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Currently, about 1.4 million Americans receive home health care. Home health care includes skilled nursing care, as well as other skilled care services, like physical and occupational therapy, speech-language pathology (therapy) services. Services may also include medical social services, and assistance from a home health aide (when needed by people also receiving skilled care).
The goal of short-term home health care is rehabilitation. It helps you get better, regain your independence, and become as self-sufficient as possible. The goal of long-term home health care (for chronically ill or disabled people) is to maintain your highest level of ability or health, and help you learn to live with your illness or disability.
Examples of skilled home health services include:
- wound care for pressure sores or a surgical wound
- respiratory care, like oxygen or a nebulizer
- physical and occupational therapy
- speech-language therapy
- patient and caregiver education
- intravenous or nutrition therapy
- injections
- monitoring serious illness and unstable health status
Examples of home health aide services include:
- help with basic daily activities like getting in and out of bed, dressing, bathing, eating, and using the bathroom
- help with light housekeeping, laundry, shopping, and cooking
Medicare is the largest single payer of home care services. If you have Medicare, you can use your home health care benefits if you meet all of the following conditions:
- Your doctor must decide that you need medical care at home, and make a plan for your care at home.
- You must need at least one of the following: intermittent skilled nursing care, or physical therapy, or speech-language therapy, or continue to need occupational therapy.
- The home health agency caring for you must be Medicare-certified.
- You must be homebound, or normally unable to leave home unassisted. To be homebound means that leaving home takes considerable and taxing effort. A person may leave home for medical treatment or short, infrequent absences for non-medical reasons, such as a trip to the barber or to attend religious services. A need for adult day care doesn't keep you from getting home health care.
Veterans and widows of veterans should keep in mind that Aid and Attendance may help pay the cost of home health care.
Georgia provides limited home health care for persons who meet the Medicaid eligibility criteria through Community Care Services Program ("CCSP"). CCSP includes:
- Adult Day Health - Offers health care and related services in an adult center for those who need daytime care and supervision.
- Alternative Living Services - Offers an alternative residence for those unable to remain independent in their own homes.
- Care Management - Provides a Care Management Team for each client to link the client with the service delivery system and to coordinate on-going service provision.
- Emergency Response System - Offers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in-home electronic two-way communication system between isolated persons and a medical control center.
- Home Delivered Meals - Provides one meal per day in the home, meeting 1/3 of the daily nutritional needs. This service is not available in all areas.
- Personal Support Services - Offers personal care, medically related transportation, housekeeping and other services as ordered by the Care Management Team.
- Extended Personal Support Services - Provides in-home respite and assistance with personal care, meal preparation, light housekeeping and home safety.
For information about CCSP, you may contact our office. Persons living in the following Georgia Counties can also contact the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Georgia for information about CCSP: Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield. You may also call 1-800-759-2963.
Additional services available in most areas include homemaker services, Meals on Wheels, Adult Day Care, and Respite services.
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