Home care services bridge the gap: allowing patients who require ongoing care to continue living in the comfort of their own home. However, when a person is aging or living with chronic health conditions, it can cause concern due to safety and overall health.

Just because a patient needs a little extra support doesn’t mean that they need to move to an assisted living community. Instead, in-home care allows the person to maintain as much independence as possible, with a little extra assistance to manage each day.

Our Goal: Optimal Health and Independence

Patients often feel more comfortable at home, which is why it’s helpful to bring care services to the patient. These services can be the foundation to help the person design and maintain the highest quality lifestyle possible.

Our customized home care plans support security, safety, and increased independence. In addition, we empower patients and their family members through preventive strategies, helping to minimize the risk of complications or hospitalizations in the future.

Each patient is unique, which is why there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, we evaluate your individual needs, listen to your preferences, then design a plan that supports your lifestyle.

Home care plans can always be changed in the future, as the patient’s needs adjust with time. For example, someone receiving home care after hospitalization will need less and less maintenance as they recover and regain independence once again.

Different Types of Home Care

It’s important to distinguish the difference between home care and home health care. The services you receive from home care providers depend on the specialties they offer.

In fact, some patients need both home care and home health care support. We’ll discuss your needs and determine the optimal plan to bring the right providers into your home.

Home care can encompass a range of services, such as:

• Assistance with bathing, dressing, and other daily activities
• Safety and assistance around the house
• Mobility support
• Companionship
• Rehabilitative services with therapists
• Nursing care

Home care services can be a short-term plan for recovery after an illness, surgery, or hospitalization. Or, these services can be available on an ongoing basis for someone with a life-long disability or health issue.

Home Care vs. Home Health Care

Even though the names sound similar, there are substantial differences between home care and home health care. While home health care focuses on medical treatments and intervention, home care encompasses non-medical assistance and caregiving.

If you are receiving a home care plan, it might include assistance with meal preparation, transportation, household chores, and grooming. These services do not include any type of therapy or medical care.

Home care services might be a few hours a week, a few hours a day, or ongoing. For example, patients with critical needs might have home care aides 24/7, which other people with mild conditions might only need support an hour or two each week.

Helping a Loved One Stay at Home

For most families, the motivation to bring in-home care services is to keep the loved one at home as long as possible. As abilities and needs change with time or medical conditions, the person can maintain independence while also having support along the way.

Home care often enables a person to maintain the highest level of comfort at home. It’s a way to reduce the need for moving to a residential care community or an unexpected hospital visit in the future.

For the best results possible, home care can be combined with other services to optimize overall results for the patient. For example, home care providers can come into the home based on the predetermined schedule. Between visits, assistive technology and home modifications can enable the person to maintain independence.

Even when the family is involved in caregiving, home care services are helpful to provide respite to the caregivers when needed.

Who Can Benefit from Home Care Services?

Anyone who needs extra assistance at home because of chronic or life-limiting healthcare issues can benefit from home care services. Patients receiving these services often fall into one of these categories:

• Aging adult
• Has special needs or a disability
• Recovery after a surgery or hospitalization
• Managing chronic health issues

Depending on the person’s needs, a home services provider designs a personalized plan and brings in the ideal care team. These services often come from a range of providers, including nurses, therapists, aides, and more.

It can be a difficult decision for families to bring in-home care services. Eventually, seniors or patients with chronic health conditions reach a point where they cannot care for themselves. As a family, you might notice signs that it’s time to bring in care services, such as:

• Mobility is decreasing
• Risk of falling at home
• Weight loss
• No longer able to drive
• Injuries or accidents because of safety concerns in the home
• Neglect of grooming and self-care
• Inability to keep up with household cleanings, such as laundry and deep cleaning
• Signs of loneliness or isolation
• Increased memory issues

Is Home Care a Good Fit for You?

How do you know if you should talk to Avatar Healthcare about home care services? Often, home care providers are looking for specific criteria to determine if a patient will benefit from these services:

• The patient struggles with mobility and safety in the home.
• Reduced motor skills and difficulty performing basic household tasks.
• A person can no longer drive to attend appointments, go grocery shopping, or participate in social events.
• Isolation and loneliness are a concern, especially if the person is living alone.
• The patient struggles with the activities of daily living, such as grooming, bathing, and meal preparation.
• Housekeeping and grocery shopping services are needed to keep up with the chores in the home.
• A patient is in the early stages of dementia or memory issues.

As with other in-home services, home care isn’t the ideal fit for every patient. Here are a few examples showing when a person might not be a good candidate for home care services:

• A patient needs regular medical care or nursing support in the home.
• Someone needs companionship from family or peers, not a caregiver or aide.
• A person wants to enjoy an all-inclusive lifestyle in a full-service residential community.
• Patients have advanced medical conditions, including memory impairment, and require 24/7 support.

When medical care is required, then home health services are a better fit. However, home care might be offered in conjunction with home health services. We’ll evaluate your needs and provide recommendations to help you find the best care plan.

Schedule a Consultation for Home Care

You can learn more about home care services by scheduling a consultation with our team at Avatar Healthcare. Additionally, we can provide more information about other available support, such as hospice and home health.

Contact Avatar Healthcare at your convenience by calling: (844) 422-5528.