Home Nursing and Home Health Care do not mean the same, though they are often referred to in the same breath. Nursing is a wide field and consists of medical specialists, physicians, care providers, lab technicians, volunteers and many more categories of persons. The motive though is nursing and implies care of a patient in helping their recovery.
The wide range of tasks that may be needed, the cost factor, the age and condition of the patient, the family needs, and many other factors would need to be evaluated. When hospitalization is not required or recommended Home Health Care is the option and remedy rolled up in one!
What is Home Health Care?
At one time or the other, the need for Home Health Care is always there. Home Health Care could include
- Visit by a doctor or nurse for evaluation, dressing, injections, tests etc.
- Nursing care.
- Speech, occupational and physiotherapies.
- Baby care.
- Basic home cleaning, companionship, and home services.
- Care by volunteers for elderly, terminally ill patients etc.
- Medico-social services.
Home care services have thus come to mean services offered to a person with special needs in their own premises. Example: The elderly, chronically ill, sick infants, accidental injury cases etc may need help in dressing, with their medications, food, bathing etc.
Remember even the most, simple task for one could be very hard for another. With time constraints and working lifestyles providing us little or no time, the use of caregivers comes as a blessing.
Home Health Care and home nursing can benefit both the family and the patient. In the case of the elderly especially one must take care of them, have a full body checkup test done and even maybe use a wheelchair. Nurses and health care providers may be required to monitor health status, give injections, conduct routine tests on patients, wound care etc.
The cost of such Home Health Care varies depending on the type of service required, duration of care etc. To mitigate the sudden incurrence of such unexpected costs medical insurance packages covering such care conditionally are available. The cost, terms, and conditions could vary.
All about wheelchair rental requirement
Wheelchairs may be required for a short period of time and may not justify the buying of one. In such cases fear not. wheelchair rental services are available. Persons who may need this service are visiting elders, infirm persons and in geriatric care, patients recovering from accidents, pregnant women or a patient in pain, during the sudden onset of sickness and trauma etc.
Wheelchairs are available at most health care hospitals like Apollo, Manipal etc on rent. Other medical equipment used for short periods can also be rented. Cost, availability, terms of use, types of wheelchairs, special needs wheelchairs are available and should be discussed with the physician or caregivers like nurses, medical help providers or physicians
What is a Full Body Check Up?
A full body checkup can identify and detect diseases at an early stage and is recommended for all above the age of 18 years at least at annual intervals. Lifestyle problems like smoking, alcohol consumption, no exercise etc., family history of heart problems, diabetes etc and even sedentary healthy persons should undergo this test to prevent full-blown sickness at a later stage.
The normally recommended tests are
- Complete Urine Analysis.
- X-Ray Chest.
- ECG (Resting).
- Pap Smear (for women).
- Ultra-sonogram of the abdomen (Screening only).
- Stool Test(optional).
- Clinical examination, summary and advice by a physician.
Tests are grouped into packages and the cost can vary depending on the tests, hospitals, and physician advice.