It’s only common for people suffering from chronic disorders to revisit hospitals for checkups and admission frequently. While many hospitals offer state-of-the-art facilities and comfortable settings, many patients still prefer to live and receive health treatment at home. Fortunately, the home health care industry has made this possible.
After hospitalization, patients can opt to receive health care in the comforts of their homes. Contrary to what many people think, home health care actually offers many benefits that mimic the health services provided by skilled nurses and doctors in the hospital. Unlike conventional medical facilities, patients can move comfortably and relax with their usual daily routines when receiving home health care.
If you or your loved one is suffering from chronic conditions, you can check out some of the benefits that home health care can provide:
- Decreased Hospital Stays
It has been found that patients who receive home health care are less inclined to revisit hospitals for a series of checkups and treatment. They can receive proper professional care from home care nurses who are specialized in their chronic disorders. They continuously revitalize patients’ health conditions, so they don’t have to visit the hospitals or long-term care facilities as often as before.
Any agency in your location that provides home care services like Community Healthcare Partners recreates a nursing facility-like environment in the comforts of one’s own home. In addition, hiring a companion with health care skills may cost you more but it’s still relatively cost-effective than going to hospitals.
This kind of health care service setup is ideal for patients who suffer from chronic ailments but don’t require complex treatment and the use of medical apparatus. After all, there is no better place to stay and recuperate than in your own home, where you can continue your daily life comfortably.
Registered nurses or professional caregivers can come when you need them or they can set up a schedule that suits you for your home health care needs. Besides health and recovery treatment, meal preparation, and transportation, the companion can assist with other tasks or activities you want to accomplish.
- Home Health Care Offers Occupational Therapy
A rehabilitation facility is unnecessary if you need physical or occupational therapy following surgery. A home health care service also offers this for patients. Patients can receive physical therapy at home in many communities.
Depending on the kind of occupational or physical therapy you require, you can seek professionals to perform this at home. Additionally, at-home treatment offers an assessment of a person’s home environment accessibility and safety. This is being done so that further injuries and slips can be avoided at home. After that, they can suggest some solutions and alternatives in order to prevent accidents in the future.
- Improves Quality Of Life
In addition to extending and improving quality of life, aging at home prevents premature decline and strengthens patients’ mental health. Keeping aging parents independent and caring for themselves helps them live as long as possible. This is the phase in their lives where they want to be treated as responsible adults. In-home care helps to extend lives by eliminating the stressors of aging in a nursing facility. Patients are more satisfied with home health care services because they have complete control and access.
They can organize their own care plan and schedule everything together with a specialist. When a loved one uses home care assistance, you can have peace of mind knowing they are receiving the appropriate level of care for their individual needs. Home health aides, such as health specialists, licensed caregivers, nurses, social workers, therapists, friends, or family members should come with essential qualities that can benefit the patient. It would be much better if they’d communicate comfortably with each other to help build rapport and a lasting relationship.
- Patients Can Be More Independent
Many older adults are afraid of losing their independence, so they refuse to admit that they need support and care. The majority of them prefer home health care services because they want to continue living independently and do their daily tasks by themselves. However, if necessary, they’ll opt to seek help and support from home care specialists for assistance, wherein they can still feel free and independent compared to receiving constant care in the hospital.
- Well-Trained Home Health Care Staff
Behavioral education, care coordination, prescription management, and disease treatment are all successful models developed by home care providers over the past few years. These are the aspects that home health care businesses can boast to their customers and patients.
Innovative technologies and therapeutics help millions of patients live independently at home safely by delivering high-quality and client-centered care across the health care system. They continue training nurses and health care providers to suit the current needs of their patients.
- Home Health Care Reduce Falls And Patient Injuries
After undergoing surgery or being hospitalized for an illness, you may be concerned about safety when they go home, especially the possibility of falling or slipping. However, having a home health care specialist can actually reduce the chances of slips and falls compared to staying in the hospital.
As everybody knows, nurses in the hospital can’t stay side by side with the patient for the rest of the day, they have a lot of patients and tasks to undertake. This is the reason why home care services are preferred because of their personalized ways to care for a sick person at home.
- Comfort And Convenience
Compared to hospitals, elderly people recover faster at home, experiencing zero to fewer complications. Patient medication management is more straightforward with home health care. This way, they can avoid dangerous drug interactions and avoid hospitalization altogether. Since they are feeling very comfortable at home, they tend to heal and recover faster to go through their normal routines. By remaining at home, older adults can maintain a sense of normality in their lives. They are psychologically more motivated and driven to recover faster to continue living with the life they’re used to.
