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Types of In-Home Care for Elderly

Home health care serves elderly people who are unable to perform some daily activities, such as bathing, dressing, walking, shopping and cooking. In-home care allows seniors to remain safely and comfortably at home instead of being placed in an assisted living facility or nursing home. In-home care includes many medical and non-medical services.

  1. Nursing Care

    • Licensed nurses provide skilled medical care for seniors in their homes. Skilled nursing care includes monitoring the patient's health, dressing wounds, administering medications and intravenous therapy. Nurses can visit the patient on a regular schedule or as needed. Sometimes nursing care is needed on a 24-hour basis.

    Physician Care

    • Physicians review the needs of home healthcare patients, and diagnose and treat illnesses. A physician can visit the housebound patient at home, if necessary.

    Therapy

    • Several types of therapists travel to seniors' homes for rehabilitative treatment. A physical therapist helps a patient strengthen muscles and joints after an illness or injury. An occupational therapist helps disabled seniors learn how to use equipment such as walkers and wheelchairs. An occupational therapist can also teach seniors how to re-learn daily functions that are impaired from an illness or injury. For example, the therapist can help a patient re-learn how to dress himself. A speech therapist helps a patient regain communication skills that are impaired from illness, injury or a disability. For example, a speech therapist can work with a senior who is recovering from a stroke and has difficulty speaking.

    Social Services

    • Sometimes seniors need mental health counseling or assistance with obtaining other types of home care. Social workers serve as case workers who evaluate the needs of the housebound senior and help the patient find resources in his community. They consult with the senior's family members about the senior's needs. Social workers also provide counseling for the elderly patient.

    Homecare

    • Non-medical homecare includes housekeeping chores, meal preparation, laundry, food shopping, cooking and bill paying. This type of in-home care is provided on a regular basis, depending on the needs of the patient.

    Nutritional Support

    • A dietitian visits the elderly patient and creates a diet plan that meets her needs and complements other medical treatment she is receiving. Dietitians encourage elderly patients to eat healthy, nutritious meals.

    Volunteer

    • Many communities have volunteer services in-home for the elderly. Some low-income, housebound elderly are unable to afford private, non-medical care. For example, volunteers deliver hot meals to seniors who can't cook for themselves. Volunteers can offer to drive elderly people to doctor's appointments or to take them shopping.

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