Many seniors and others with chronic illness or a disability require help to ensure they are safe, and that their condition does not progress. Usually, this includes finding your family member or friend a location where qualified professionals can be responsive to their needs 24 hours a day. The goal is to determine the care options that will meet the needs of your loved one.
While reading this post, consider available options that will give your family member the most appropriate care based on their personal needs.
The Difference Between In-Home Nursing Services and a Home Care Assistant
If most of your loved one’s needs are medical and they do not need assistance with Activities for daily living (ADLs) such as grooming, bathing, going to the grocery store, preparing meals, and functional mobility., then home nursing care will be a more reasonable option.
Our expert team of skilled nurses, therapists, and social workers offer the following therapies, treatments, and services:
- Advanced & Complex Wound Care
- Diabetic Management & Education
- Chronic Disease Management & Education
- Medication Management & Education
Some patients receive in-home skilled nursing care and have a home care assistant. It all depends on the patient’s condition and medical requirements
At Serenity Home Health, we specialize exclusively in the latter and do not solely offer personal care services.
Signs an In-Home Nurse is Right for Your Loved One
When a patient cannot leave their home (homebound), they may benefit from home health. You may have easily taken them to and from appointments in the past, but when doing so becomes more difficult, the support of home health may be needed.
Additionally, there are certain things to look out for that show a senior is struggling.
Some examples include: difficulty with personal hygiene routines (dirty clothes, body odor), a change in mood or habits, inability to manage medications, and decrease in activity. These may be signs that your loved one needs some additional assistance; a nursing in-home assessment can help to determine what is needed.
It is also important to make sure that your loved one is eligible for home health care. To determine eligibility, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is your loved one currently under the direct care of a physician and are they following a health care plan that’s been created and reviewed by them?
- Does your loved one require a physician for things such as physical therapy, speech and language services, skilled nursing care, and occupational therapy?
- Is it becoming more and more taxing for your family member to leave the house?
What Kind of Financial Investment is Required? Will Medicare Cover The Services?
Medicare will cover the services, if the services are deemed necessary by a physician and the patient is eligible to receive the benefits.
Note: To qualify, the skilled nursing services must be administered by a Medicare Certified entity.
Examples of services not included in the Medicare benefit:
- 24/7 home care
- Meals delivered to the home
- Shopping, cleaning, and laundry
- Personal or custodial care (dressing or bathing)
- Anything that’s considered more than intermittent skilled nursing care
Questions?
If you have any questions regarding in-home nursing services and therapies, please contact the Serenity Home Health team today. Our passionate and knowledgeable staff will help you determine the best care solution for your loved one.
Serenity Home Health is nationally and locally recognized for providing high-quality home health care to patients living in Wichita and Hutchinson, KS and surrounding areas.
Serenity Hospice Care is one of only 30 Home Health Agencies in the Nation to receive a Double 5-Star Rating, out of more than 12,200 in the United States — and the only one to receive this distinction in Kansas.
