Home health care might sound at first as if it’s just like other types of assistance at home. But there’s more to it, especially from a medical perspective. Your senior’s doctor is likely to suggest home health care as an option, especially if your elderly family member is reluctant to stay in the hospital longer than absolutely necessary.
Home Health Care Is Medical Care
The most basic difference between home health care and other types of care is that home health care involves medical treatments performed in your senior’s home. Those treatments may vary depending on the types of health issues your senior is managing. Your senior’s doctor will have to sign off on home health care, usually because of the types of treatments your senior will be receiving.
Your Senior May Be Recovering from a Serious Health Condition
Home health care is a way for your elderly family member to recover from a serious health issue. She may have had surgery or an injury that requires consistent medical care on an ongoing basis. When home health care providers visit your senior, they’re able to monitor her health and relay that information to her doctor.
This Type of Care Allows Your Senior to Be at Home
One of the most important factors in home health care services for your senior may be that she’s able to be at home. This is often preferable to being in the hospital for longer periods of time or even being in an assisted living facility. Your elderly family member may have very strong preferences about being able to remain in her own home, and this type of care ensures that she is able to do so.
Home Health Care May Involve a Variety of Treatments
Your elderly family member might need help with wound care, IV antibiotics, pain management, or a variety of other treatments. She could even receive help with physical or occupational therapy with the help of home health care services. These treatments are the ones that your senior’s doctor feels are most important for helping her to deal with the health challenges that she is facing.
This type of care can help your elderly family member to reduce her healing time, especially if she’s dealing with a significant health issue. Talk to her doctor about how long your senior might need this type of care in order to set expectations properly for both yourself and for her.