What to Expect Care provided at home is different than care provided in clinical settings, such as hospitals or nursing homes. The most striking difference is that the setting is not controlled by the clinician. When a patient receives care at home, the home health staff provide the necessary care while maintaining respect for the individual's privacy and home. Staff must always remember they are a guest in a person's home. They must put the person at ease and develop the trust needed as the foundation for effective caregiving and communication.
Doctors orders initiate the care delivery process.
A referral to a home health agency is not an automatic acceptance or admission to the home care agency caseload. A multitude of factors affect the viability of care at home-the layout of the home, whether there is enough food in the house, caregiver support and so on. In some situations, the assessment visit may be performed by a physical or speech therapist. Based on the assessment, an individualized plan of care is developed. During each visit, the home health staff assess how the individual is managing at home, including safety, diet and disease status, then communicate as needed this information to the physician and other home care staff.