Going to a hospital or clinic can be a time-consuming and uncomfortable process. However, doing these things used to be absolutely necessary if you wanted to stay healthy throughout your life. And although we all still need to visit the doctor’s office every now and then, at-home health care and wellness services make it possible to receive specialized care right at home.
Keep reading to learn more about wellness and healthcare services from home.
What is at-home wellness and healthcare?
As its name suggests, home healthcare includes different types of medical care that can be provided in patients’ own homes instead of their usual medical facility. These services can be provided by a visiting nurse, a physical therapist, or any other type of healthcare professional.
The popularity and demand for home healthcare services experienced a significant increase during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and numerous insurance providers have even started to include coverage for home health services in their packages.
What are the benefits and disadvantages of wellness healthcare from home?
The goal of home care is to provide safe and effective care for patients in their own homes, regardless of the severity and cause of their illness or injury. This type of care is typically provided by registered nurses, physical therapists, social workers, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and physicians’ assistants who specialize in working within the patients’ homes.
The benefits of at-home healthcare include helping the patient avoid hospitalization, which significantly reduces their risk of infection. Staying in their home environment also makes it easier for patients to maintain their independence and usual daily routine, which can be very beneficial for patients’ emotional and mental wellbeing.
Home health care can also help patients with a chronic, degenerative condition slow the decline of their condition, while still being as self-sufficient as possible in each case.
According to Medicare, home health care is usually more affordable and convenient as the care that you can receive in a hospital or clinic.
Of course, there are also certain disadvantages of at-home healthcare. These disadvantages are the lack of continuity between healthcare providers, and the extended time it takes to provide care during certain situations, which could lead to an increased rate of complications.
These factors should be taken into account when deciding whether someone is fit to receive at-home healthcare, or if they would do better under direct medical observation at a healthcare facility. You should seek professional guidance before making this decision, especially if you’re undergoing a medical emergency or have been diagnosed with a disease.
A doctor’s order is needed to be eligible for home health care, which means that you will typically need to have a medical appointment scheduled so you can be referred to an at-home healthcare provider.
Home wellness and healthcare options
Nowadays, there are seemingly endless providers that offer wellness and healthcare from home. These providers are able to cover a wide range of medical and wellness services, which makes it more convenient for many patients across the country to access high-quality medical care.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, some types of home health care services include:
- Doctor care: in some cases, a physician will visit the patient directly to provide a diagnosis and decide on the best course of treatment.
- Nursing care: a nursing plan of care will vary depending on the patient’s needs, but it can include wound dressing, administering medications, providing pain management, and ostomy care, among others.
- Physical, occupational, or speech therapy: these therapists can help the patient relearn how to perform different actions and tasks, from talking to walking and much more.
- Medical social services: a medical social service worker helps patients find resources such as counseling, support groups, or local community aid. They also coordinate the patient’s care team, especially in complex cases that require the help of different professionals.
- Care from home health aides: home health aids help patients with basic personal needs, such as walking, getting dressed, or personal hygiene routines.
- Basic assistance care: also known as a homemaker, this person can help you with chores or daily tasks to keep your home running, including cooking, grocery shopping, or doing laundry, among others.
Sources
What’s home health care? - medicare.gov
What are the different types of home health care services? - hopkinsmedicine.org