We have highly trained medical professionals dedicated to getting you well. At your physician's request, we come to your home and listen to what you have to say, assess your needs and develop a care plan to get you back to the best health possible. An important part of your recovery is YOU. Your cooperation and commitment to improving your health will make all the difference. Skilled services include: nursing, physical, occupational, and speech therapy.
Home Health Nurses
On the first visit, your nurse will takes notes and make a general assessment of your condition. This will include asking about your medical history, assessing your overall health, and gauging your ability to manage your medications and treatments. One of the most important duties of a home health nurse is to provide medication reconciliation, which means comparing your medication orders to all of the medications that you have been been taking. This helps to avoid omissions, duplications and dosing errors or potentially dangerous drug interactions.
Your nurse will also evaluate the safety of your living environment and the ability of you and your family to cope with the situation and access emergency help if needed. Specific duties may include:
· monitoring vital signs
· giving injections
· administering infusion medicines
· monitoring tricky drugs such as anticoagulation medications like Coumadin or Warfarin
· providing wound care
· treating and helping to prevent illnesses like pneumonia
Your nurse can also help you with issues such as pain management and will report back to your doctor if you need more help. If you have a chronic condition, your at-home nurse can teach you how to manage it. Increasing your independence is the goal. Your nurse is a great resource to answer questions and help prevent complications. Talking openly and honestly can help avoid trips to the hospital because you'll know what to expect and what warning signs to look for.
Physical Therapists & Physical Therapist Assistants
A physical therapist (PT) & licensed physical therapist assistants (LPTA) can help you move freely again when a part of your body is hurting and help you avoid further injury. PT's and LPTA's are commonly called in for patients with arthritis and joint pain, joint replacements, soft tissue injuries, chronic pain syndromes, gait and balance disorders, stroke, head injuries or other neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis or ALS.
Your PT will do a functional assessment to get an idea of your strength and functional mobility. Next, the therapist will help you identify your goals and provide counseling on what is realistic. Depending on your circumstances, your PT and/or LPTA might work with you to help you improve your walking, balance, pain relief, range-of-motion, posture, strength or mobility. You will be taught what movements and habits to avoid and you will likely be assigned homework - exercises for you to do on your own.
One major reason doctors order physical therapy is to help patients recover from and prevent falls. Studies show that falls are the leading reason for admission to skilled nursing facilities. In the U.S. alone, one of three adults over the age of 65 falls each year, and more than half fall more than once. This annual rate increases over the age of 80.
Occupational Therapists & Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants
Occupational therapists (OT) & certified occupational therapist assistants (COTA) help patients regain the skills for the job of daily living. Your OT and COTA will help you accomplish activities important to maintaining independence in your daily life. Physicians commonly order occupational therapy for patients with stroke, neurological diseases amputation and other disabilities. They help patients learn how to use medical equipment, assistive devices and prosthetics. You will learn to manage activities such as bathing and personal hygiene, dressing, meal preparation and eating, bowel/bladder management and more.
Occupational therapists are experts with tips, tricks and new techniques to help you re-learn daily skills. He or she will build activities you enjoy into your routine to make your therapy more enjoyable and give it meaning. Your OT will help you build confidence and regain independence.
Speech Pathologists
A Speech-Language Pathologist specializes in the evaluation and treatment of swallowing, cognition/thinking skills and communication disorders. Speech therapy services aim to improve a person’s quality of life through regaining the ability to eat and swallow, assist with cognitive skills for increased independence and help to regain communication skills. By being in your home, our therapist can more effectively assess your real-world needs and offer individualized treatment. It is common for patients with dementia or cognitive impairment to respond better to treatment in the familiar setting of home. Our speech pathologists provide comprehensive care including:
- Evaluation and treatment of communication disorders, swallowing and cognition deficits
- Address Activities of Daily Living (ADL)
- Identify risk of decreased mobility, falls and wound development
- Patient/family/caregiver education
Medical Social Worker (available only with other skilled services)
Your social worker can provide you and your family with helpful information to navigate and prevent potential problems in the home setting. This information includes:
- counseling
- support groups
- financial assistance
- medical transportation
- education and caregiver emotional support
- community resource coordination
- long-term care planning
Home Health Aides (available only with other skilled services)
Home Health aides assist patients with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, while receiving skilled services such as nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.