What Is Home Health Care?

Imagine a doctor just diagnosed your mom or your dad with dementia. They need care immediately. They don’t want to go to a nursing home.

Your dad will need at least one caregiver.

“What’s a caregiver,” you may ask? A caregiver is the hero who helps take care of patients when they need assistance with their daily routines.

Many people who are in your dad’s situation may use a home health service, like All American Home Care.

What Is Home Health Care? A home health care service is a service where patients will receive the required medical attention, from a group of medically talented caregivers, in the comfort of their home surrounded by their loved ones.

This service, which is delivered by licensed healthcare professionals, is designed for individuals who need ongoing health support but do not need to stay in a long-term-care facility.

While many people do not know what the term “home healthcare” encompasses, we’ll explore everything you need to know about home healthcare, including how it works, who qualifies, what services are included, and how to access it.

Whether you’re a caregiver, family member, or someone exploring options for yourself, this guide will help you better understand the benefits and process of home-based medical care.

Key Features of Home Healthcare

Home healthcare is at-home support for people who have been discharged from a hospital or a skilled nursing facility but are not able to travel to doctor appointments or the clinic alone.The goal is to help them become more independent.

While a patient is medically cared for at home, a caregiver will be there to assist with their daily needs.

Services a care recipient receives through home healthcare can include personal care, homemaker services, physical and occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, chronic conditions, hospice care, and medical social services.

Who Is a Part of the Team?

More than one skilled care professional makes up the home healthcare team. Those who are on the team can include:

Physicians

The physicians and doctors don’t usually visit the patients’ home, but they provide medical services by overseeing the patient’s care, making the diagnosis, monitoring the condition, and they prescribe the patient’s medications and treatments. They supervise the team from afar, as those who visit the home report on the patient’s progress.

They graduated from college and medical school, which usually lasts at least four years. They also have to pass the state’s licensing exam. Many doctors also have specialty certifications.

Registered Nurses (RN)

When working with a home health agency, such as All American Home Care, registered nurses coordinate and manage the patient’s condition and the nursing care the patients need.

Like physicians, the RN does not usually visit the patients’ homes. Instead, they monitor the patient’s condition from afar too.

Their responsibilities include:

• Perform assessments.
• Monitor test and laboratory results.
• Administer treatments and medications.
• Monitor the patient’s condition.
• Inform and educate the patient and the family about the illness. 

RNs not only complete these tasks, but they also supervise licensed practical nurses (LPNs), home health aides (HHAs), and personal care aides.

They become RNs by completing two- to four-year nursing programs, or they graduate from a diploma program and pass the licensing exam. RNs may also earn academic degrees and specialty education and certification.

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)

The LPN is a nurse practitioner who offers skilled nursing care and works under the supervision of a RN. Their duties include:

• Administer medications.
• Check vital signs.
• Provide wound care
• Collect samples for testing (like urine and blood)
• Assist with patient self-care activities. 

To become a LPN, individuals must enroll in and complete a state-approved educational program. They also must apply for a state license after they pass an exam.

Physical Therapists (PTs)

PTs assist their patients in strengthening and restoring their ability to move independently and to prevent any other injuries. In some cases, PTs work with their patients to learn how to use special equipment such as walkers and canes.

They also administer massages and hot or cold treatments – treatments which help a patient with the following:

• Circulation.
• Reduce pain.
• Preventing disability.
• Improve muscle and joint functions. 

Physical therapists must graduate with a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and pass the national and state license exams. They also need to be licensed in their state.

Occupational Therapists (OTs)

OTs help patients learn how to adapt to a disability, so their patients can function as independently as possible. This could include basic, daily routines, such as getting dressed, eating, and bathing.

(In fact, that’s the main difference between PTs and OTs. A PT concentrates on improving a person’s ability to move while an OT focuses on helping patients use special and adaptive devices.) These adaptive devices include:

• Special forks.
• Plates.
• Long-handled shoehorns and sponges.
• Raised toilet seats. 

An OT usually earns a master’s degree and must pass a national certification exam. An OT should also be licensed and registered in the state.

Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)

SLPs assist patients with communication or swallowing disorders. They guide patients through exercises to enhance speech, facilitate communication, and to promote safe swallowing.

SLPs also give tips on special diets which may also make swallowing easier, such as mechanical diets and thickened liquids.

A mechanical diet includes foods which can be blended, mashed, pureed, or chopped. These methods can break down the food into a soft condition which makes it easy for the patient to eat without biting or chewing.

SLPs may also recommend a thickened liquid diet as a way to help retrain a patient’s muscles to move properly and regain strength.

To become a SLP, one must earn a master’s degree and (depending on the state in which the SLP works), the SLP may also need a license.

Registered Dietician (RD)

The healthcare provider, who evaluates the nutritional intake of a patient, is the registered dietician. The dietician educates the patients and their families about special, nutritious diets for meal preparation to control their illnesses.

RDs need to complete a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. Most states demand a RD have a certification or license to work.

Medical Social Workers (MSW)

Social workers provide social services to patients and their families by connecting them with community and support services.

MSWs usually have a bachelor’s degree. Clinical social workers have a master’s degree along with two years of post-masters supervised-clinical experience. States require MSWs to be licensed within the state they practice.

Respiratory Therapist

This healthcare professional works with diagnosing, treating, and managing patients who have respiratory and cardiopulmonary (the heart and lung) conditions.

