Caring for Your Loved One at Home

Hospitals offer many essential services and facilities that are useful in caring for patients, but nothing can compare with returning to our own home. Being surrounded by familiar people can aid the healing process and provide a sense of safety and reassurance.

Home-based care is a solution that can bring the care and expertise of professionals like nurses, doctors, speech pathologists, physiotherapists and doctors to a more familiar place, which greatly affects a patient’s recovery and disposition.

Definition: What is Home-Based Care?

Home-based care or home care practices, is any kind of health service that is provided in a patient’s home. This service is mostly for senior patients or those with disabilities as it is easier for them to feel comfortable. In-home services may include the following:

• Help with daily activities such as dressing and bathing
• Assistance with safely managing tasks around the house
• Companionship
• Therapy and rehabilitative services, including allied health support
• Short- or long-term nursing care for an illness, disease or disability

Kinds of home-based practices

• Personal care and companionship – This kind of care practice enables more independence for the patient, as it is a non-medical type of care. Company and assistance in daily tasks like dressing, household chores, and meal preparation is given. This practice is also known as assistive care. Family members can also participate in this type of practice.
• Long-term nursing care – This requires a private-duty nurse to be present due to the individual having a chronic illness, injury or disability which can cause them to be bedridden. Care practices for this can include assistance with mobility, ventilator care, catheter and gastronomy care and other forms of medical care that requires professional skills.
• Home health care – This kind of home-based practice requires intermittent skilled care. Patients who avail of this care usually need help with physical or occupational therapy, speech pathology or home health aide services.

“As a family member, how can I help?”

Home care is a big shift in one’s home environment. Family members can ease the big change by giving support to their loved ones and being as present as possible, as this change can cause anxiety. Assure those who need different kinds of care that you will be there every step of the way, making sure they are comfortable and well-looked after.

Thanks to Nina Alvarez for this important topic. Nothing beats the comforts that home can offer.