November is National Hospice and Home Care Month, but most of us would never know it.
Home care and hospice services continue to be shrouded in mystery and are frequently misunderstood, despite it touching hundreds of area families, and despite the many volunteers who devote hours of their precious time to it.
For the aged, disabled or ill, remaining in the homes they know and love can become increasingly difficult unless they can obtain services they need to support them. Whether it’s for two days a week, for continuous twenty four hour care or end-of-life support, home care can allow patients to remain in their homes, protect their independence, and preserve their dignity.
Four themes
The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) has chosen four different themes for this year’s celebration to represent core home care and hospice services.
For Home Health, the theme is “Home is the Center of Health Care.” The Hospice theme is: “Hospice = Love in Action.” The Private Duty theme is “Loving Care Tailored to Each Family’s Needs.” The Home Care Aide Week (Nov. 9-15) theme is: “Caring in Action.”
“It’s important for the public to understand the different services available in home care and the availability of agencies that provide those services,” said Claudia Crawford, RN, supervisor of Community Health Professionals of Ada.
Non-medical home care and medical, skilled home health care are two very different things. Non-medical home care is ideal for individuals, especially seniors, who would prefer to remain in their own home rather than move into a nursing facility but need some assistance to do so comfortably and safely.
This type of home care is usually referred to as personal care or companion care, and services range from transportation, errands, light housekeeping, meal preparation and assistance with activities of daily living.
“For the most part, non-medical home care is a private pay service, meaning it is not covered by Medicare or Medicaid programs and must be paid for independently,” said Crawford. “However, there are some state government programs, like Passport that individuals may qualify for that will assist in payment for these services.”
Visiting nurses
Medical home health care or “visiting nurses” is appropriate for people suffering from chronic illness and/or recovering from acute injury or illness and needing skilled care to remain at home. Skilled home health services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, most private insurances and veteran’s benefits.
“Home health services include medication management; wound care; physical, occupational, and speech therapies; and other skilled services provided by licensed individuals,” said Crawford. “It requires a physician’s order, and that the patient is under the care of a physician.”
In most cases, insurance providers stipulate that a patient must be home-bound and need intermittent, skilled services to qualify for visiting nurses services. Home bound doesn’t mean that a patient must be bedbound or confined to home, but it must be difficult for the patient to leave home unassisted.
Hospice care
Hospice care provides a combination of care to help patients and families focus on living when a loved one is terminally ill.
“The notion of the end of life being near can certainly be scary and lonely for the patient and their loved ones,” Crawford said. “Hospice sees this time as an important time of living.”
The hospice team relieves those feelings of loneliness and anxiety; helps provide comfort and security with expert medical care and can even help attain last wishes. By helping patients live the last phase of their journey fully, hospice allows patients to feel a sense of much needed dignity and respect. At the same time, hospice recognizes and attends to the needs of family members providing care.
“There's an inaccurate perception that hospice means you've given up,” said Crawford. “Those of us who have worked in the field have seen firsthand how hospice and palliative care can improve the quality of life and may even prolong the lives of some people who receive care.”
For more information
Community Health Professionals offers a complete range of home health and hospice services throughout northwest and west central Ohio. Home health, hospice and related services can begin with a phone call to 419-634-7443. Or visit www.ComHealthPro.org to learn more.
