctors, and hospital personnel if necessary.

·Sometimes a trusted friend will make more objective decisions, or will follow the person’s wishes more carefully, than a family member.
Whomever he winds up choosing, he has to discuss the responsibility with that person and make sure she’s willing to accept it before naming her in the document.

3. Use sample forms for the advance health care directive or living will as planning tools.

Situations to address

Each individual’s advance health care directive should be personalized to reflect his particular wishes. An advance health care directive should address situations such as:

·When (if ever) the person in your care would want artificial life-sustaining treatment, such as during permanent unconsciousness or severe dementia

·Types of life-sustaining treatment he would and would not want, such as artificial nutrition and hydration, surgical procedures, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) — and under what conditions

·Instructions about other medical procedures that may arise given the person’s medical history

·Organ donation instructions

·Pain control preferences

·Where he wants his care (at home or at a designated nursing facility, for example)

Documents available online

Generic advance health care document forms are available from many sources, but the forms are designed to be planning tools only. They don’t offer a final product — the forms are meant to trigger but not replace communication between the person in your care (the principal) and the designated decision maker (the agent).

Still, they are useful for getting started. Most state legislatures provide official forms for advance health care directives and living wills. These examples, among others, are available online:

·    New York
·    California
·    Delaware
·    Illinois
·    Oregon
·    Massachusetts

Similar forms are provided by such groups as state medical and bar associations. For example, sample forms can be found online through the California Medical Association, AARP, and the American Medical Association.

The importance of state forms

·Though there’s no single form that must be used for an advance health care directive, an individual should use his state’s standard form if it has one. He should also follow his state’s signature and witness requirements. For example, most states require two witnesses to the person’s signature; some states also require notarizing the document.

·In most states, witnesses cannot include relatives, heirs, medical providers or their employees, or anyone responsible for the patient’s healthcare costs. If the person in your care is in a nursing home, some states require a state nursing home ombudsman or patient advocate to witness the signing.

·Once the document is executed, the individual should give copies to his doctors and hospital, the person he designates as his healthcare agent, family members, and other advisors. He should keep a list of individuals and institutions that have a copy of the advance health care directive, in case he ever wants to revoke or change it.

4. Update the advance health care directive or living will based on changing end-of-life wishes.

·Encourage the person you’re caring for to revisit his advance health care directive periodically, as long as he’s able to do so. His feelings and choices may evolve as his situation changes — for example, after he’s diagnosed with a serious illness, or as he witnesses others going through the end of life.

·People commonly make changes right before a major surgery. He may also change his feelings about who should act as his healthcare agent, or his original choice might no longer be able to take on the job.

·He can terminate or change the advance health care directive as long as he has the mental capacity to do so. If he wants to make a change, he should prepare and sign a new document and have it properly witnessed again; just making handwritten changes on a previous document is not a good idea.

·If he does execute a new document, he should send a copy to every person and institution that has a copy of the previous one, explaining that the new one replaces the old. In most cases, completing a new advance health care directive automatically revokes all previous directives, but it’s always a good idea to let everyone know personally.

Tips on Home Health Care

When a member of the family is beset by a critical illness, most of the people resort to home health care. When a loved one was hospitalized and had undergone intensive treatment, the patient may well choose to get better at home health care. Staying in the hospital for an extensive period of time has various benefits. The patient can be cautiously monitored by doctors and nurses, and in the event that an emergency will take place, these doctors and nurses most of the times are at bay. But ultimately, a prolonged stay in the hospital can be depressing not only for the patient but for the concerning people too.

After all, the hospital is a gloomy place to be measured a home; everywhere, patients are lying ill, several of them in grave circumstances with death just lingering by. The hospital is also an ominous place to recurrent as bacteria and viruses are lurking in every corner. So when a lingering illness befalls a family member, home health care is forever a better alternative. When the patient has eventually recovered from an illness, he or she may decide to stay at home to recuperate and be necessitated with home health care. Home health care programs are provided by numerous companies now as it is becoming an indispensable and lucrative sector of the health care industry.

