Recovering from an illness needs plenty of rest and the right medications. But, it can be challenging to count on your loved ones for at-home care. After all, your family and friends can take care of you in other ways, such as ensuring that there’s always food on the table.
However, if these people are away, who’s going to care for you at home? Hiring home health services is the answer to this dilemma. So, continue reading to know more about the many essential advantages of hiring professional home health services.
- Physical And Mental Care
Recuperating from an illness can take a toll on your physical and mental well-being. You’ll need a lot of rest, and being cooped up inside the house with the inability to move around may deliver unwanted psychological stress.
The discomfort and pressure may worsen over time, particularly if you’re trying to recover from a serious ailment. Trying to maintain a sturdy mental fortitude can be very challenging. Thankfully, home health services can help deliver proper care for your body, mind, and even your spirit.
Take, for example, one patient from Home Nursing With Heart. The individual was recovering from a second transplant and the nurse from the at-home care provider delivered words of encouragement while bringing correct physical care practices. Remember, words might seem fleeting, but the impact they leave behind can become powerful tools for a patient’s recovery.
As per a news report, the patient supported by Home Nursing With Heart stated that he was lucky to have had a second heart and a second chance in life. The will to continue to live might have been tougher than usual if it weren’t for the at-home nurse.
- Focus On Other Tasks
Perhaps, you might not be the patient, but a time may come when you need to leave the house for errands or work. If so, be at peace, knowing that your sick loved one is in the caring hands of a professional home health provider.
Some of the services the at-home nurse can provide include:
- Post-surgical care
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment
- Injury and wound care
- Congestive heart failure (CHF) treatment assistance
- Health monitoring
- Physical therapy
- Psychiatric care
At-home health care pays utmost attention to your loved one while you’re focusing on other tasks. Have peace of mind, knowing that the professional care services will help ensure to uphold your loved one’s safety and well-being.
- Reduce Falls
The fear of hospital readmissions lingers in the minds of patients staying at home. Hospitals can give excellent care to those in need. The rising costs of medical products and services might not bode well to patients on a tight budget.
Hence, keep in mind that the risks of going back to the hospital as you stay at home for recovery aren’t at 0%. Falls can happen, and the threats of that incident happening are relatively high if you can’t move properly. At-home health services can help you move around the house without letting you worry about falling.
Home care personnel can provide the appropriate support to people in need, regardless of age. These professionals can help different age groups, ranging from teens to senior citizens, on their respective paths to recovery.
In summary, a home care aide can reduce hospital readmission rates by reducing the risks of falls in the house.
- Help With Housework
Homes can’t clean themselves. Dirt, dust, and other filthy matters may pile up over time because of the difficulties in movement you’re experiencing as you recover.
Home health services can help you with the housework to ensure that you’re recovering in a clean and sterile environment. Note that recovering in a dirty space can become detrimental to your recovery. Hence, you may ask the at-home care personnel to do tasks, like:
- Taking out the garbage
- Using the vacuum cleaner
- Mopping the floor
- Cleaning the dishes
Aside from cleaning the house, at-home care professionals may also cook food for you. Moreover, the cooked food may come with recommended multivitamins to match your daily nutritional needs. In turn, your body acquires the correct sustenance for a quick and eventful recovery.
- Save Medical Costs
Opting for at-home healthcare services may help control overall costs of recovery. For instance, it helps reduce the need for expensive inpatient hospital services.
It’s safe to say that no two hospitals have the same costs. But, you can, still, determine that checking into a medical facility for recovery can break banks. Some of these expenses may include:
- Hourly operating room costs
- Insurance deductibles
- Pre- and post-surgery hospitalization
- Anti-rejection medications (for surgeries)
- Non-medical expenses (e.g., child care, lodgings, and travel)
Hiring the professional help of an at-home health expert can help you save costs from some of these expenditures. For example, you might not need to pay post-surgery hospitalization or travel fees. In turn, you might even save thousands of dollars in miscellaneous inpatient care expenses.
Still, the savings and expenses can vary for each person. Some patients may still need to purchase expensive medical equipment for at-home use to create higher recovery opportunities. Other individuals may only need to buy prescription medicines while staying in the comfort of home for rest.
Nonetheless, the savings will be apparent if you don’t opt for hospitalization. But, always remember that at-home care can’t solve every ailment you might feel. Some instances still exist wherein you may need inpatient services.
- Medication Management
Imagine the following scenario: you’re sleeping in your bed as your body is trying to conserve and divert energy for its recovery. You might miss taking your pain medicines if you’re sleeping, especially if you’re a relatively deep sleeper.
Missing the correct time to consume your medications can hinder your body from achieving a full recovery. Thus, let home health services help you wake up at the correct moments to take your medicines.
Aside from waking you up, at-home nurses can also read and understand confusing prescriptions. Remember, some people may need to consume several medicines to help support their bodies to recover from their illnesses. Perhaps, you’re one of those individuals who may need several drugs for recovery.
