Home health care covers a lot of ground. It can be as simple as needing a nurse to stop by to check blood pressure, pulse, and other vitals each day or week. It can also be more complex and include having a skilled nurse set up IV lines.
How would you know if your mom needed home health care services? Many times, the doctor recommends it as an alternative to nursing homes. Here are different situations where home health care is helpful.
Post-Stroke Care and Rehabilitation
No two stroke cases are identical. Your mom’s stroke may leave her unable to walk or talk. She’s unlikely to have complete use of her arms or hand. A level of care is needed to help her get showered and dressed, eat meals, take care of her home, and use the toilet.
It goes beyond that, however, and you may not realize how many therapy sessions she’ll have with occupational, speech, and physical therapists. Driving her to all of those appointments takes careful arrangement. She’ll be frustrated.
Instead, you can hire home health care services and have therapists come to her home. She won’t have to be ashamed that she’s requiring you to lift her in and out of the care and settle her into a wheelchair. Plus, she may need help with feeding tube care and IV medications that a skilled nurse must administer.
Post-Surgery Care
After surgery, your mom will need help with wound care. If she’s on injections or IV meds for pain relief that’s not something that you’re able to administer. Instead of her having to stay in a hospital for longer than she’d live, skilled nurses can administer the medications and clean and dress incisions at your mom’s home.
Cancer Care
During cancer treatments, your mom may feel sick and weak. If she’s throwing up regularly or not drinking enough, dehydration is a risk. IV fluids may be required. With home health care services, your mom has a nurse to administer fluids, any IV or injectable medications she needs, and address wound care if surgery is required.
Heart and Kidney Disease
Chronic health conditions like kidney disease and heart disease are common in older adults, and they require specialized care. Your mom can have nurses come to her home to administer medications, take her vital signs, and consult with a doctor if things seem off.
Your mom’s home health care nurse can also provide the education you need to learn how to prepare meals and snacks that meet your mom’s nutritional needs. If she’s dealing with kidney disease, it may be necessary for her to go for dialysis treatments. If her doctors believe she could do this at home, you may need to learn how to help her.
Diabetes Care and Education
Finally, your mom could learn how to manage her diet and check her blood sugar levels by having home health care services. A diabetes specialist comes to her home to teach her how to choose the right meals and snacks to eat, how to prepare diabetes-friendly options, and how to take care of herself.
Talk to your mom’s doctor. Once you have, arrange the recommended home health care services.