Wednesday, 25 February 2015

Taking A Look At Home Health Care Pottsville PA

By Beryl Dalton


There are a variety of services designed to help seniors continue to live independently. For the individual who needs help on a daily basis but is no ready to go into a long term care facility, home health care Pottsville PA may be the solution. The services provided can keep the individual from entering skilled nursing prematurely. The patient who can recover at home often does better than the one who does not.

Typically, the services offered include physical and occupational therapy, speech therapy, and skilled nursing. The patient may also need assistance with ADLs. These include bathing, dressing, and eating. Services may also include laundry, monitoring medication, light housekeeping, and cooking.

It is important that folks know the difference between health services and support services and understand them. Therapy provided in the home for a medical condition can include those that are also provided by a support agency. However, the health agency is geared more for medical need. The support agencies provide help with daily chores while the health provider assists those recovering from illness an injury.

The people who provide treatment for physical conditions usually are certified aides, LPNs, and therapists. These individuals work for agencies, public health departments, and hospitals and are licensed with the state. Individuals working with support services do not need to be licensed and depending on the program criteria, do not even need to be certified.

When considering home health services it is important that the agency provides support that is of the highest quality. Check with friends and family to get information to help you make a decision. Also contact your local agency for aging to get information about the service providers near you. They might not be able to make a recommendation but the will offer some helpful information to use when you investigate.

There are several things you should ask when interviewing an agency. Begin by asking how long they have been in existence. Ask to see any brochures they have that give information on services and cost. Matching the services to patient need is very important. If an agency cannot meet all the needs of the individual you should move on.

Check to see what type of insurance the agency accepts. While services provided by support agencies are not typically covered, medically based services usually are. Make sure that the quality of care provided is certified by a national organization. Certification is a way to ensure that the providers are held to a certain standard.

Before contacting any agency make a list of the questions that you want to ask. Make sure to ask about to see their current license and inquire about their insurance. Additionally, investigate the type of case supervision that is provided. You should be comfortable with how the provider interacts with the patient. An open line of communication between the agency and the family is also important.




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