Senior Resources Housing Directory 2019

H OME H EALTH A GENCIES

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ome Health Agencies were established to provide health care for individuals who do not require hospital- ization, but need care or treatment and have difficulty leaving their home to seek care in a clinic setting. Agency nurses, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, as well as social workers and aides bring a wide range of treatment options to the home. Nurses work with patients to man- age medications, treat wounds, run infusions, teach tube feedings, manage bowel and bladder programs, and teach patients how to man- age disease process. Therapists work to restore lost motor function, from walking after a knee replace- ment, to meal preparation for compromised heart patients, to relearning speech follow- ing a stroke. Aides assist patients with activities of daily living while in the recovery phase. Most home health agen- cies also provide custodial long term care. Some offer other programs and services

Most individuals receive home care in their home or apartment, this includes independent living centers. Home care can be provided in assisted living centers also, when the care does not duplicate a service already offered by the center. In addition to home health agencies there are non- licensed agencies that pro- vide only non medical ser- vices. These organizations offer custodial care in the form of cleaning, cooking, errands, bathing and dress- ing. These services are not covered by Medicare or Medicaid, but may be cov- ered by long term care insur- ance. Article submitted by Mary T. Haynor, Horizon Home Care and Hospice, Inc.

in the home such as meals- on-wheels, homemaker ser- vices, private duty, etc. The delivery of home care is now more high tech and has grown to include remote electronic monitor- ing of disease management and electronic patient records. Patients benefit with accurate and up-to- date response times. Home Health Agencies are licensed by the State and are subject to the regu- lations of that licensure. Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance policies cover home health services for home bound patients who require nursing and/or therapy. Some insurance policies, such as Medicaid and long term care policies will cover cus- todial care without the requirement of a nurse or a therapist. Many providers are also accredited by an independent outside regu-

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