The past couple of weeks we have been discussing caring for seniors in their own homes. But what if you need additional medical services that a non-medical in-home caregiver can provide? Let’s say for example, after a hospitalization, you need physical therapy or rehabilitation. Often times you would go to a rehabilitation unit of one of the local area nursing homes or hospitals.
However depending on your situation and the nature of your care, much of the medical treatment can be in your own home. These medical services can be provided by physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, registered dieticians, social workers, registered nurses and physicians.
You can have physical therapists that can assist with your rehabilitation after surgery, stroke or other injury. They can work on any condition that results in any weakness or other physical impairment. Physical therapists can also help to improve your balance and deal with coordination issues. There are a multitude of disorders for which physical therapists can provide services including migraines.
You can also have occupational therapists in your home. Occupational therapists generally will help you to restore your ability to perform activities of daily living such as showering, dressing, grooming, cooking, etc. These occupational therapists will assist you to maximize your independence, prevent further disability and to maintain your health. If you need assistance in adapting your current home environment to allow you to continue living there, then the occupational therapists can help with that too. You could also be assisted by the occupational therapists in a variety of different treatments including energy conservation, joint protection and safety awareness.
Speech therapists can come into your home to not only assist you with your speech ability but also to assist to restore swallowing and work with you to treat cognitive impairments related to dementia. Hearing problems, developmental delays and injuries or traumas to the mouth or neck may also be treated using speech therapy services.
Registered dieticians can evaluate your nutritional needs. The dietician can then develop recommendations for a healthy eating plan. By identifying nutritional risks and developing a healthy eating plan, you can improve your health and the quality of your life.
There are also social workers who can identify your needs that can be met by community resources and to assist with family dynamics. Social workers can also assist in locating financial support for your needs. The goal of the social worker is to improve or maintain your social and emotional functions and physical health status. The social workers also do assessments and counselling for you and your family.
Registered nurses can teach you about diseases, set up medications, perform treatments and monitor health status. Other services that registered nurses can perform are home infusion services (IV therapy), injections and wound care. There are also physicians who will come to your home to provide doctors’ services.
Most health care services provided in a rehabilitation unit at a nursing home or hospital after an injury or hospitalization are typically covered by Medicare and other health insurances. But what about home health care services? How are you going to pay for it?
Just like services provided in the custodial setting, home health care services may also be covered by Medicare, Medicare supplements or other health insurances. In order for them to be covered, these services must be certified as necessary by your attending physician. Generally, your attending physician would prescribe these home health care services which must be skilled, reasonable and necessary.
You are not limited to only the health care services prescribed by your doctor or paid by Medicare or your insurances. You can still always privately pay for any of these services.
So who do you choose for these home health care services? There are lots of home health care providers in St. Clair County. One of the best ways is to get a referral from someone you know who has had good experiences with the agency that you are considering to provide the services. Make inquiries about the agency. Are they local? Do they have a local office? Do they hire local people? Do they have a stake in our community?
Certain health care providers may refer you to a specific home health care agency because they have a “special relationship” with that agency. That relationship may be that they are related or affiliated entities. I have even heard that some home health care agencies give incentives to doctors’ offices and other health care providers for the referral of patients for home care.
Remember that you have the right to choose. You do not have to go with the agency to which you are referred. Do your homework. Make sure that you are getting the best care for the funds with which you have to spend.
You do have options with regard to your health care. You may be able to have medical care in your own home rather than having to go to a rehabilitation unit at a nursing home or hospital. You and your family have control.
By: Matthew M. Wallace, CPA, JD
Published edited October 10, 2010 in The Times Herald newspaper, Port Huron, Michigan as: Don’t rule out at-home medical care options