Elderly Home Health Care

by William Smith I am marketing expert

Elder home health care involves having a trained and licensed aide regularly assist a senior citizen in his or her home. This individual serves as an aide who is not under the direct care and control of a doctor or a nurse. Rather, this individual provides routine and necessary assistance to the senior citizen in the home where they receive all or most of their required daily activities.

Elder care professionals work closely with doctors and nurses to assess the condition of the senior citizen and determine what type of aid would best and most appropriately fill the role of caregiver.

A brief guide on Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

In most cases, home health aides work under the supervision of either a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Senior home health care agencies often either contract with a nurse-nurse combination or directly with a special needs individual based upon their particular level of medical care and the skills required to give that care.

Often times, the senior care agency pays the cost of the special needs individual while at the same time working under the supervision of a licensed practical nurse or a doctor. Because the agency has an insured patient involved, the costs involved are limited to those already paid out by an insurance provider such as Medicare.

Otherwise, the special needs individual would have had to pay for the services out of pocket.

Categories of elder care facilities

There are many different types of elder care facilities that fall into one of three categories: inpatient nursing care services, residential elder care facilities, or home health care services. Most senior care facilities offer three or four different levels of service. Each level offers its own level of comfort, support, and flexibility to the elderly patient, depending on their specific needs.

· Inpatient nursing care

Inpatient nursing care is the most common type of home elder home health care offered by many agencies. Inpatient home care services usually start with a brief stay in the home to assess the situation and determine the needs of the senior citizen.

Once the needs are assessed, a plan is developed to ensure the daily living needs of the senior are met and that limitations are also properly enforced. The services offered include daily living assistance such as grocery shopping, errands, and transportation, as well as assistance with activities of daily living including grooming, dressing, and bathing.

· Residential home health care

Residential home health care is a type of home care service that caters specifically to the elderly adult who is not bed ridden. Instead, it provides around the clock, long term home care that are consistent, timely, and effective. In residential home health care, a licensed professional staff member is assigned to the case.

Depending on the home health care program established by the agency, there may be a variety of services to consider. Some examples of services provided include: visiting in-home specialists when needed, transportation when necessary, and the provision of meals when the senior citizen is home.

Elder care that is provided by a Medicare provider is referred to as in home medical care or medicare reimbursement. Most people prefer this option because of the familiarity with the staff, but some older adults may have a more difficult time adjusting to the environment of an in home medical facility.

This type of elder home health care can also be more expensive than traditional nursing home health care.

Final words

If you choose to use a skilled nursing facility for elder home health care, your loved ones can often remain in their own home environment for several days after the initial hospitalization. Skilled home health care is a good option for those who do not wish to be admitted to a long term care facility.

In-home skilled nursing facilities offer the convenience of staying in one's own home, as well as the companionship and support that older adults need. Although the costs associated with these services can vary, they can provide a sense of comfort and independence for seniors who need special care, but do not wish to be placed in a nursing facility for any reason.