Home-health aides are available to assist you with personal care two or three times a week for one or two hours per visit. There are many advantages to home care, including remaining in your own comfortable, familiar environment, being able to continue with normal routines rather than having to adapt to someone else's routine, and generally being more in control of your life. Skilled nursing , to help you and your family with nursing procedures or to teach you how to do them yourself, how to recognize medical problems that should be reported to your doctor, how to dress surgical wounds or care for bed sores, to administer chemotherapy, and, in general, to help you solve problems you or your family may be having with your care. Occupational therapy , to help improve or restore your ability to do such things as dress yourself or perform household chores or other activities of daily living so you can live as independently as possible. Home-delivered meals provided through a referral to a community agency.
Most communities have home-health agencies.
Your physician, nurse, or social worker will know about the different home-health agencies in your community, as well as your needs. These booklets will be useful in helping you make the right choice. Home-health agencies must follow guidelines established by Medicare and Medical Assistance when deciding what types of care will be covered and for what period of time. Other sources of payment for home services are the Veterans Administration, Champus, a program covering families of deceased veterans, and your local Area Agency on Aging. If you want home-health care and your doctor has not suggested it, discuss it with him or her.