Home health services are intended to treat or assist individuals who need ongoing care after being discharged from the hospital. Sometimes friends and family members are working or have family obligations of their own and therefore are unable to provide all the assistance required. In other cases, disabled persons or chronically or terminally ill individuals may need skilled medical services when they return home following a hospital or nursing home stay. Home health care programs are designed to fill this need.
Definition
Home health care is defined as health care services provided in an individual's home or in an assisted living facility if that is where the person lives. Home care services can range from homemaking services such as assisting the person with cooking and cleaning, to skilled medical care delivered by home health aides such as registered or practical nurses and physical and occupational therapists. In some cases the services of other clinical specialists, such as respiratory therapists or speech/language pathologists, may be required.
History
Before the mid-1960s, home care services were generally provided by charitable organizations within the community. Government funding was quite limited at that time. Today the demand for home health care services is growing as hospitals strive to cut costs. To meet this need, more community-based programs, home care agencies and visiting nurse associations offer services to assist individuals at home. As a result of improved technologies, many of the medical services that previously could be administered only in a hospital setting can now be delivered to patients at home.
Goal
The goal of home health services is to help meet the daily living and medical needs of an elderly, chronically ill or disabled person so that she can remain living at home. If a person lives alone, or when family and friends are unable to offer all the care a person may need following a hospital stay, the assistance of health care professionals coming into the home may be required. Planning how that care will be delivered includes assessing the care family members may be able to contribute. Because home health care is usually temporary, short-term home care focuses on rehabilitating a patient so that she can regain her independence and be as self-sufficient as possible. In cases where long-term home health care is required, the goal is to help the person maintain the highest level of health and function.
Types of Care
The types of home care available to individuals include homemaking services, running errands and providing transportation, assistance with the activities of daily living, companion care and medication reminders. Round-the-clock live-in care, feeding assistance, post-surgical care and respite care to provide relief to family caregivers are among some of the other home health services available to individuals who require a higher level of medical care.
Reimbursement
Medicare and Medicaid programs supported by the federal government help to fund nursing care and medical services received in a patient's home. Private insurance companies and health maintenance organizations also help fund home health care services. While some individuals pay for home care services out-of-pocket, the services provided by certified agencies are carefully regulated and governed by a number of payment restrictions. There are also eligibility requirements covering specific conditions and services. Yet according to an article published online by "Today's Seniors," only about 50 percent of home health care agencies are certified by Medicare. The problem is that many times agencies are not certified simply because they provide services not covered by Medicare. Nevertheless, patients may still need these services to remain in their homes.
Selection
Before selecting a home health care agency, ask your doctor, a social worker or hospital discharge planner for some recommendations. Another option is to contact a senior center in your community or talk to a friend who has used home health services. The National Association for Home Care suggests asking a home health care agency to give you a list of references that includes the names of doctors, patients or their families, and community leaders who are knowledgeable about the quality of care the agency provides. One particularly important question to ask an agency directly is whether the patient and her family members are included in developing the care plan.
Qualifying Factors
Anyone who is acutely or chronically ill, has a physical disability, is recovering from an injury or suffers a mental health disorder is eligible to receive home care. Nonetheless, Visiting Nurse Association points out that in order to qualify for home health services from VNA, a patient must meet certain criteria. First, an individual must be considered homebound. In addition, a physician must order the services. Finally, a person must need skilled nursing care or require physical, occupational and/or speech therapies.
