What Is Home Care?

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Most of us would rather be able to remain in our own homes, whether in good or poor health, till the end of our lives. The goal of home care is to help us do just that. While home care is not always appropriate for everyone, studies have shown that home care helps people get well faster, and stay well longer, at a fraction of the cost of hospital or nursing home care.

Home care includes a wide range of services to help you stay at home comfortably and safely. Consider home care when:

You are recovering from an accident, illness, or surgery.
You need help to manage a chronic disease.
You can’t get around as well as you used to, and you could use some day-to-day help at home.
You have an incurable illness and want to live out the rest of your days in comfort at home.

HOW DOES HOME CARE WORK?

Depending on the services you need, specially trained professionals (nurses, therapists, and others) and paraprofessionals (home and hospice care aides, physical therapy assistants) will provide those services in your home. As a member of your own home care team, you will help to design a schedule and personal care plan that works for you and your caregivers. Your care plan will be directed by your physician’s orders and guided by your home care case manager.

You may need a home care aide to help you with errands and light housekeeping, or you may need a team of clinicians working together to provide more complex, coordinated care. You may need special supplies or equipment, such as a wheelchair, a shower bench, or oxygen.

Home care is designed to provide whatever you may need to achieve and maintain optimal health, to answer your questions, and to educate you on how to get better and stay well, live comfortably, and be safe.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

Physicians order home care for their patients when they need continued treatment after hospitalization, or to monitor a chronic disease such as hypertension or diabetes, or to provide additional help with daily living activities, such as bathing. Most home care services require physician orders, but anyone can make a referral.

If you or someone you know could benefit from home care, call Terri McKinley, Clinical Director, at (740) 594-8226, extension 228, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . A member of our Intake Department will help you decide if home care might be appropriate. A referral will be followed by a home assessment visit to determine:

If home care is right for you.
The types of services you need.
What sources are available to pay for these services.
What other community resources could help you.