Published: August 7, 2023
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Home health care is a welcome option for many who need extra support to get through their day— whether recovering from surgery, managing an illness or injury, or dealing with challenges that can come with aging. Home, after all, is a comforting place, and being able to stay at home can help you or your loved one continue to enjoy a familiar quality of life.
Feel better prepared to make care decisions for you or your loved one with a basic understanding of home health care services, from knowing what to expect during home visits to learning how long services can be used. Here are five things you need to know about home health care:
1. What is home health care?
At its core, home health care is simply a way for us to help people stay safely in their homes while managing their health. There’s a wide range of ways you or a loved one might need care at home, including help:
- Ensuring the best use of medications
- Getting IV fluids, nutrition therapy, and injections
- Managing an illness or injury
- Receiving physical, speech, or occupational therapy
- Recovering from surgery
- Taking care of a wound
Home health care providers also work closely with patients and caregivers to educate them about the person’s condition and help them resolve issues—all with the goal of ensuring they can maintain a certain level of independence.
2. What happens during a home health visit?
Though your home health care team will customize your plan of care depending on your unique needs, all home health visits are generally designed to check to see how you’re doing and where you might need some help. During your visit, we will assess your:
- Lifestyle habits, such as what you’re eating and drinking
- Medications and treatments to ensure your safety and that they’re working well
- Pain level to keep you comfortable as you heal or deal with bothersome symptoms
- Safety around your home with a focus on modifying activities of daily living, when needed
- Vital signs, including blood pressure, breathing, heart rate and temperature
A variety of professionals will work together to help you through your care plan. That means your home health team could include home health aides, skilled nurses, physical therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, or medical social workers.
Visits tend to happen more often at the start of care and may taper off over time as the person regains their health.
Importantly, these visits aren’t just helpful for a person’s physical health—they can also go a long way toward helping people feel more connected, too. Providers’ cheerful hellos, friendly smiles, and helping hands are often much needed and appreciated during these visits.
3. Who pays for home health?
Medicare, Medicare Advantage, VA, and most private insurance plans cover eligible home health services. You or your loved one may have to meet certain conditions to be covered by some plans. For example, Medicare requires that healthcare providers certify you meet specific “homebound” conditions to be eligible for home health services.
4. How long do home health care services last?
A care provider will plan for 60 days of care to start. Then, toward the end of that time, they’ll check in with you to see if you need to continue with home care services. There’s no specific limit to the amount of time someone can continue to receive care at home if they still need that care.
5. How do you get started?
To learn more about the Traditions Health team, or to request care, click the button below. We’re ready to meet you, and eager to help you get back to your best life at home.