Taking the wrong medicine with an inappropriate dosage because of prescription confusion may lead to serious side effects. Some of these adverse effects might even be life-threatening. So, trust in at-home healthcare services to ensure this scenario doesn’t happen.
- Spend More Time With Family And Friends
Some hospitals may have strict visiting hours, limiting your time spent with the patients you hold near and dear to your heart. But, you don’t have these limitations if you’re visiting a patient at home. Moreover, if you’re the patient, you can tell your family and friends to visit you anytime you want.
Remember, emotional health can be equally important as a patient’s physical well-being. Some cases have indicated that a person’s emotional state may influence their physiological health.
For example, if a patient feels depressed, that state of extreme sadness may make the individual lose appetite. Consuming healthy food is critical in recovery, and not eating the recommended amount of food can lead illnesses to worsen.
Conversely, flooding the senses with feelings like happiness, love, and care may create opportunities for faster recovery. Visiting family and friends can create warm environments for patients to embrace and find peace during healing. In turn, the ailing individual can find the confidence to continue with the treatment for an eventful full recovery.
- Provide Physical And Occupational Therapy
Recovery from a serious illness might take a toll on the body’s health. Internal systems attempt to work harder than usual to try and heal the body from the sickness. But, the body also becomes weak, as muscles, bones, and energy seem to become frailer than usual.
Patients in need of physiological therapy may count on home health services. At-home nurses may provide alternative treatments, like physical and occupational therapy sessions.
Physical therapy is a non-invasive approach to developing, maintaining, and reestablishing physical movement and a full range of motion. This particular type of therapy may help patients recover from different accidents, injuries, and bodily pains.
Conversely, occupational therapy helps treat various ailments, ranging from physical to mental disabilities. This therapy can help patients recover from sports injuries to cognitive disabilities that tend to affect behavior, emotions, and motor skills.
Use either of those therapy options to help you or your loved one recover from a physical, psychological, or emotional distress. Moreover, consider using at-home health services for the patient to enjoy comfort and convenience while receiving professional therapeutic help.
- Personalized Support
Hospital nurses come and go while providing routine care to patients. Note that one nurse might be handling ten (or even more) patients during a shift. Hence, many of these medical professionals find time to be a luxury that they can’t afford to waste.
Nurses providing inpatient care are efficient at what they do. But, it can be tough to cater to patients’ emotional needs since these medical experts may only have a few minutes to spare for each individual.
On the other hand, home health care can be an excellent option for individuals looking to obtain personalized support for recovery. Personalized medical assistance means you can get one-on-one attention from the at-home nurse. Thus, the service provider can focus on many of your recovery needs without worrying too much about wasting time.
Moreover, since the home healthcare expert will be by your side throughout the day, they can monitor your condition for any minute changes. Also, the professional can immediately alert your loved ones of serious adverse changes in your current condition.
- Upholds Safety
It can be challenging to seek help from resident nurses since they’ll be busy with other tasks. Hence, you might opt to do certain tasks by yourself, such as going to the bathroom.
Recovery can put you in various dangers as seemingly simple tasks, such as urinating, can become more challenging than usual. If you attempt to go to the bathroom by yourself, you put yourself at risk of falls and other injuries.
Reliable home health services may significantly reduce the risks of falls and other household dangers. For example, you can rely on the at-home nurse for support if you want to urinate or defecate. Consequently, the professional may also accompany you while you walk around the nearby park.
- Diet And Nutrition Support
Lying down on your bed while waiting for your body to heal can make your mind wander. Perhaps, some thoughts may lead you to think about your favorite foods, albeit some of them won’t make your recovery faster than intended.
Moreover, some food options might become detrimental to your current well-being. For example, eating sugary sweets if you have diabetes may put your health in threatening situations.
The help of home health services will ensure that you’ll stick to your diet and nutrition throughout your journey to full recovery. They might hide unhealthy snacks so that these foods won’t trigger your cravings.
Also, the at-home nurse may provide snacks and meals that align with your recommended diet. These foods and beverages should allow you to reach the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for different vitamins and minerals. In turn, your body will always be on the straight path to a well-deserved recovery.
This particular facet of the service might become more important than usual if you’re an elderly individual. Adults ages 65 and above, particularly those with chronic conditions, need to eat a healthy diet to reduce the risk of their health failing.
However, your mind might find it challenging to search for the willpower needed to resist these temptations. Let your companion nurse remove these unhealthy food and beverage options from your sight. In turn, you can focus on eating healthy so you can recover faster from your ailment.
Key Takeaway
Home health services might be the best support you need if you’re recovering in your house. These medical professionals can offer you the convenience, support, and attention that might not be immediately available with hospital inpatient care. Let the benefits listed in this article help you choose a reliable at-home healthcare provider for your recovery needs.
