As the United States ages, the need for a home health/ in-home aid increases more and more. But, how do you know if you qualify for one and which aid would work best for you? How do you pay for a Home Health Aid? Where can you find the best ones?
These questions are some of the main things people are looking for when searching for a home health aid. Due to the lack of information provided and the unknown, many go without the help they need.
In order to help people live a more comfortable and easier life the public needs to be properly informed.
Along with the many misinterpretations about home aids in society today that have impacted the amount of help being received, the lack of information given to patients has had a huge role in the decline of home health aides and home care aides.
Many don’t even realize that there are differences between home health care and in-home care. This may cause a patient to hire the wrong aid and could potentially cause serious issues.
Home Health Care is Great for your Health
Home health care patients tend to be the more demanding of the two types of aid. Home Health Care services include but are not limited too; wound care, medical tests, therapy, administration of medications including injections, pain management.
Home Health Care patients must be certified home bound by a doctor, they must be under a doctors care at least three months prior to the employment of an aid, they must have a physician prescribed health care plan, among other things.
A home health care aid can be covered by the patients health insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid (depending on the state). However, the biggest difference between a home health care patient and a in-home care patient is that the home health care patient’s health status must require the assistance from a licensed medical provider.
In-Home Care is Great for the Soul
Even though an in-home care aid can perform many tasks that a home health care aids can do to help a patient they do have many restrictions. In-Home care aid does not need to be a licensed medical provider.
They are allowed to remind the patient of time to take medicine but are not allowed to administer any medication to the patient. An in-home care aid helps more around the house so the patient feels comfortable. This may include cleaning, paying bills, grooming, companionship and home therapy.
The qualifications for an in-home care patients are also more relaxed than home health care patients. Not only do the patients, not need a prescribed aid, they also do not need to considered home bound.
These key characteristics are important to remember when looking for an aid. If any information is needed the patient should ask their doctors and friends and continue to do research in order to find the right fit for them.
The more information they know the more comfortable their life can become.