The Different Types Of Home Care For Elders And Recovering Patients

The Different Types Of Home Care For Elders And Recovering Patients

Home care is given to people who need personal or medical treatment while staying in their own homes. Most VA home care agencies also provide additional services unrelated to health, such as light housekeeping, meal preparations, etc. The different types of home care are as follows.

Nursing care

Nursing care is provided to people recovering after hospitalization for a major procedure, elders, the terminally ill, and babies. Care normally involves a highly skilled and appropriately certified nurse, or medical assistance professional. This person is responsible for ensuring the patient is duly assisted at all times, so that the family will not be burdened by having to meet the latter’s needs. The nurse’s duties include treating wounds, administering treatments and medicine, and supervising the effects of care on the patient.

Special care

There are cases where the patient will require more than normal care and assistance, sometimes physical or mental therapy. There are VA home care agencies, which would place a physical therapist working in collaboration with nurse, the former visiting the patient to help with pain in the muscles or joints. Besides this, you have occupational therapy, which deals with obstacles to living activities, and speech therapy for patients who have trouble speaking.

Homemaker help

Services under this assist the patient with minor household tasks such as laundry, housekeeping, and grocery runs. The main aim of this is to make the patient’s recovery and transition back to health as smooth as possible, by aiding in the smooth running of the household. Some VA home care agencies assign a single person to the patient for health care, as well as for performing the tasks mentioned above.

Dietary and nutritional support

A healthy diet is important to the patient’s speedy recovery, because this provide the nutrients necessary for the body to heal rapidly. In cases where this needs to be ensured, the VA home care service would work alongside a dietician to plan the requisite diet for the patient’s requirements. It is also common for meal preparation to be included in the services.

Transportation

Transportation facilities are usually provided when certain service cannot be availed at home. The care agency would aid in setting up appointments, and make sure that you keep them.

These are some of the types of home based care which an elder or patient can avail. They are usually necessary only as long as the person is recovering from their previous condition.

Latest posts by Brooke Sutton, President, RN (see all)
Comments are closed.