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Assistive Equipment for the Home What assistive equipment might be necessary in the home? Assistive equipment is any kind of tool or device that can help simplify caregiving or make the environment safer for an ill, disabled, or elderly person. Here are some of the more common types of assistive equipment to consider for the home: bathroom grab bars shower seats bathtub mats beds with special features that increase the person's ability to get in and out of bed assistive telephones (for hearing-impaired ...

Being a Caregiver What is a caregiver? A caregiver provides assistance in meeting the daily needs of another person. Caregivers are referred to as either "formal" or "informal." "Formal" caregivers are paid for their services and have had training and education in providing care. This may include services from home health agencies and other trained professionals. "Informal" caregivers, also called family caregivers, are persons who provide care to family or friends usually without payment. A caregiver p...

Choosing a Provider Choosing a provider: Finding appropriate home health and hospice care providers requires some research. You will need to consult with your physician to evaluate your home health or hospice care needs. When looking for a provider, consider the following: quality of care availability of services personnel training and expertise payer coverage Evaluating the quality of a provider: When evaluating the quality of a provider, you may encounter the following terms: Licensure - Some states r...

Elder Care What is elder care? Americans are living longer and living well for longer periods of time. This has created a relatively new and growing area of health care and provider services, known as elder care. Elder care encompasses a wide variety of issues, including choosing an appropriate physician to care for an aging patient, and making decisions about moving an elderly person from the home environment to a residential care setting. Persons age 65 and older are the fastest growing segment of Ame...

Glossary - Home Health, Hospice, and Elder Care | A | | B | | C | | D | | E | | F | | G | | H | | I | | J | | K | | L | | M | | N | | O | | P | | Q | | R | | S | | T | | U | | V | | W | | X | | Y | | Z | A [return to top] anticipatory grief - the deep emotional distress that occurs when someone has a prolonged illness and death is expected often by the patient as well as the family. Anticipatory grief can be just as painful and stressful as the actual death of the person. assisted living facility (ALF) ...

Home Health Care Overview What is home health care? Before modern medicine, caring for someone medically in the home was quite common, and hospitalization was rare. Today, with a growing trend toward reduced hospital stays, home health care is gaining popularity. While caregivers of the past were generally family members or friends, home health care today is based more on a professional health care team working toward a common goal. Today home health care may be considered for patients who are: recoveri...

Home Health Care Statistics According to the National Association for Home Care and Hospice: Approximately 7.6 million people in the US require some form of home health care. More than 83,000 home health care providers exist today. Almost two-thirds (63.8 percent) of home health care recipients are women. More than two-thirds (69.1 percent) of home health care recipients are over age 65. Conditions requiring home health care most frequently include diabetes, heart failure, chronic ulcer of the skin, ost...

Topic Index Home Health Care Overview Hospice Care Overview Types of Home Health and Hospice Care Providers Paying for Home Health and Hospice Care Choosing a Provider Patient Rights Elder Care Grief and Loss Glossary Caring for someone medically outside the traditional hospital setting is not a new idea. Well before modern medicine, people were cared for at home out of necessity. Caretakers of past generations usually consisted of family members or friends. Today, however, there are more options availa...

Making the Home Environment Safe What is involved in making the home environment safe? When caring at home for an ill, aging, or disabled person of any age, it is important to consider the safety aspects of the home environment. The following checklist may be printed and used for home inspection. Upstairs __ Install a smoke detector in the hallway outside of bedrooms. Check and change batteries regularly. __ Place a nonskid bath mat on the floor and a nonskid mat in the tub. __ Store all prescription an...

Online Resources - Home Health, Hospice, and Elder Care This Web was compiled from a variety of sources including the online resources listed below, but is not intended to substitute or replace the professional medical advice you receive from your physician. The content provided here is for informational purposes only, and was not designed to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Please consult your physician with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition. This page contai...

Patient Rights What are a patient's rights when receiving care? If you are unhappy with the home health or hospice care you are receiving, you should take the following steps: Notify the home care provider's chief supervisor or administrator. Notify a state health department or Medicare representative. Notify the Better Business Bureau. Rights for home health care patients: In addition, federal law requires that all individuals receiving home care services be informed of their rights as patients. Accord...

Paying for Home Health and Hospice Care Paying for care: Home health care services may be paid for directly by the patient, through insurance coverage, or through other public or private sources. Most hospice care programs are provided to the patient regardless of the patient's ability to pay. Always check with your insurance provider regarding terms of coverage. The following are sources of payment for home health care services: self-pay If a patient does not meet the requirements of third-party payers...

