Home health care brings aid and assistance to those who are chronically or terminally ill, or those who are recovering from illness or injury. The costs are typically less than that of a medical facility, and the familiar environment is often more comfortable for the patient. In Iowa, this care can even be carried out virtually thanks to the emerging technology of telemonitoring.
Aids and Companions
If you or a loved one requires assistance with daily tasks such as errands, housekeeping and meal preparation, a home health care aid might be your best option. These caregivers aid the patient with his daily routine so that he may remain in his home rather than go to a facility. Recover Health started in 1987 in Minnesota, but has branched out to Wisconsin and Iowa. This includes offices in Cedar Rapids and Council Bluffs.
Telemonitoring
Iowa Health Home Care in Urbandale offers the home health care service of telemonitoring. The way it works is a monitor is placed in the home that will measure the patient's vitals at regular intervals during the day. It will also prompt the patient for yes or no answers to questions that will detect if the patient is showing signs of deterioration. This gives the patient a check-up every day without leaving the comfort of her own home. A registered nurse reviews the data, and can provide any early intervention if required.
Skilled Nursing
Many home health care aids provide non-medical services. However some instances require a patient to receive skilled nursing supervision. This includes the administration of medicine, including injections. These nurses can also provide specialized care for the individual conditions, such as diabetes or wound care. Angmar Medical Holdings provides this type of care in 12 different states. Its Shenandoah office serves five counties under the name Angels Care Home Health of Iowa.
Hospice
Another form of health care available in Iowa is hospice care, which is the compassionate end-of-life care for terminally ill patients. For Iowa Hospice-eligible patients would be those who, with the consent of their physician, no longer seek a cure as part of their treatment. Services are focused on mind, body and spirit to make the patient's transition between life and death as peaceful as possible. Medicare and Medicaid pay for hospice care, in addition to private insurance, but Iowa Hospice will not turn away someone because of inability to pay.
The Health Care Bill
In 2010, Susan C. Reinhard contributed a guest column to the Des Moines Register. In it, the senior vice president and director of the AARP Public Policy Institute in Washington, D.C, addresses how the health care bill impacts home health care in Iowa. In 2011 a five-year program will provide grants to those hospitals with high admission rates. Transitional care intervention will help patients make the transition from a medical facility to home. In addition, 2012 introduces a pilot program in Medicare to pay for medical professionals to provide services in the home.
