Many people that are new to the search for in-home care have questions about what it can do for their loved ones. There is a lot of confusion about what it can and cannot do, though, especially when it comes to medical needs. Individuals with acute needs often need a lot more than what in-home care alone can provide. However, this does not mean that in-home care does not have a place in the life of someone who is suffering from acute medical needs as well.
Medical care is available in the home, but traditional in-home care cannot meet this need. This is where home health care comes in. A home health caregiver tends to have some sort of nursing background and is specially trained to provide medical assistance in a domestic setting. Between home health care and in-home care, many needs can be met in the home, depending on the needs that are present.
To reiterate, there is a very big difference between home health care and in-home care. One serves the medical needs of someone while the other serves physical needs. There are often times where these types of care will overlap, but for most insurance companies, these are two distinct and different professional services. And one of the great things about in-home care is that it can be mixed with other forms of help.
But that doesn’t mean that you cannot reap the benefits of each of these within the care planning for an elderly loved one.
The first step is to identify what the needs of your older loved one might be. Do they need daily medical assistance? If so, how advanced is the need that must be met? Or, do they just need help with day to day tasks like meal preparation, cleaning up, and getting around the house safely? Maybe they need both. In order to ensure that the people you love are getting the best help possible, answering these questions is the first step.
At the end of the day, the needs of your family are unique to your family. That’s why it’s important to go with what works for you and your unique set of circumstances. For some, this is an easy path to follow. But not for everyone. Navigating the senior care system can be tough, especially if it’s something that you’ve never had to think about before.
Finding the right team to help is important. Your team should involve family members and doctors, but having a care professional or two on your team can be helpful, too. We’d love to be on your team. Whether that means a quick phone call to answer some questions, a more in depth consultation session, or hiring us to provide care for a loved one, we would be honored to help you and those that you care about out. Give us a call, send an email, or stop by our offices to get started. The best care can be tough to find, but having the right team can make it much easier.
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