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.

Services can include skilled nursing, physical and occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Help may be needed with performing activities of daily living, also referred to as ADLs. These ADLs include eating, bathing, and getting dressed. On a lower level of care the services might include light housekeeping, cooking, laundry, and monitoring the consumers management of medications.

There is a difference between support services and health services. It is important that folks understand what those differences are to ensure that they are getting the help that is needed. Home treatment for a physical condition might include services that are provided by an in home support provider, however they lean more toward medical needs. Support services include chores while health care involves assistance to seniors who are recovering from injury or illness.

The employees that treat consumers with medical issues are therapists, LPNs, and certified aides. They are licensed by the state and work for public health departments, hospitals, and agencies. On the other hand, folks who work for support services are not required to be licensed and may not even have to be certified depending on the agency policy.

Anyone who is considering health care in the home should make sure the provider offers quality assistance. Speak to your relatives and friends to find out what agency they recommend. Take time to call your local aging agency for information regarding local providers. The agency will probably not make a recommendation but they can offer some very helpful tips you should consider when looking for the right agency.

There are quite a few questions you need to be asking when looking at different agencies. To start, you need to know how long an agency has been in business. Find out if they have a brochure outlining the services provided and their cost. It is vital to match the services with the needs of the patient. Any agency that is not able to meet the clients needs should be disregarded.

Ask about the kind of insurance accepted by the agency. Support services are usually not covered by insurance, however the agencies offering medical services are. If an agency I nationally certified you can be sure that their care I of the highest quality. A certified provider is expected to uphold a higher work standard.

Before you contact an agency write down all the questions you can think of. Include questions about the current license for the company and what type of insurance they carry. In addition, ask about supervision. It is important that you are confident that all interactions with your loved one are closely supervised. It is also vital that they keep open communication with family members.




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