If you have an elderly, sick, or disabled family member in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, or the Bronx, you may want to explore the benefits of at-home care. But what is home health care in New York and do you need to talk to a physician before you contact a service? Learn everything you need to know about at-home personal care.
Do I Need to Talk to My Primary Physician Before Considering Home Health Care?
If you want to arrange at-home care for yourself, you do not necessarily need to discuss this with your physician. At-home care may offer some medical services and may be covered by your insurance plan, but most at-home care is designed to assist with non-medical personal care needs such as bathing and meal preparation. Getting at-home care typically isn’t contingent on getting a referral from your physician.
Instead, if you want to arrange for at-home care, you simply need to contact a home health care service in your area. A case manager will be able to assess your needs and make recommendations about the best type of care to make your living situation healthy and comfortable so you can lead a safe, high-quality life.
What If You Have a Medical Condition in Manhattan?
Some clients may need to coordinate at-home health care with instructions from a physician. If you have a medical condition that interferes with your activities of daily living, or you are recovering from an illness, cancer treatment, or other medical concern, it’s possible you may have additional needs that must be met by your home health care service.
For some patients, remote medical monitoring may need to be done by a registered nurse. This is particularly true for patients who need help with medication management, taking vital signs, and other daily medical tasks that may be difficult to complete by yourself at home.
How Is At-Home Care Paid For in the Bronx?
At-home health care services are generally paid for by your insurance plan, including Medicaid or Medicare, depending on your age. Many private insurance plans have arrangements for temporary or long-term home health care. If your insurance through the state or private healthcare does not cover at-home care, you may be able to pay for services out of pocket.
What Is Home Health Care in New York?
In general, home health care refers to any at-home care received by people who are recovering from serious injuries or chronic illnesses, as well as individuals who are elderly or disabled and unable to care for themselves.
Home health care is an alternative to receiving care at an assisted living facility, nursing home, or long-term care at a hospital. There are a few different types of home health care you can receive in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, such as:
Companion Care
Companion care is often a complementary type of in-home health service that provides socialization and emotional support to individuals who are otherwise isolated at home due to aging, disability, and long-term illnesses. Companion care fulfills the vital socialization needs that are necessary for humans to thrive.
Companion care can include assistance with daily living tasks, as well as companionship throughout the day, such as playing games, exercising, and much more. In some cases, companion care may also include escorting the individual to doctor appointments, x-rays, and other exams.
Hospice Care
Hospice care is generally administered by home health care aids for patients who need to receive end-of-life care. Many clients prefer to receive end-of-life care in the comfort of their homes. Hospice care includes meeting daily health needs, companion care, and other important care needs to maintain the client’s quality of life. Sometimes hospice care can include visits from chaplains and other volunteers to provide spiritual and psychological support.
Pediatric Care
Pediatric care is sometimes necessary for very young children and adolescents who are recovering from serious illnesses or who have physical or developmental disabilities. Pediatric care is ideal for children who have special medical needs since a home health aide can help parents meet the child’s daily living needs. Families can benefit greatly from at-home pediatric care, including families who only hire home health aids for respite care.
Respite Care
Respite care plays a crucial role for families who have committed to taking care of loved ones in New York. If you are taking care of a sick child, elderly parent, or disabled family member, you may benefit from respite care since this arrangement gives you the opportunity to take a break from your caregiving role. Respite care works by hiring home health care aids as needed to relieve the burden of caregiving or fill any gaps in home health care that you are unable to meet by yourself, such as medical monitoring.
What Are Home Health Care Services in Queens and Brooklyn?
In general, home health care services are designed to assist with activities of daily living. Activities of daily living refer to the day-to-day tasks that most people can perform for themselves, such as personal hygiene, eating, and household chores. However, people who are chronically ill, recovering from injuries, or are disabled or elderly may not be able to meet all of these needs independently.
Home health care services bridge the gap between what the individual can and cannot do independently. Completing activities of daily living is essential to leading a healthy lifestyle, particularly if the client wishes to remain at home instead of in an assisted living facility.
Personal Care
Assistance was personal care is usually the bulk of work a home health care aid will provide. Personal care assistance includes help with bathing, grooming, and other daily hygiene, such as toileting. Personal care can also assist with tasks such as dressing, applying lotion, trimming toenails, and much more.
Sometimes, assistance with personal care may also include medication reminders. For patients who have mobility issues, personal care often includes the prevention of pressure ulcers as well as assistance with transferring from bed to wheelchair.
Household Chores
Many clients receiving at-home care struggle with daily household chores, such as laundry, vacuuming, mopping, dusting, and general organization. Assistance with household chores can ensure that the home is a safe, clean environment. Furthermore, keeping up with household chores can prevent infestations and reduce the likelihood of a fall in the home.
Meal Planning
Many patients who are living at home may qualify for meal delivery services paid for by health insurance, such as Citymeals on Wheels, which provides one meal per day. However, some patients are unable to meet other eating needs since they are unable to cook. Meal planning is a task where the home healthcare aid works with the client to plan a grocery list and prepare meals so the client can more easily feed themselves when they are home alone.
If you or your loved one wants to stay at home instead of going to an assisted living facility, you may be asking, “what is home health care?” Home health care is an essential service that allows elderly, disabled, and chronically ill individuals to remain in the comfort of their homes while receiving care that maintains their quality of life. Contact Parent Care Home Care in New York neighborhoods like Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx to learn more about arranging at-home care for yourself or your loved ones.
