The More People Know About Home Health Care, the Easier It Becomes to Make that Decision in the Future

Many people confuse home care with home health care. While they may be very similar and a home health care provider could perform many of the same tasks as a basic home care aide, they are different. The more you know about home health care, the easier it will be for you or someone you care about to make the right decision in the event they require it in the future. 

What is home care?

Home Health Care Herendon, VA: Home Health Care Knowledge

In a general sense, home care involves supporting an elderly or disabled individual with basic tasks of everyday living in the comfort of their home. Using home care allows a person to remain in the comfort of their own home, even if they have prolonged, long-term care needs, diminished physical capacities, or serious health issues. 

The alternative to home care is a facility. Most aging seniors would prefer to remain home, or age in place these days. Not only that, home care is by far the most affordable long-term care option there is. 

In most cases, a home care aide can assist with basic tasks of everyday life, including toileting, bathing, preparing meals, and mobility. Some home care providers can also offer transportation services to their clients, to get to a doctor’s appointment, to go to the park and get some exercise, or to visit with friends once in a while. 

What is home health care? 

This is basically a visiting nurse, someone with medical training and the appropriate certifications or licensure. A visiting nurse can check vital stats, administer medications, change IVs, change wound dressings, and perform other medically sensitive tasks. 

A home health care provider can also relay vital information to the client’s doctor for proper remote monitoring. In this day and age, telemedicine is becoming vital and a home health care aide is a part of the telemedicine procedure. 

When people know the difference — the key difference — between home care and home health care, they will be equipped with the right information to make these decisions in the future. 

Keep in mind, though, that it is ultimately up to the aging senior or disabled adult to decide whether or not they rely on home health care. Even for seniors who dismiss the notion of home care outright because of misconceptions or not understanding what it offers eventually realize the value, especially when family or friends simply can’t support them as needed any longer. 

For anyone who needs direct medical attention at home, a home health care provider is the solution. 

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Home Health Care in Herendon, VA please contact the caring staff at Thrive Health Care Services today. (703) 992-0484