The number one reason for needing home health care is when care of an elderly individual becomes over for family members to bear alone. This is particularly true with those patients that require special homely care due to illness. Alzheimer’s disease is a tragic slow deterioration of the mental faculties. With this disorder people often lose the ability to care for themselves. It rapidly overwhelms the family members and they turn to help them out. Home health care for the elderly is one of the answers to this crisis. A home health care nurse can help with daily monitoring of such mental patients. Frequently an Alzheimer’s patient will tend to roam and get lost. Home health care nurses are able to be an extra pair of eyes in this event.

Most of the times elderly patients do not want to live in nursing homes or retirement communities. This is another reason for home health care for the elderly people. It gives the patients a sense of self to know they can stay in their home instead of a nursing home. It is common for these people to have living wills and instructions for their last times. Home health care nurses are frequently saddled with the responsibility of making these difficult decisions when the time comes and from that moment on they stay in the home full time until the death takes place. Aside from physical care, home health care can give emotional support for the entire family. This is a trying time for all involved and it is not unusual for it to be the first experience with death for many people. Add the fact that it is a parent and the family is frequently grieving before the actual death. Home health care nurses have been trained in grief counseling and emotional support.

Learn How to Land a Job as a Home Health Care Nurse

Why are there so many people who want to become home health care nurses ? By 2020, the world will need almost one million nurses, as more and more population will be getting old or sick for various reasons. This will make it easier and more desirable to land a job in this field someday. Moreover, the nursing profession is perhaps one of the highest-paid professions these days. A registered nurse, for example, can earn an average of ,000 annually.

The Difference between Regular Nurses and Home Health Care Nurses

In truth, there’s not a stark difference between home health care nurses and regular ones, except that you can find nurses mainly in hospitals while home health care nurses can mainly be found in hospices, nursing homes, and in patient homes. Normally, their patients are elderly, who may need some assistance from professionals. It’s also one of the reasons too why a travel nurse also specializes in home health care. Rather than allowing the patient to suffer or be inconvenienced by commuting, they offer their services at the comfort of their patient’s home.

How to Become a Home Health Care Nurse

A home health care nurse needs to have the following:

1. The proper degree. You can never be a home health care nurse unless you have a proper educational background, which includes a nursing degree. Almost all universities and colleges all over the world offer some type nursing programs, so it shouldn’t be too hard for you to search for schools.

2. Certification. Home health care nurses need to be certified, or licensed, before they can practice their profession. Certifications can vary widely from state to state and country to country. A certified home health care nurse will want to be sure to be licensed properly to avoid legal issues. Anyone who wishes to become a home health care nurse should be aware of the rules and requirements in the area they wish to practice in beforehand.

3. Experience. Novice home health care nurses can still land a job; however, the more experience you have in this field, the higher your chances of getting better opportunities. While you can earn a sizeable income working for a home health care company, you will have more income potential if you are hired for private home health care nursing.

4. Patient bill of rights. A home health care nurse is required to provide a patient bill of rights to the patient or to the family or a representative of the patient just in case he doesn’t have the capacity to read or understand his rights. This means that nurses should be very knowledgeable in his or her duties and the rights of the patients under his or her care. 

5. Close coordination with doctors. Nurses should have excellent communication and analytical skills so that medical situations can be described properly. Home health care nurses may need to coordinate with other health practitioners and doctors at times when  the ailment is severe, requiring immediate help, or unusual, requiring a specialist.

What is home health care and why do I need it?

      What is Home Health?

Home Health Care is skilled nursing care and certain other health care services that you receive in your home for the treatment of an illness or injury. This could also include physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Medicare Part A will cover home health expenses at 100%. Private duty home care is not covered by Medicare and is paid for by the individual receiving the service. This type of service usually includes housekeeping and other routine personal care services (cooking, laundry, and shopping, and live in care givers.).
This could also include physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Medicare Part A will cover home health expenses at 100%. Private duty home care is not covered by Medicare and is paid for by the individual receiving the service. This type of service usually includes housekeeping and other routine personal care services (cooking, laundry, and shopping, and live in care givers.).  

