The primary goal of home health care is to help the client function within limitations. Home health care allows people to regain or maintain optimal health. Home health care is designed to help patients rest, recover and receive treatment in the comfort of their home or residence. The services provided by home health care are offered with the objective of helping the patient to regain their independence to be as self-sufficient as possible and, at the same time, to control their illness or condition.
Whatever the reason, the primary goal of home health care is to provide care and services that allow a person to stay in their own home for as long as possible. Basic home care services may include light housework, laundry, grocery shopping, and meal preparation. Home health agencies have the primary goal of providing personalized, high-quality care to patients in the comfort of their home and neighborhood. Agencies work closely with primary care physicians and other health professionals to create individualized care plans for each patient based on specific health needs and desired therapeutic and life goals.
In times of illness, families often have to choose from several options to provide the best possible support and comfort to their loved ones. Two common ways that aim to improve people's well-being in the comfort of their homes are palliative care and home health care. While there are similarities between these types of care, they serve different purposes and are adapted to different stages of the disease. Palliative care focuses on providing comfort and support to patients who have a serious and advanced illness and who are in the final stages of their lives.
The primary goal of palliative care is to improve the quality of life of patients and their families by managing symptoms and providing emotional and spiritual support during the end-of-life process. Home health care is provided to people who are recovering from an illness, injury, or surgery or who have a chronic condition that requires ongoing medical care. The goal of home health care is to help patients regain independence and improve their overall health and functioning. Patients are usually eligible for palliative care if they have a life expectancy of six months or less, as certified by a doctor.
They must also agree to forego curative treatments in favor of palliative care. Eligibility for home health care is based on a person's medical needs and their ability to safely receive care at home. Palliative care focuses on providing comprehensive comforting care, including pain management, symptom management, emotional support, and assistance in carrying out activities of daily living. This may include nursing care, medication management, spiritual counseling, and grief support for the patient and his family.
Usually, palliative care is provided during the last months of a patient's life, with the goal of ensuring comfort and dignity during the end-of-life process. The length of palliative care varies depending on the patient's condition and needs. Palliative care is provided by a multidisciplinary team that includes a doctor, nurses, a social worker, a spiritual counselor, a home health assistant, and volunteers who collaborate to provide comprehensive care adapted to the patient's needs and preferences. The remaining two studies evaluated the use of the Braden scale to predict the risk of pressure ulcers in patients receiving home health care, with disparate outcomes.
Home health care, often referred to simply as “home care,” is specialized care provided directly in the patient's home. Therefore, compared to the hospitalized patient, the patient receiving home health care often plays a more important role in determining how and even if certain interventions will be implemented. Specific interventions that use the analysis of the care process and the data available in the Outcome and Evaluation Information Set (OASIS), within the framework of the OBQI, can reduce the unplanned hospital admissions of patients receiving home health care. More than 60 percent of wounds treated in the home health care setting are surgical, while just under a quarter are vascular ulcers on the legs and another quarter are ulcers by pressure.
The interventions tested mainly consisted of increasing the intensity of care provided through a disease control program, a team-management home primary care program, a multidisciplinary intervention by a specialized team, transient advanced practice nursing (APN) care, telehealth services and intensive rehabilitation care before hospital discharge. This chapter includes an analysis of the evidence on promoting patient safety and the quality of health care in relation to problems that frequently occur in home health care.
Home health care services are more medically
oriented and may include skilled nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, wound care, medication administration, and vital sign monitoring. A home health assistant can provide services that include monitoring vital signs, assisting with personal hygiene, administering medications, and using other elements of a doctor-prescribed care plan.Relatively little is known about the most effective wound care practices in the home health care setting. A home health aide is a professional who provides assistance to patients with special needs, including those with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or cognitive problems. The primary goal of home health care is to enable people to maintain their independence and quality of life for as long as possible. Home health care agencies directly plan the care and support of individuals based on their unique needs and objectives, allowing for a personalized and comprehensive approach to health care.
