Many Americans struggle with chronic medical conditions, many of which require around the clock care. However, instead of staying in the hospital or a nursing home, many people instead choose to hire home health aides. Whether your family needs 24/7 assistance or occasional support to relieve family caregivers, home health aides can be a godsend.
In fact, there are many benefits of working with home health aides, so let’s take a look at a few of the most important.
Convenience
With home health aides, the patient no longer has to worry about coordinating travel arrangements to receive medical care. This is perfect for someone who has trouble getting in and out of vehicles, walking up stairs, or even sitting up straight. The aides can work around the patient’s schedule so they can maintain as much independence as possible.
Practical Support
Home health aides are trained to handle a number of medical situations. They can help teach a patient how to change their dressings and supervise other routine medical tasks. They are also updated on CPR best practices, physical therapy, and other first aid techniques. With the right training and support, the home environment can be a practical and realistic space for long-term care.
Supportive
In most cases, a specific home health aide will be assigned to a specific patient. This means that the same home aide will be working with the same patient at all times. The deep familiarity that develops can be extremely comforting to a patient who is sick and needs close attention, yet still desires the comforts of home. The relationship they form will create a unique type of support that can have a soothing effect. And because of the intimate nature of long-term medical care, the personal connection with a familiar home health aide can be very beneficial. Approximately 96% of home care recipients require assistance bathing and 88% require help getting in and out of bed. It can be embarrassing to ask for help with these tasks from a stranger — or a family caregiver. In time, the patient will learn to be comfortable with the assistance.
Home health aides are beneficial in many ways. If a patient doesn’t want to spend their time in the hospital or health care center, hiring a home health aide is the answer they’ve been looking for.