***FREE OF CHARGE***if Medicare approved

Call or email now to see if you are Medicare/Medicaid Qualified
If you or someone you know needs help with
1. Diabetes
2. High Blood Pressure
3. Wound Care
4. Arthritis/Joint Pain
5. Any Chronic Illness or Disease
We Also Provide:
1. Light House Keeping/Laundry Services
2. Senior Transportation
3. Meal Preparation
4. And Much More At No Charge to YOU!!

CLICK LINK BELOW TO WATCH VIDEO ABOUT HOME CARE  http://www.tahc.org/associations/1626/files/TAHC new VO.wmv

II. How to get Medicare Home Health Care: 

• Your doctor must determine you need medical care in your home.

 • You will need at least one of the following services: skilled nursing care, physical or speech therapy. 

• You must be homebound. Homebound means that leaving your home is a considerable and taxing effort

III. What qualifies as Skilled Home Care Services?

• Wound Care for pressure ulcers or surgical wounds 

• Physical Therapy (fall prevention, recent fractures, recent stroke, TIA’s, endurance issues, or transfer training) 

• Occupational Therapy (recent strokes, ADL training-such as dressing, grooming, and bathing)

• Speech Therapy (swallowing issues, aspiration, recent stroke, pneumonia)

 • Patient and Caregiver education

• IV Therapy

• Injections (diabetes, B-12)

• Medication Management

IV. Home Health vs. Hospitalization:

• In many cases home health care services may be appropriate to prevent an individual from being hospitalized.

• Most patients and their families prefer to stay at home rather than be placed in the hospital or skilled nursing facility when their condition allows them to remain at home.

• Home health care is usually less expensive and in some cases just as effective as care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility. 

Home health care assists a person in their recovery from an illness, accident, surgery, or change in their medical condition. Professional health care and rehabilitation services are delivered in a person’s home environment under the direction of their personal physician.        

Services offered include:     

Skilled Nursing 

24/7 Availability     

Physical Therapy 

Wound/Ostomy Care   

Occupational Therapy  

Infusion Therapy   

Speech Therapy 

PT/TNR results in home  

Home Care Aides 

Pain Management    

Medical Social Workers 

Rehabilitation 

Who pays for home health care?

If you are Medicare eligible and qualified for care, there is no out of pocket cost to you. Home care can also be paid for by many private insurances or a variety of public programs.

To qualify for Medicare home health services, there are five basic requirements:

1. Your physician must determine that you need home health care services

2. Your own physician must write the orders for home health services, and oversee your care

3. You must need skilled services that are provided by a nurse or therapist

4. Your physician must determine that you are homebound, requiring considerable effort and help to leave home

Because benefits and requirements can vary, we can help you check with payors about your specific benefits, even before beginning services, so you can have this information at the start of care. 

-Medicare pays 100% of the cost for home health care for individuals 65 years of age or over or permanently disabled.

-Private insurance will pay for home health care. Benefits vary per policy and verification of benefits is required.

-Medicaid pays 100%. Pre-authorization is required.

-Workers Compensation Insurance.-Private Pay.

We can HELP you in a number of ways.      

   ·     Patient specific health data with observations by a professional nurse are reported to the physician. 

 Helping patients and their families to understand and follow physician’s orders regarding nutrition, special diets, medications, and general nursing care:

 ·       Assisting with home management of catheters and feeding tubes.

 ·     Giving injections ordered by the physician and teaching patients and family the proper techniques for doing so. 

  ·       Helping patients restore strength and independence through physical therapy exercises, 

Educating diabetic patients on how to manage diet, insulin, and other health related measures.  Enabling the patient with ostomy how to resume a full, active life.

 ·        Assisting patients with bathing and personal grooming (ADLS).  

Do You Need to Obtain a College Health Care Plan?

Upon graduation from high school, there is no doubt that you will surely start your tertiary education in college or university. At age twenty, children will not be covered by health insurance of their parents and this can be disastrous if they are merely study and do not do part-time job. Some universities or colleges may have insurance plan offered to students. These insurance may not answer all your needs but you need to be meticulously considered it.

