Why Choose Home Health Care?

Home Health Care is becoming a popular way to receive medical and non medical care. It allows the elder, injured, or disabled to remain independent, and at home and comfortable in their community. The difference between the use of medical and non medical care is cost and services offered. For example a bedridden colon cancer patient may only have need for a home medical care provider. Whereas a semi mobile diabetic woman recovering from a stoke could benefit from both medical and non medical home services. In fact some people just need a few non medical services a couple of times a week to help them to remain at home. The value in home care is not only the dignity and independence the client achieves, but a financial savings as well. Both medical and Non Medical Home Health Care provide huge savings over rehab, in patient hospital, and assisted living care. Additionally, patients at home recover faster, have lower blood pressure, longer life expectancy, follow medical and prescription regiments better, and have less depression. It is important to note the difference between Medical Home Care Providers and Non Medical Home Care Providers.

Medical Home Care Providers provide skilled services that cannot be performed safely and effectively by non medically trained personnel. Including but not limited to:

• injections


• intravenous therapy


• wound care


• education on disease treatment and prevention


• patient assessments


• administration of medications

Standard Home Care Providers will provide non medical personal care, house keeping, and companion services. Generally including but not limited to:

• assisting clients getting out of bed


• assisting clients walking


• assisting clients rising from a chair


• personal care (bathing, toileting, dressing, and other hygiene)


• light household duties


• laundry


• meal planning and preparation


• general housekeeping


• grocery shopping, prescription retrieval, other errands


• transportation to appointments


• companionship and comfort


• daily phone check ins


• emergency home monitoring devices

As you can see the differences are quite diverse, not the same services as you may once have imagined. The financial end of this is matching the services needed to the client. Why would insurance, Medicare, PASSPORT, or families pay for a hospice nurse when all they require is a Home Helper (Non Medical Home Care Provider). The cost for a hospice or respite nurse for example is $32.00 to $55.00 per hour or some use a flat fee of $100.00 to $120.00 for a 2-3 hour visit, this is fine IF you need medical services. The rates for Non Medical Home Care, dependent on the type of service range nationally from $14.00 to $28.00. The trick is to get what you need, even if it is a little of both. Your Medicare benefits specialist can help coordinate those services for you, as would and private insurance I would think. If you are private pay, a social worker at the local hospital or the AARP will be able to help you coordinate this effort. The savings to the consumer and the insurance companies is profound. Over 132 Million in last 5 years. Savings like that could put a dent in the Social Security / Medicare deficit!


Visit Home Helpers