Healthcare is an essential that everyone needs at every stage of their lives. However, everyone has unique healthcare and physical needs that don’t always fit in with normal hospital visits. Some people may become homebound after surgery, and some may require round-the-clock supervision as neurological disease progresses.
In either situation, the choice of freedom for the patient is lost, and a family will have to choose home health care or facility-based care.
Let’s examine each option, their pros and cons, and which could be the best choice for your loved one’s quality of care.
What Does Home Health Care Cover?
Home health care services are an amazing opportunity for families with home-bound loved ones.
Whether the care is long-term or temporary, home healthcare provides medical and non-medical support to homebound patients.
These services let your loved one experience quality healthcare from a team of compassionate professionals, all from the comfort and safety of home.
Home health care comes with most of the essential services one would receive at a hospital or assisted living facility.
Skilled nursing visits, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology services, and medical social work are some ways a home healthcare provider can assist the homebound.
What is Facility-Based Care?
Facility-based care, such as assisted living, provides various services to homebound patients that improve their quality of life outside their homes.
These services typically include 24/7 access to qualified medical personnel, assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), meal preparation and delivery, transportation for appointments, and dedicated nursing staff who provide regular check-ins.
Primary Benefits of Third-Party Care
Third-party facilities not only provide medical necessities, but they also offer socialization opportunities through recreational activities like exercise classes or group outings.
For those needing more extensive medical care, many assisted living communities have onsite physicians available for consultation or referrals to specialists.
Facility-based care can be an ideal solution for seniors who are unable to be home alone or wish to remain independent while receiving the highest level of quality care.
Primary Benefits of Home Health Care
Sometimes being home bound is the best choice for someone recovering from surgery or living with a debilitating illness. Unlike a third-party facility, home is a familiar place where patients can feel comfortable and can be more likely to stick to prescribed routines and therapies in the long term.
Home health care offers a wide range of advantages, particularly with respect to safety, reliability, and companionship.
Generally, home health care provides clients with one-on-one attentive service from certified healthcare professionals that is tailored to meet their individual needs. This means that they are able to receive more scheduled attention than they would at a doctor’s office or other medical facility.
This makes it easier for healthcare professionals to assess the patient’s overall health and provide personalized treatment plans.
Additionally, because these services are typically provided in the patient’s home, they are able to remain in familiar surroundings while receiving medical care which can help reduce anxiety and improve comfort levels.
In addition to offering enhanced comfort levels, home health care also provides an additional layer of safety that is not necessarily available at other medical facilities.
For example, home health aides are trained to observe their patients for any signs of change or deterioration in condition, as well as any potential hazards within the home environment such as faulty electrical wiring or lack of smoke detectors.
Home health aides can also provide assistance with daily living activities such as dressing and bathing which can help reduce the risks associated with slips and falls caused by mobility limitations or fatigue.
Which is the Best Care Choice for Your Loved Ones
Overall, home health care has significant benefits for those unable or unwilling to access traditional forms of medical care. Not only does it provide more personalized attention than what may be available at other facilities, but it also adds an additional layer of safety to a patient’s treatment.
If you or a loved one feel that you need qualified care in a safe location, from a reliable medical resource home healthcare may be your family’s best choice.
Contact us today to learn more about our home health care services and how we can make life at home healthier and safer.