Most of the universities and colleges offer student health insurance plans. These plans should absolutely be at reasonable price, and can give you the school’s nearest hospitals. This option is one that you should definitely think of, if your son or daughter is enrolled in a college far away from home.

College health care scheme may vary from college to college due to laws and some other factors. Many students may think medical services are free of charge, but it is not always true. In term of clinic visit or routine checkups they may be free, however students still require to pay for special kinds of lab tests and other specialties such as x-rays, prescriptions, and a wound treatment. Compensation usually covers some types of service stated in the health care offered at college health centre. When you are referred to see an outside doctor, then the coverage will cover only 70% of your total expense and you are at risk to pay high medical cost.

You may have a problem getting treatment at the campus health centre if you have pre-existing condition. Having a pre-existing condition or illness does not mean to prevent you from obtaining health insurance plan, but you may not be eligible to have your treatment on your pre-existing condition. It can be troublesome if your new symptoms develop from a pre-existing one.

Health schemes are different, so be sure you find out everything about your health insurance plans. Be sure that your health plan stretch to summer break when you or your child do not take classes. This is vital for you because you don’t want to find out that your health care does not cover when you need it most. Some college health insurances may not cover during summer break, while others do.

Be certain that you study your plan thoroughly. Is it an HMO, or can the member utilise any service provider they went? This is critical. You need to know where you can go in case of emergency, and there is nothing worse than discovering that you will have to pay off the bill yourself.

There is no definitive solution to whether you should or should not commit yourself to college health insurance. Be certain that you study your plan thoroughly so that it answer to your need when you need it most. Although there is no free health insurance scheme, surely it will save you a lot of money in time of illness or accident.

For more information, please visit http://www.health-care-central.com

Frequently asked questions about home health care

Q: What is home health care?
A: Home health care is a service that permits patients to receive personalized health care, maintaining their quality of life in the privacy and comfort of their homes.

Q: Why home health care?
A: Home health care is a cost-effective option for receiving health care services. Returning to one’s home and family can quicken recovery and improve the quality of life for both patient and family or caregiver.

Q: Who pays for home health care?
A: Most health insurance companies, HMOs, PPOs and Workers Compensation cover home health care. In addition, Medicare and Medicaid pay for home care services. Some insurance providers do not cover all home health services. Our staff will verify health coverage for the patient.

Q: What criteria are required for Medicare to approve services?
A: The following criteria are used to meet Medicare requirements:
• The patient is a Medicare recipient.
• The patient must be homebound. This is defined by Medicare as “normal inability to leave the home and that leaving the home requires considerable and taxing effort.”
• The skilled care must be medically necessary as determined by the physician.

Q: What if I have a problem at night or on the weekend?
A: We have registered nurses on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Q: Do I need a physician’s order for home health care?
A: Yes, all health care provided in the home occurs under direct order and supervision of the patient’s physician.

Q: What types of services can be provided at home?
A: Many medical conditions that previously required hospitalization can safely be treated in the home. Home care services may include but are not limited to:

Skilled Nursing:
• Observation and assessment of condition
• Patient and family education of disease process
• Management and evaluation of patient care plan
• Medication education and management
• Dressing changes
• Home safety education
• Wound care
• Catheter care
• Injections
• IV therapy
• Ostomy care
• Pain management
• Diabetic care
• Nutritional support

Assistance with Daily Living:
• Bathing/dressing
• Transfer/ambulation
• Light meal preparation
• Light housekeeping
• Grocery shopping
• Medication reminder
• Laundry
• Companionship/Conversation
• Reading/writing
• Pet sitting/walking
• Escort to appointments
• Live-ins
• Respite
• Exercise therapy assistance

Q: How does Paloma Home Health Care, Inc. ensure quality care in the home?
A: Providing continuous quality care to patients is paramount to all we do. All patients are given a patient satisfaction survey that is incorporated into our ongoing evaluation process to continually increase our patient satisfaction. New programs and processes are developed through our quality improvement team to promote favorable outcomes.

