Discover the roles of each home health care team member.You may have questions about the home health care professionals sent to your senior loved one’s home and the role that each one plays in his or her recovery. While not every senior will receive every type of service, all home care professional services are ordered by the doctor who is overseeing care at home, and all professional home visitors will be in close communication with each other and with the doctor. Nightingale Homecare, provider of the top rated Phoenix home care families need, breaks down the details on each of the types of home health care professionals who may visit your senior loved one:
What is the role of the nurse?
If a registered nurse is involved in your loved one’s care, you can expect him/her to do a thorough review of any medications the senior is on, and provide instruction regarding those medications. If necessary, the nurse might organize medications in a medication cassette or “pill box” to make it easier to keep things straight. Nurses will also monitor and treat any wounds, change wound dressings if necessary, administer intravenous (IV) medications or certain injections, change catheters, help manage pain, and evaluate vital signs and disease symptoms. The RN will also teach the senior and family members how to provide self-care. Nurses play a big role in helping provide understanding of specific illnesses and how to best manage these illnesses to prevent hospitalizations.
What is the role of the physical therapist?
If a physical therapist is part of your senior loved one’s home health care team, she/he will evaluate how the senior is moving and functioning in the home and develop an exercise program designed specifically to help the senior regain mobility and function. Physical therapists can work on strength, mobility, balance and coordination. They also play a big role in looking at the home environment and making recommendations to prevent falls and injuries. They make sure the senior is using the correct mobility equipment, such as walkers or canes, and that the way the senior is moving around is safe. They teach both the senior and his or her caregivers how to safely transfer if help is needed in going between the bed and a chair. Therapists are also required to check vital signs to make sure the senior is well enough to receive therapy.
What is the role of the occupational therapist?
The occupational therapist will evaluate how the senior is doing with activities of daily living, such as bathing, getting dressed, getting meals and tending to the home. They take a close look at how any problems with movement, muscle weakness, sensation, vision, hearing, breathing and thinking might be affecting activities of daily living. They have a lot of knowledge about special devices that can make activities of daily living easier for those experiencing challenges. They also make recommendations for how minor changes at home, such as moving things around, can make activities of daily living manageable.
What is the role of the speech therapist?
A speech therapist will focus on problems the senior may be having with memory, problem solving, swallowing, speaking, and/or understanding speech. She/he will develop a personalized plan to address specific problems in these areas.
What is the role of the social worker?
The social worker will evaluate whether there are any community programs or services that could assist the senior with any physical, financial or emotional challenges. Social workers are skilled at helping people cope with stress and improve difficult family situations. They are also very knowledgeable about different types of housing and how much support is available in different housing environments. They are available to help in figuring out how to plan for the future needs of someone whose health is declining.
What is the role of the dietician?
A dietician will look closely at the senior’s medical diagnosis, eating patterns and nutritional status. She/he will develop an eating plan that works for the senior and that follows any medical instructions. She/he will also help with planning meals and provide tips for shopping and cooking. Sometimes dietitians are called in to work with patients who have severe issues with weight gain or weight loss, diseases that affect their nutritional status or dietary needs, and patients that have to be fed through a tube.
What is the role of the home health aide?
Home health aides work under the strict direction of the nurse or therapist, following a care plan that is developed by the professionals involved in the senior’s care. She/he will help with personal care, such as bathing/showering and getting dressed and ready for the day. The home health aide can also tidy up after providing personal care and help with any exercises that the therapist has ordered. Home health aide visits are limited to the amount of time it takes to provide personal care services. Home health aide visits usually are provided one to three times a week, depending on each individual’s circumstances. The number of visits your senior loved one receives is determined by Medicare criteria and will be explained by the nurse or therapist. If the senior needs more help than what the home health aide can provide under Medicare guidelines, Nightingale will be happy to talk with you about options to consider. We are experts with in-home supportive care services and have helped many people that are having difficulty managing at home.
Our home health care team would love to talk with you to share more details on how our full team of home health care professionals can work together to keep your senior loved one safe, healthy and thriving at home. As the top provider of Phoenix families rely on, Nightingale Homecare is here for you! If you need Phoenix home care in the nearby areas call us at (602) 504-1555 to learn more.