Topic Index - Home Health, Hospice, and Elder Care Home Health, Hospice, and Elder Care Home Home Health Care Overview Home Health Care Statistics Being a Caregiver Making the Home Environment Safe Assistive Equipment for the Home Types of Home Health Care Services Hospice Care Overview Hospice Care Statistics Types of Hospice Care Services Types of Home Health and Hospice Care Providers Paying for Home Health and Hospice Care Choosing a Provider Patient Rights Elder Care Grief and Loss Glossary

Types of Home Health and Hospice Care Providers Who provides home health and hospice care services? Home health and hospice care can be provided by many different types of organizations, agencies, companies, and individuals. Choosing the service that is right for your family requires some research. Some of the more common types of providers are: home health agencies More than 20,000 home health agencies exist in the US today. Some home health care agencies are Medicare-certified (which means they have m...

Types of Home Health Care Services What are the different types of home health care services? The range of home health care services a patient can receive at home is limitless. Depending on the individual patient's situation, care can range from nursing care to specialized medical services such as laboratory work-ups. You and your physician will determine your care plan and services you may need at home. At-home care services may include: physician care A physician may visit a patient at home to diagnos...

For Seniors: How to Prevent Falls As you age, your risk for falling increases. More than one-third of people ages 65 and older and half of those ages 75 and older fall each year. Although most falls cause only minor injuries, between 10 and 15 percent cause fractures and other severe injuries that severely limit independence. The risk is even greater for people who have fallen within the past year. Falls can occur anywhere, but most occur in the home. They can occur while climbing stairs or getting out ...

Understanding Long-Term Care When people of any age need others to help them with medical, physical, or emotional needs over an extended period of time, they need long-term care. If a person needs ongoing medical care or is unable to perform everyday self-care activities such as bathing, dressing, or grocery shopping, long-term care may be required. Experts estimate that at least 60 percent of Americans will need long-term care during their lifetime. Long-term-care services may be provided in the home o...

Preventing Falls One Step at a Time Although it's impossible to prevent all falls, you can help keep yourself safe as you grow older by improving your balance and employing "fall-proofing" behaviors in and around your home. "Falls are more dangerous for older adults than younger adults because serious emotional and physical injury can result from a single fall," says Neil B. Alexander, M.D., professor of geriatric medicine at the University of Michigan. Up to 30 percent of older adults who fall injure t...

Easy Ways for the Elderly to Prevent Falls Each year thousands of older men and women are disabled, sometimes permanently, by falls that result in broken bones. Yet small changes in homes and lifestyles can prevent such falls. The changes associated with aging include a decrease in visual acuity, hearing, muscle strength, balance, coordination and reflexes. These changes can make people more likely to fall. Older people also are more likely to have disorders that may affect their balance, such as diabet...

You Can Keep Yourself From Falling As you age, you may face a higher risk of falling. That doesn't mean you're going to fall. In fact, you can do a lot to keep yourself from falling. The best way to reduce your risk is to improve your overall level of fitness and flexibility, according to the National Institute on Aging (NIA). Be sure to check with your doctor before you begin or alter an exercise program. Why people fall Age causes changes to your body that can increase your risk of falls. "As you get ...

How to Properly Manage Medical Devices Whether it's placing a thermometer under your tongue or standing on a scale to weigh yourself, chances are good you've used a personal medical device at one time or another. Many people with chronic illnesses depend on more elaborate medical devices, such as cardiac pacemakers or blood-glucose monitors, for their health and well-being. Countless others help their loved ones, young or old, deal with an oxygen machine, asthma medication inhaler, or other device. No m...

How to Stick With Your Treatment Plan Many Americans suffer from at least one chronic disease, and most rely on regular tests and treatments to be healthier, more comfortable and more productive. But many people with chronic illnesses find it daunting to keep up with prescribed treatments, such as daily pills for high blood pressure, peak flow meters for asthma, insulin for diabetes, and exercise treatments for arthritis. Coping with a chronic illness that requires long-term treatment is difficult for p...

Sound Advice on Hearing What did you say? For many of us, that's a common question. Nearly 30 million Americans have some form of hearing loss, including one of every three people ages 65 to 75. Yet just a fraction of us seek help. Why? For one thing, hearing loss is invisible. Age-related hearing trouble sneaks up over 10 or 20 years. People may not notice the changes. "They're hearing a lot of sounds. They're just not hearing them as much as they should," says Dennis Hampton, Ph.D., an audiologist at ...