Q: How do I find out more about home health care?
A: Please call our office to learn more about how you can benefit more about the service, at 972 346 2013

Q: What services can Paloma Home Health Care, Inc. offer?
A: Our services include but are not limited to:
• Supportive Care Education of Disease Process
• Individual and Family Counseling
• Management and Evaluation of Patient Care
• Observation and Assessment
• Home Safety and Emergency Education
• Medication Education
• Assistance with ADLs
• Nutrition Education
• Restorative Therapy (Physical, Occupational and Speech)

Fact Sheets Home Health Care

Home health care helps seniors live independently for as long as possible, given the limits of their medical condition. It covers a wide range of services and can often delay the need for long-term nursing home care.

More specifically, home health care may include occupational and physical therapy, speech therapy, and even skilled nursing. It may involve helping the elderly with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, and eating. Or it may include assistance with cooking, cleaning, other housekeeping jobs, and monitoring one’s daily regimen of prescription and over-the-counter medications.

At this point, it is important to understand the difference between home health care and home care services. Although they sound the same (and home health care may include some home care services), home health care is more medically oriented. While home care typically includes chore and housecleaning services, home health care usually involves helping seniors recover from an illness or injury. That is why the people who provide home health care are often licensed practical nurses, therapists, or home health aides. Most work for home health agencies, hospitals, or public health departments that are licensed by the state.

How Do I Make Sure That Home Health Care Is Quality Care?
As with any important purchase, it is always a good idea to talk with friends, neighbors, and your local area agency on aging to learn more about the home health care agencies in your community.
In looking for a home health care agency, the following 20 questions can be used to help guide your search:

How long has the agency been serving this community? Does the agency have any printed brochures describing the services it offers and how much they cost? If so, get one. Is the agency an approved Medicare provider? Is the quality of care certified by a national accrediting body such as the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations? Does the agency have a current license to practice (if required in the state where you live)? Does the agency offer seniors a “Patients’ Bill of Rights” that describes the rights and responsibilities of both the agency and the senior being cared for? Does the agency write a plan of care for the patient (with input from the patient, his or her doctor and family), and update the plan as necessary? Does the care plan outline the patient’s course of treatment, describing the specific tasks to be performed by each caregiver? How closely do supervisors oversee care to ensure quality? Will agency caregivers keep family members informed about the kind of care their loved one is getting? Are agency staff members available around the clock, seven days a week, if necessary? Does the agency have a nursing supervisor available to provide on-call assistance 24 hours a day? How does the agency ensure patient confidentiality? How are agency caregivers hired and trained? What is the procedure for resolving problems when they occur, and who can I call with questions or complaints? How does the agency handle billing? Is there a sliding fee schedule based on ability to pay, and is financial assistance available to pay for services? Will the agency provide a list of references for its caregivers? Who does the agency call if the home health care worker cannot come when scheduled? What type of employee screening is done?

When purchasing home health care directly from an individual provider (instead of through an agency), it is even more important to screen the person thoroughly. This should include an interview with the home health caregiver to make sure that he or she is qualified for the job. You should request references. Also, prepare for the interview by making a list if any special needs the senior might have. For example, you would want to note whether the elderly patient needs help getting into or out of a wheelchair. Clearly, if this is the case, the home health caregiver must be able to provide that assistance. The screening process will go easier if you have a better idea of what you are looking for first.

Another thing to remember is that it always helps to look ahead, anticipate changing needs, and have a backup plan for special situations. Since every employee occasionally needs time off (or a vacation), it is unrealistic to assume that one home health care worker will always be around to provide care. Seniors or family members who hire home health workers directly may want to consider interviewing a second part-time or on-call person who can be available when the primary caregiver cannot be. Calling an agency for temporary respite care also may help to solve this problem (see the Respite Care fact sheet for more information about these services).

