Senior health care can involve complex medical care, performed by a nurse or a nurse assistant, or it can involve someone coming to the house once a week to shop, cook and do some housework. Between those two extremes there is a lot of variability, and you can determine exactly how much assistance is appropriate for your loved one.
Just as the frequency of home health visits can be variable, the duties performed by a senior home care provider are also varied. Some health providers are trained medical providers and are able to perform medical care if needed. More commonly, home health providers are companions who can provide basic medical care if needed by are primarily involved in daily living assistance.
The benefits of home health care are great. It is more comfortable for most people than uprooting from their home and relocating to a nursing home, which feels less personal and more like an institution. Not only that, but having a home health care provider come to the house is much less expensive than moving to an assisted care facility. The combination of comfort and frugality makes home health care an ideal choice for most people.
The costs of a senior health care are offset by insurance in most cases. For many elderly people, their only
insurance coverage is Medicare. Medicare has specific provisions regarding the use of senior home care
assistants, and it is important that you are aware of the rules as they apply to you situation before you
engage a senior home care assistant.
It might seem difficult to choose a senior health care provider. There are many senior health care
providers in this country, and most areas have several options available. You might not know where to begin in selecting a provider.
First, think of your loved one and their physical health. Do they need regular assistance from a nurse or nurse assistant? Can they provide for their own medical needs? Care providers without extensive medical training tend to be less expensive than care providers with medical training. However, there may not be a choice. If the patient's medical needs are extensive, a nurse or nurse assistant is the best option for you.
Making the decision to hire a senior health care provider for your loved one can be a difficult decision. It
involves calculating costs, talking to care providers and medical providers, researching the care allowed by
Medicare, and taking into account the preferences of your loved one. It is not an easy decision, but once you
have found the best senior home care provider for your situation you can sleep well knowing that your loved one is being cared for by someone trained to keep them safe and healthy.
