Home care service is also known as domiciliary or social care. This refers to the health care or supportive care that is rendered to patients within their homes by healthcare specialists. Home care service can be formal or informal (Kornowski, et al, 1995).
Home care service enables individuals with special needs to get assistance while staying at home. This care is usually provided to individuals who are in their old age; those who are suffering from chronic illnesses; those who are recuperating from surgery; or those who have disabilities. Home care services are varied, and they include various aspects aimed at making the life of individuals more comfortable (Kornowski, et al, 1995). It involves personal care like offering assistance to individuals to take a bath; wash their hair or get dressed. These services may also include home-making services like assisting with general cleaning; assisting with garden work, and assisting with laundry services. In addition, home care services may involve cooking and delivery of meals to individuals within their homes. Lastly, it may include health care services that may involve the provision of a health aide to assist individuals within their homes (Andrews, 2001).
In essence, home care services encompass almost all kinds of assistance that one may require at home. Home care services may at times be free or donated; whereas other forms of home care services are for hire. In this case, individuals are needed to pay for the services. At times, government programs or health insurance assist in covering the costs associated with particular home care services (Andrews, 2001).
Home care services’ main aim is to enable individuals to remain within their homes as opposed to using residential or institutional-based care. Home care service providers offer their services within the homes of their clients.
Their services may include both professional healthcare services and life support services.
Professional home care services involve various aspects such as psychological and medical care, managing pain and wounds, and various forms of therapies. Life support services may encompass the general day-to-day duties like laundry services, shopping, preparing meals, and conducting other errands (Andrews, 2001).
Within the United States, it has been indicated that in many homes, home care services are usually informal. In this respect, the family members and friends provide a considerable amount of care as opposed to the case where professionals provide the care assistance. In the case of formal care, the healthcare experts are involved in the provision of care services.
These medical professionals involved in-home care services include nurses, physical therapists, and home care assistants.
Other medical experts involved in-home care service are respiratory and occupational therapists, mental health experts, and social workers.
In most instances, the home care services are usually paid for through Medicaid, Medicare, long-term insurance, or through the patients’ resources (Kornowski, et al, 1995).
Home care services are primarily geared towards assisting individuals to maintain their independence at home even as they receive the services which would otherwise be offered in a long-term care institution. Home care service is highly recommended, especially when an individual requires little assistance in respect to the day-to-day chores as he/she continues to stay close to family and friends. As has been discussed earlier, there are various forms of home care services at the disposal of the individuals in need of such services.
References
Andrews, G. R. (2001). “Promoting health and function in an ageing population.” British Medical Journal, 322: 728-729.
Kornowski, R., et al (1995). “Intensive Homecare Surveillance Prevents Hospitalization and Improved Morbidity Rates among Elderly Patients with Severe Congestive Heart Failure.” American Heart Journal, 4: 762-766.