- Hospital Quality Level Of Care
Many people think home health care isn’t as comprehensive as hospital care. But this perception is wrong. As a matter of fact, a registered nurse can provide hospital-style services at home, even without using special medical devices and equipment.
A premium home care agency will ensure that your loved one receives the best possible care. The best care is delivered at home by experienced caregivers who are trained and experienced.
Moreover, specialty pharmacies and home nursing agencies work together to provide safe and effective home health care to patients. A home care program is cost-effective, secure, and prevents hospitalization. You can seek advice from a physician if your family considers this treatment.
- Devise Exercise Activities For The Patient
You can follow through with a personalized exercise program under the guidance of a qualified professional. Physical activity can improve your health and help you manage your chronic disorder symptoms. In other words, you need this to get fit for life. Among the many health benefits of exercise is the improvement of mental health and mood, the reduction of depression and anxiety, and the improvement of cognitive function.
As a chronic ailment patient, you can suggest these mild exercises with your home health care companion:
- Walking
It’s best to get up and move even when you have a severe health condition. Go out of your home, breathe some fresh air, and tell your home healthcare specialist to walk with you to the nearest park. Everyone can benefit from walking. It doesn’t impact any of your body parts, and it can relieve mental tension or fatigue. This improves blood circulation in the body and refreshes your mood.
- Resistance Bands
Resistance bands can be a good alternative if you aren’t up to heavy lifting. If you need to tone your body more, this is a great exercise, rather than lifting weights. The bands are adjustable at different levels, so you can adjust according to your capacity. Your nurse can help you keep a good form and posture while doing resistance band workouts.
- Low-Impact Aerobics
Make sure to do low-impact aerobics, such as cycling or swimming, to increase your heart rate without hurting yourself. This is an ideal exercise for the overall benefit of your body and mind. It doesn’t have to be intense since you’ll still get a lot of healthy rewards for this exercise.
- Family Caregivers Can Take A Rest And Have Peace Of Mind
Caregiving at home has benefits for family members, as well. Home health care specialists can take over trivial tasks once done by the family. As a result, family caregivers can go back to their usual routine, such as working because there is someone to take care of their loved one.
Family caregivers can take a break once in a while and trust home health care specialists to perform their tasks on their behalf. Family caregivers can refresh their minds and not feel guilty or worried if they can’t be able to care for the patient. When you can’t physically be with your loved one, you can rest assured they have all the care they need since you’ve entrusted them to a home health care specialist.
- More Control Of Their Health
Adult patients want more control of their health. Unlike hospitals where doctors and nurses usually call the shots, in-home health care allows them to feel more in control of their health. With personalized treatment and care, they feel more valued and special.
- Team Of Professionals Available
Like hospitals, a home health care company is also made up of different medical specialists who can attend to diverse medical needs and attention. Physical therapists, nurses, speech therapists, social workers, occupational therapists, and physicians are available. These professionals all underwent extensive training and screening. As a patient of a home health care company, you can have access to these professionals in the comforts of your home.
- Fun Daily Activities Than In The Hospital
Another benefit of a home health care service is that your daily activities will be more fun than when you’re confined in a hospital room. While under an in-home care setup, clients reported that they could do usual tasks like bathing, eating, grooming, and dressing up, which are all more enjoyably done at home than in the hospital. They feel more normal when they’re doing these things at home.
- One-On-One Care And Support
Patients receive personalized one-on-one care and support from health care specialists when they acquire home care services. Patients became more trusting in their doctors and nurses while receiving medical attention at home than in the hospital. Utmost attention is provided to each patient, and care plans are tailored to their specific needs.
- Cost-Effective
The cost of home health care services depends on the provider you choose. In most cases, home care services are far more affordable than hospitalization. Often than not, home care rates may vary depending on the needs and services that the patient requires. It would be best to ask for an estimate from the home care service company based on the information that you’ll provide regarding the patient.
Home care services can be considered cost-effective because you spend less on unnecessary hospital visits, you don’t accumulate hospital confinement bills, and you get to stay in the comforts of your home with fewer expenses that can save you a hefty amount of money.
- More Quality Time Spent With Loved Ones
Patients can spend more time with their loved ones when they receive home health care. There is no need to cram family and friends into a small hospital room. Everyone can spend more time with the patient at home, more comfortably, with all the freedom and convenience.
Likewise, it’s easier for friends and family to visit an elderly loved one at home than in the hospital. Patients get more social interaction without having to adhere to set visiting times. Nothing more warms the heart of a sick patient or an elderly person than entertaining visitors in their own home.
Conclusion
Home health care generally costs less than hospital care. But other than the cost savings, they offer many benefits as mentioned above. The key is to find the best home health care services suitable for you or your loved one.