Selecting a home health agency for a loved one who is ill can be a daunting task. There are many things to consider such as reputation, staff, availability and location. Several search engines can help you make a decision to go with a particular agency in your area. Health care provided in the home can certainly assist with the healing process, help maintain a family member in the home, as well as provide peace of mind to family members who may not have the ability to consistently care for their loved ones.
Home Health Compare
This website is sponsored by Medicare.gov. It features Medicare-certified home care agencies, and you can search by geographic location. You can get detailed information about the agencies available in your area and find out how they are providing care through the outcomes that they report on their patients. You can search by the type of services the agencies provide, such as nursing care, home health aid, speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and medical social services. The best feature of the website is being able to compare the agencies by the outcomes they report about the patients that they have served. Another feature on the website is the "Resources" tab, which contains information on what the Medicare benefit entitles persons to with regard to home health care.
The Hospice Foundation of America
Hospice is a concept of care that focuses on end-of-life support and services for the individual who is ill and the family. The website provides a wealth of information about the bereavement process, payor sources, advocacy, and information about end-of-life issues. The Hospice Foundation of America represents Hospice agencies, and it sponsors a search for organizations by location. This search covers inpatient as well as home health hospice agencies. It provides a description of the services each agency provides and identifies the services the agency provides such as home health, inpatient, grief support, respite care, assisted living, and other related services. A patient's doctor generally prescribes hospice care at a final stage in the patient's illness.
American Association for Homecare
The American Association for Homecare is an advocacy and government relations organization that "works to strengthen access to care for the millions of Americans who require medical care in their homes. It represents health care providers, equipment manufacturers, and other organizations in the home care community." The website has a lot of current events related to home care and information. There is a membership search where you can search for a list of members of this organization in your area. Most have direct links to their websites and contact information. Services you can search for in your area include home health care agencies that provide skilled nursing care, therapy, social work, home respiratory care, home infusion and pharmaceutical services, rehabilitation services and medical supplies.
