Home Health Definitions

Article submitted by the Seniors Resource Guide staff.

The following list gives the definitions of some of the more common types of Home Health Care providers that are needed as people age.

Homemaker Services
Refers to services provided by a companion/sitter to be with your family member for a specified amount of time each day up to and including 24-hour super-vision. The companions may provide assistance with routine household activities such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, errands and shopping. Many agencies provide transportation and supervision to physician's offices, grocery and clothing shopping as well as recreational activities. Companions are able to perform a wide variety of other non medical tasks and activities that are designed to assist the elderly to remain at home as long as possible. By law homemakers and companions are not able to provide hands on personal care such as assistance with bathing and bathroom personal care needs. They may not dispense medications for their clients either.

Home Health Aids/Assistance ADL's
Refers to persons specifically trained to help individuals with their personal care needs and activities of daily living (ADL's). These services include assistance with bathing, showering, shampooing, dressing etc. Other tasks may be assigned to aids per individual agency and family negotiations/ contract. Home Health Aids are available for just a few hours per week up to 24-hour care on a temporary or long term basis.

Skilled Nursing
Refers to services performed only by a licensed Registered Nurse or licensed Practical Nurse that is registered with the State Board of Nursing in their respective State. Skilled Nursing includes, but is not limited to patient assessments, performance of prescribed medical treatments, administration of prescribed medications, education for the patient and the caregiver (if available) related to the disease process, treatment, health measures and medication management. Skilled Nurses provide medical care as prescribed by physician.

Therapy PT, OT, ST (Physical Therapy)
Refers to assessing and treating large motor function, utilizing rehabilitative techniques of exercise, gait training, prosthetics, and heat to restore the client to his/her highest functional level of strength, range of motion and mobility.

Occupational Therapy
Asses and treats small motor function. Utilizes rehabilitative techniques of exercise, splinting and assistive devices to increase the client's ability to carry out normal day to day activity such as feeding, dressing, grooming, and performing household tasks. Guides the client through specialized regimes and encourage sensory and muscle return. Exercises and activities are used to increase upper body extremity function.

Speech Therapy
Asses and treats speech and swallowing disorders. Provides individually designed treatment programs to maximize communicative effectiveness for the client, such as stroke, head injury, laryngectomy, and voice disorders, as well as cognitive deficits.

Live In Services
Refers to providing care 24 hours a day for as long as the client requires this supervision. These services may be contracted through Companion Agencies or through Individual contracts. Nanny Services- Refers to services usually including childcare, house-keeping chores and other duties as assigned and contracted between the client and the providing Agency.

Orthopedic Care
Refers to what usually results from major bone fractures and surgical repair with recovery and rehab period at home including physical and occupational therapy. These include hip, knee, shoulder and ankle fractures and repair.

Intravenous Therapy
Refers to any medical treatments/medications that need to be introduced into the body via a patient's veins. Numerous IV Therapies can be provided in a patient's home under supervision of a MD. Some of these include: inter-infective/antibiotic therapies, hydration therapy, pain management, chemotherapy and central line care and maintenance.

Enteral Therapies/Feeding Tubes
Refers to services that can be provided at home under the supervision of the patient's M.D. Entrant patient conditions include, but are not limited to, the following: dysphasia, inflammatory bowel, esophageal use, intestinal atresia, colitis, chrones disease and malignancies.

Wound Care/Ostomy Care Nurse
Refers to most Home Health Agencies providing wound care services to their clients. Some agencies may employ specialty nurses to provide and instruct in care specifically for ostomy patients and for more complicated wounds.

Diabetic and Cardiac Mgmt
Refers to services including patient assessment specific diet information, management of the disease process, medication management and education on all the above. Services are provided by Registered Nurse under the supervision of a M.D. Some agencies may have certified diabetic nurse instructors or cardiac care specialty RN's in their employ.