Home care services are crucial for patients who have recently suffered a major illness or accident or for elderly and pediatric patients who require special services.
Even though a hospital setup can provide comfort and care to people with complex medical needs, home care services are much more affordable and personalised.
If you have someone in your family who might require special care services for their medical needs, this article is for you.
Types of Home Care Services
Based on the patient and their specific needs, there are different types of home-based care services that you can opt for, such as:
Personal Care and Companionship
Not all care services need to be physical. Patients who suffer from severe mental or emotional trauma and stress also need companionship.
For them, there are different services like emotional and psychological support, ensuring safety devices are properly installed in the home, personal hygiene support, meal planning support, and other forms of home health aids, among others.
Additionally, with the help of houseplants, home care experts create a soothing environment for the patients to make the process of recovery easier.
Basic Services
For patients who need special medical care, there are basic support services like short-term and long-term nursing services, physical and occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, and medical social services.
This aims to let the patient enjoy a normal life while also balancing their medical needs.
Nursing Care
Nursing care services cover aspects like monitoring the overall physical and mental health of the patient, cleaning and dressing wounds, pain control, ostomy care, pain control, and support while taking medication.
Different Ways Home Care Empower People with Complex Medical Needs
Age-Related Problem Support
When people get old, their body’s normal motor and other functions start to deteriorate. While this is normal, some elderly patients require special care for their increasing physical, mental, and emotional needs.
Age-related changes in the body can lead to illnesses like reduced muscle strength, weakened vision and hearing, reduced joint mobility, and problems remembering and understanding things.
If such elderly patients are left alone at home, it can be dangerous for them. This is why home care services are crucial for such patients.
If there’s a caretaker or nurse staying with the elderly patient, they can closely monitor the patient’s vitals and physical condition to make sure everything is safe.
Personalised Care
One of the biggest advantages of home care services is the level of personalisation that it has.
For example, if there’s a family member in your home who has a physical disability, you can get in touch with a Disability Support Agency that will ask you detailed questions about the patient’s nature and level of disability.
Based on your answers, different home care plans will be outlined for you. If the disability is mild and the patient is mostly able to walk and perform basic functions, then a short-term nursing care service will suffice.
But if the patient is severely disabled and requires constant help, even for performing basic functions like going to the bathroom, then round-the-clock long-term nursing care will be ideal.
Pediatric Services
For children who require special medical attention, choosing the right home care services can be a difficult task, especially when it comes to babies who are unable to voice out their concerns.
Most children are afraid to stay in the hospital for more than a few days, which is why good home-based care must be provided to reduce readmission.
Pediatric home care services also have special facilities for children suffering from chronic conditions like diabetes, COPD, cardiovascular problems, and even childhood cancer.
Referrals for pediatric home care services are mostly given by doctors, who will outline the basic needs of the child and which care service the parents or guardians should choose.
Familiar Environment
Another way in which home care services empower patients is by letting them heal in the comfort of their homes.
Most patients who require complex medical care are often unwilling to stay in hospitals or clinics for an extended period. Moreover, the charges levied by hospitals are also much more than what you’d have to pay for home care services.
These kinds of care services have proven to be a boon for patients who are physically or mentally unable to travel from their home to the hospital occasionally.
Instead of moving to an assisted care facility or a nursing home, patients can comfortably rest at home and engage with people they love.
Human Interaction
Let’s be honest: constantly staying in the hospital or going there for regular checkups can take a severe mental toll on the patient who is already suffering from a complicated medical emergency.
To ensure that these patients receive genuine human interaction, home-based services have been launched.
For example, basic care facilities may take patients out for walks, help them socialise, or take them to places like bookstores and grocery shops.
These human interactions are essential for patients because they make them feel less isolated or different from others. Home care services are ideal for patients who require special mental health care.
Supported Autonomy
Often, hospitals and other assistive care facilities take charge of the patient’s well-being without letting them have a say. This not only demotivates the patient but also leads to slower recovery rates.
On the other hand, home care services give autonomy to the patient only after judging their physical, mental, and emotional capacities.
If the organisation sees that the patient is able to make basic decisions independently, it will not interfere with their choices.
People with complex medical needs deserve to live life the way they want to, and home-based care facilities understand the importance of providing them with that dignity and respect.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a good home care service provider for a loved one or family member, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your doctor.
Tell them about the patient’s complete medical history and any needs they might have. Next, do some thorough research and contact different facility providers based on their prior experiences and customer reviews. Finally, don’t forget to conduct a transparent interview to choose the best care facility!
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