Friday, February 13, 2015

A Look At Home Health Care Pottsville PA

By Beryl Dalton


There are a wide range of services available to senior to help them remain in independent living. If you have a loved one who needs assistance and is not yet ready for long term care, consider the services home health care Pottsville PA offers. Health care services help prevent premature placement in a Skilled Nursing facility. Patients who are able to remain in their own home do much better than those who do not.

Services can include skilled nursing, physical and occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Help may be needed with performing activities of daily living, also referred to as ADLs. These ADLs include eating, bathing, and getting dressed. On a lower level of care the services might include light housekeeping, cooking, laundry, and monitoring the consumers management of medications.

It is vital that people understand the difference between health services and support services. Knowing the differences will ensure the person gets the appropriate assistance. Assistance for a medical condition may involve some of the same services provided by home support agencies. However, they typically help with the individuals medical need. The support service agency provides assistance with chores and the health care agency attends to the senior recovering from a medical condition.

The people who provide treatment for physical conditions usually are certified aides, LPNs, and therapists. These individuals work for agencies, public health departments, and hospitals and are licensed with the state. Individuals working with support services do not need to be licensed and depending on the program criteria, do not even need to be certified.

Anyone who is considering health care in the home should make sure the provider offers quality assistance. Speak to your relatives and friends to find out what agency they recommend. Take time to call your local aging agency for information regarding local providers. The agency will probably not make a recommendation but they can offer some very helpful tips you should consider when looking for the right agency.

There are quite a few questions you need to be asking when looking at different agencies. To start, you need to know how long an agency has been in business. Find out if they have a brochure outlining the services provided and their cost. It is vital to match the services with the needs of the patient. Any agency that is not able to meet the clients needs should be disregarded.

You should also find out what insurance is accepted by the agency. The services that are provided through a support agency are not usually covered by insurance, however medical services typically are. Check for certification by a national organization to ensure quality of care. Providers who are certified are held to a higher standard.

Before you contact an agency write down all the questions you can think of. Include questions about the current license for the company and what type of insurance they carry. In addition, ask about supervision. It is important that you are confident that all interactions with your loved one are closely supervised. It is also vital that they keep open communication with family members.




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