In any event, whether you arrange for home health care through an agency or hire an independent home health care aide on an individual basis, it helps to spend some time preparing for the person who will be doing the work. Ideally, you could spend a day with him or her, before the job formally begins, to discuss what will be involved in the daily routine. If nothing else, tell the home health care provider (both verbally and in writing) the following things that he or she should know about the senior:

Illnesses/injuries, and signs of an emergency medical situation Likes and dislikes Medications, and how and when they should be taken Need for dentures, eyeglasses, canes, walkers, etc. Possible behavior problems and how best to deal with them Problems getting around (in or out of a wheelchair, for example, or trouble walking) Special diets or nutritional needs Therapeutic exercises.

In addition, you should give the home health care provider more information about:

Clothing the senior may need (if/when it gets too hot or too cold) How you can be contacted (and who else should be contacted in an emergency) How to find and use medical supplies and medications When to lock up the apartment/house and where to find the keys Where to find food, cooking utensils, and serving items Where to find cleaning supplies Where to find light bulbs and flash lights, and where the fuse box is located (in case of a power failure) Where to find the washer, dryer, and other household appliances (as well as instructions for how to use them).

A WORD OF CAUTION . . .
Although most states require that home health care agencies perform criminal background checks on their workers and carefully screen job applicants for these positions, the actual regulations will vary depending on where you live. Therefore, before contacting a home health care agency, you may want to call your local area agency on aging or department of public health to learn what laws apply in your state.

HOW CAN I PAY FOR HOME HEALTH CARE?
The cost of home health care varies across states and within states. In addition, costs will fluctuate depending on the type of health care professional required. Home care services can be paid for directly by the patient and his or her family members, or through a variety of public and private sources. Sources for home health care funding include Medicare, Medicaid, the Older Americans Act, the Veterans’ Administration, and private insurance.

Medicare is the largest single payer of home care services. The Medicare program will pay for home health care if all of the following conditions are met:

The patient must be homebound and under a doctor’s care; The patient must need skilled nursing care, or occupational, physical, or speech therapy, on at least an intermittent basis (that is, regularly but not continuously) The services provided must be under a doctor’s supervision and performed as part of a home health care plan written specifically for that patient The patient must be eligible for the Medicare program and the services ordered must be “medically reasonable and necessary” The home health care agency providing the services must be certified by the Medicare program.

To get help with your Me
dicare questions, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY/TDD: 1-877-486-2048 for the speech and hearing impaired) or look on the Internet at http://www.medicare.gov.

WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT HOME HEALTH CARE?
There are several national organizations that can provide additional consumer information about home health care services. These include the following:

The National Association for Home Care, which can be reached at 202-547-7424 or by visiting its website at www.nahc.org. The postal address is: 228 7th St., SE; Washington, DC 20003. The Visiting Nurse Associations of America, which can be reached at 617-737-3200 or by visiting its website at http://www.vnaa.org. The postal addresses are: 99 Summer St., Suite 1700; Boston, MA 02110.

To find out more about home health care programs where you live, you will want to contact your local aging information and assistance provider or area agency on aging (AAA). The Eldercare Locator, a public service of the Administration on Aging (at 1-800-677-1116 or http://www.eldercare.gov  can help connect you to these agencies.

Case Study

WHEN IS HOME HEALTH CARE APPROPRIATE?
Because it is not always clear to the average person when an ailing senior needs home health care and when he or she needs nursing home care, it is usually best to consult a medical professional for advice. The following case study describes one situation in which home health care proved to be the right choice.
Francis is 84 years old and recently had a stroke. She was hospitalized briefly and then discharged to continue recovering at home. To enable her to return home, her doctor called a home health care agency, and the agency gave Francis a complete home health care plan for six weeks. Since the doctor ordered the home care for Francis, Medicare paid for it.

For the first week after Francis went home, a nurse visited her every day. The nurse met with Francis’s family to discuss her special dietary needs and to arrange for exercise therapy to help Francis regain her strength. Once that was done, the nurse visited Francis twice a week to check on how well she was recovering. The home health care agency also sent a homemaker, a personal care attendant, and a physical therapist to visit Francis several times during the week. The homemaker would do the shopping and cook light meals. The personal care attendant would help Francis bathe, get dressed, and walk. The physical therapist would keep Francis moving and see to it that she got some exercise to aid in her recovery.