They help develop treatment plans for patients with breathing difficulties.

Wound Care Specialist

This specialist is a healthcare professional who focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of acute and chronic wounds.

Wound care specialists usually gain additional training and certification beyond the basic medical care education.

Home Health Aides (HHAs)

A HHA works under the supervision of a nurse. They provide supportive care to the patient within the home. They are the ones who spend the most time with the patients out of any other of the team members.

In fact, the face-to-face time a HHA has with a patient is usually the most rewarding part of the job. Oftentimes, the HHA develops a strong bond with the patient, especially since the HHA has the chance to work with the same patients and families for long periods of time.

A HHA helps with the following responsibilities:

• Bathing, dressing, and grooming.
• Toileting.
• Feeding.
• Skin care.
• Use of medical equipment and supplies such as walkers and wheelchairs.
• Assisting with laundry.
• Light housekeeping.
• Home safety. 

HHAs need to be certified and must complete a training program.

Personal Care Aides (PCAs)

PCAs also work under a nurse’s supervision. Many of their duties overlap with that of a HHA. Unlike a HHA, a PCA does not perform any kind of medical services or tasks.

As a part of their job, they help with:

• Grooming.
• Toileting.
• Feeding.
• Skin care.
• Housekeeping tasks. 

PCAs usually receive on-the-job training. Most PCAs have a high school diploma, even though they usually don’t need any educational requirements.

Every member of the team brings value to the team and plays a pivotal role. When the team works together, they can reach the team objective of caring for the patient.

How Is Home Healthcare Services Covered?

Many care recipients are always asking, “What is home health care and how is it covered by Medicare”? Medicare can be a source of funding for those who are using home healthcare services. It’s a federal health insurance program for Americans who are 65 years or older or who are younger but have certain disabilities.

Depending on the circumstances of a person’s care, home healthcare can be covered by either Part A or Part B of Medicare. Patients can be covered by Medicare if they are:

Homebound

They have a difficult time leaving their home, and someone has to assist them with leaving the house, getting into the car (or any other form of transportation), and then driving them to their destinations.

Intermittent Care

The patient needs skilled nursing services and/or skilled therapy on an intermittent basis.

Intermittent means the patient needs care at least every 60 days and at most once-a-day for up to three weeks. According to Medicare, skilled care is performed by a skilled professional or under the supervision of a skilled professional. Skilled therapy refers to physical, occupational, and speech therapy.

If need be, the period for care can be longer, but it must follow a scheduled routine and needs to be finite.

Face-to-Face Doctor Meetings

Prior to 90 days before the home health servics starts, the patient must have a face-to-face meeting with a physician. This visit can be an office visit, hospital visit, and in some cases, it can be completed through video conferencing.

Home Health Certification

The physician signs the home health certification which confirms the patient is homebound and needs intermittent skilled care. The certification should also include an approved plan of care and state that the patient and the physician meet the face-to-face meeting requirement.

The Types of Services Covered

Medicare-covered home health services include:

• Skilled Nursing Care
• Skilled Therapies (physical, occupational, and speech)
• Home Health Aide Services 

The Types of Equipment Covered

Part B of Medicare covers durable medical equipment (DME). Durable means the equipment can withstand repeated use, and the equipment should last at least three years.

The equipment must also be used for a medical reason and would usually be used by someone who is sick or injured.

The Home Healthcare Service Is in Demand

If you’re looking for a career in healthcare, becoming a part of the home health care service team would be a great idea. It’s one of the fastest growing occupations in the healthcare profession for multiple reasons.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 3 million people received and concluded care in 2020, and that number continues to grow.

First, more people want to use home care services, because the cost of medical care in hospitals is becoming more and more expensive.

The aging population is another reason the home health services industry is increasing. Family members are not always available to provide the care their elderly loved ones need. Some family members may have jobs which take up most of their time.

Others may need to care for young children. Still, some family members may be too far away to drive to their loved ones’ home every day. When they don’t have the time required to care for their loved ones, they turn to HHAs.

The steady climb of the number of veterans returning home with disabilities is another reason more Americans are requesting HHAs for help too. Veterans with disabilities need care for the injuries they’ve sustained while in combat and help with activities of daily living.

Technological and medical advances also are a factor in why more people need HHAs. The progress scientists have made has extended the lives of individuals who live with chronic diseases.

A chronic disease (also known as a chronic illness) is a health condition that is persistent and has long-lasting symptoms which usually last for more than three months.

Home healthcare services provide a compassionate and practical alternative to staying in a hospital or another kind of medical facility.

The personalized care offered by a team of skilled professionals, ranging from registered nurses to physical therapists to home health aides, ensure patients receive the medical support they need without the stress of leaving the comforts of their familiar home.

Moreover, the accessibility and growing demand for home healthcare services are becoming increasingly important as healthcare costs rise, the aging population expands, and family members face more challenges in providing care.

Medicare coverage for qualified individuals further makes home healthcare a viable option for many families.

Ultimately, home healthcare empowers families to take an active role in their loved ones’ care while ensuring that individuals can live comfortably and safely at home. As healthcare continues to evolve, the importance of home healthcare will only grow, offering a valuable resource for those in need of ongoing support.

Whether you’re a caregiver, family member, or someone exploring options for yourself, understanding the benefits and process of home healthcare can help make the right choice for you or your loved one.