Home care services can offer you and your family members trained help with medical and personal care. Keep in mind, though, that home care is limited to specific tasks, cautions Next Step in Care.
Home health aides and personal care attendants primarily provide personal care, which includes assistance with:
- eating
- bathing
- walking
- dressing
Home health aides provide assistance with activities of daily living as well, including:
- shopping
- meal preparation
- laundry
Home health aides are allowed to do certain health-related tasks:
- taking patient’s temperature
- checking blood pressure
- changing dry dressings
- moving arms and legs in range-of-motion exercises
Important caution: Home health aides are not supposed to provide services for a spouse or other members of the household.
Very important caution about medications: A qualified medication aide is a CNA who has completed additional training, annual in-service training, and demonstrated competency while dispensing and passing medications and or applying/administrating treatments under the direct supervision of a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse.
The Indiana State Department of Health Home Health Agency Licensing and Certification Program licenses agencies and individuals that provide:
- nursing services
- physical therapy
- occupational therapy
- speech therapy
- medical social worker
- home health aide other therapeutic services
to the patient at the patient’s temporary or permanent residence.
In talking with our clients at Rebecca W. Geyer & Associates, we often find that, while the caregiver is a family member, he/she needs to call on outside professional help.
– by Ronnie of the Rebecca W. Geyer blog team
