Home health care is defined is medical services provided at home to treat a chronic health condition or help you recover from illness, injury or surgery. It can also be employed after one’s health has declined or after getting diagnosed with a serious medical condition.
If one’s condition entails a long course of management, long hospital stays or regular transportation between one’s home and health centers may prove to be unsustainable, inefficient or may even (in some cases) predisposes one to more risks of injury.
Home healthcare is also a transitional platform after hospital stays. After any impactful hospitalization, ability to optimally plug back in one’s community or work life may still be far even after overcoming the primary illness.
The primary goals here are to help people continue with their journey of recovery within their community environment, progressively learning their activities of daily living within their homes and reinforcing independence.
In general, home health care aims at helping you to get better, regain your independence, become as self-sufficient as possible, maintain your current condition or level of function and slow decline or disability.
Just like it sounds, it is basically medical care provided in, or extended to a patient’s home. This setting of care is unique, not only because the care is provided in the home, but the care itself is usually less expensive, more convenient, and just as effective as care given in a hospital or skilled nursing facility.
Different types of Home Health Care services
The range of home health care services a patient can receive at home is limitless. Depending on the individual patient’s situation, care can range from nursing care, rehabilitative care or specialized medical services, such as laboratory workups or physician visits.
Apart from such skilled medical professionals, the plan can also include skilled, non-medical care, such as medical social services or assistance with daily living from qualified home health aide. You and your doctor will determine your care plan and services you may need at home.
The most common form of home health care involves the following, depending on the person’s needs:
Nursing care
In consultation with your doctor, a registered nurse will set up a plan of care. Nursing care may include wound dressing, ostomy care, intravenous therapy, administering medication, monitoring the general health of the patient, pain control, and other health support.
Rehabilitative Care
In this case, it is referred to as Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR). After a disabling illness, injury or surgery, patients may need therapeutic interventions to facilitate healing and recovery and to relearn performing activities of daily living or improve their speech. This may include physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists.
Medical Social Services
Medical social workers provide various services to the patient, including counseling and referral services to relevant supportive community programs that would facilitate the patient’s recovery. Some social workers are also the patient’s case manager, especially where the patient’s condition is very complex and requires coordination of many services.
Care from Home health Aides
Home health aides can help the patient with his or her basic personal needs such as bed transfers and mobility, feeding, grooming, general hygiene and toilet use based on patient needs. Some aides have received specialized training to assist with more specialized care under the supervision of a nurse.
In general, a home health staff’s functions will entail monitoring your vital signs, your diet and nutrition, your compliance to treatment and other prescriptions, management of pain and checking your safety in the home. He or she might also coordinate your care, keeping in regular communication with you, your doctor, and other involved caregivers including your family.
There are several home health providers in Nairobi, including Healthylife & Rehab. Feel free to get in touch with us and we may be able to help, depending on your needs. We are committed to quality improvement and do work in partnership with different healthcare providers, including hospitals, to enhance healthcare outcomes and to prevent unnecessary hospital readmissions.
