How To Overcome Barriers To Home Care

Caring for a loved one who’s chronically ill, recovering from a significant illness or surgery, or has a disability is a priority for many families worldwide. Moreover, those with aging family members who need round-the-clock assistance and supervision also search for ways to provide the best care for their loved ones.

However, providing constant care and supervision to a patient who requires assistance with daily living may pose some challenges. Often, it’s a responsibility ideally shared among family members and others within the social circle. Some families also acquire professional care services to ensure their loved ones receive adequate care to live comfortably or fully recover.

For this reason, more families turn to professional home care services, wherein a patient receives daily living assistance, medical supervision, therapy, and general aid in the comfort of their homes. These professional care services can be acquired for the short- or long-term as presented on websites like https://www.communityhcp.com/, and the coverage depends on the patient’s requirements. Home care is an excellent solution for patients who prefer a level of comfort and privacy that can only be enjoyed in one’s household. Also, it’s suitable for people who want to continue living with family and loved ones as they manage their health concerns.

In-home living assistance has been widely recognized as an effective solution for patients and families who will benefit from professional care services tailored to their preferences. Still, there are many opportunities for growth and improvement in this area. This article will discuss what can be done to overcome the seven most common barriers to home care. If you’d like to learn more about this topic, continue reading.

1. Match Home Care Experience To Patient Requirements And Preferences

In most cases, a patient’s health requirements become the key considerations when selecting home care services that they’ll receive as they recover from an illness or live with a disability. Depending on their mobility, strength, and health conditions, the caregiver can assist them with daily activities such as bathing and dressing, preparing and having meals, or carrying out simple tasks. Then, the health aide can also help patients stay on track with taking medications or having checkups and therapy sessions. These services help patients live comfortably and safely while meeting their health requirements.

While patients benefit from the increased independence and comfort that home care services provide, some may feel hesitant to receive this kind of care. For instance, patients may feel that they’re deprived of privacy while living at home as they’ll have to carry out their daily routine under the supervision of a health professional. This type of contact may be welcome in health facilities but may feel unnatural for some when at home.

In this scenario, the patient’s lifestyle preferences may become a barrier to receiving the care they require based on their health conditions. To overcome this barrier, their immediate circle, such as family and friends, can help them understand how they, as patients, can benefit from home care services. For one, the health aide will help them accomplish daily activities and care for their health and provide them with companionship that’s also beneficial to their well-being. It may also help patients feel more comfortable spending time with a caregiver when loved ones support them during the transition.

Another way to support a patient receiving home care health services is by adequately setting their expectations and keeping them in the loop when planning their care setup. For instance, you can show them some examples of home care services and explain the kinds of assistance they can receive. This way, they can voice any concerns or discuss special requests and preferences, which can help them become more comfortable with assisted living at home.

2. Address Treatment And Patient Care Concerns

One significant difference between facility-based and home care is the patient’s access to medical treatment. Facilities are managed in a way that is centered around providing medical attention to patients. Doctors and nurses follow visitation schedules and regular checkups for each patient, and the facility’s residents are under constant supervision by medical professionals.

Meanwhile, home care services include medical assistance when taking prescriptions and attending checkups or therapy sessions. The patients also have an option to receive treatment at home in a setup wherein doctors and clinicians visit them for each session. While this arrangement provides the best comfort, convenience, and security for patients, some may experience challenges looking for medical professionals willing to participate in their home care program. This situation happens for several reasons.

Doctors may require more time to complete a home care treatment session than doing the same in a facility as it usually includes travel time or commuting to the patient’s house. Hence, taking care of home-based patients would mean that the doctor will have a limited number of patient sessions in a day, which can impact their earnings.

To address this challenge, it may be helpful to acquire home care services from a facility connected to a network of healthcare service providers who are amenable to this setup. This way, the patients can continue to receive treatment without hassle or delay. Also, patients are assured of the quality of medical services they’ll receive as the health facility can guarantee the skills and professionalism of its roster of health providers.

3. Allocate Resources To Provide Top-Notch Home Care

Many critical aspects must be met to support a patient receiving home care. For their care plan to be successfully executed, they’ll need access to various healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, and therapists. Patients also need to regularly receive medication and treatment to help them overcome or manage health problems. In addition, those who suffer from advanced diseases may require monitoring equipment. Some examples of which include glucometers, oximeters, or blood pressure cuffs. Some may also require more advanced health devices, depending on their health condition.

It’s essential to allocate resources to achieve top-notch home care. This way, you can support continued recovery and address any health issues immediately. The patient can also benefit from consistent health monitoring to implement any lifestyle changes that can help improve their well-being.

4. Enhance Comfort And Safety

Many patients opt for facility-based treatment out of concern for their health and safety, knowing that hospitals and assisted living homes provide round-the-clock supervision and security to their patients. However, some patients may have to choose between sacrificing the comfort that they enjoy while living at home and acquiring the safety and security offered by healthcare facilities. This scenario can be considered a significant barrier to home care. Patients often have concerns over their well-being when they’re unaccompanied or unsupervised.

To overcome this barrier, allowing patients to openly communicate their concerns regarding their well-being when receiving home care is essential. This way, you can make adjustments and create a safe and comfortable environment for them. For instance, some patients may worry that the physical layout of their home is more challenging to navigate due to limited mobility and strength. To help them feel more comfortable and safer at home, you can redesign the rooms or add provisions to help them move and feel at ease.

You can also consider making care arrangements to help the patient feel secure at home. For example, you can hire a caregiver who can attend to their needs during the day when they need company and assistance. You can also adjust the caregiving arrangement schedule to provide the patient with a companion on days or times when they need one the most. A certified healthcare provider’s presence can help them feel assured that they’ll be cared for in emergencies, boosting their confidence regarding their home care arrangement.

5. Ensure The Care Provider’s Adherence To Quality And Regulatory Standards

Home-based care providers are certified medical professionals, and they’re mandated by law to comply with regulatory standards. These standards ensure that the quality of the services they provide patients are aligned with federal or state requirements. Hence, when selecting a home care provider, ensure that it adheres to government standards to receive the quality healthcare you want for your family or loved ones.

To do so, you’ll need to check the qualifications of the healthcare agency before hiring its services. It may also be helpful to select a reputable facility or healthcare institution that meets regulatory standards and mandated requirements to operate.

Here are other factors to consider when choosing a home care agency:

• Service Coverage

Home care agencies commonly provide skilled nursing, physical and occupational therapy, and assistance with daily activities. Some agencies also offer specialized services for patients recovering from heart ailments and other serious illnesses.

• Reputation And Credentials

Reputable agencies are staffed withprofessional caregivers with years of experience in the industry. Hence, partnering with an established agency is an excellent way to ensure that your loved one will receive quality care from trustworthy and reliable practitioners.

It’s essential to consider the home care provider’s qualifications to ensure the patient’s safety and well-being. It’ll also help prevent patient neglect or abuse, which usually happens when the personnel lack training and experience or is not well-supported by the agency.

• Availability

The availability of services will depend on what type of care and services the patient will require. Ideally, home care providers and staff should be available to provide services 24 hours a day, though you can also make adjustments based on your preferences.

6. Improve Cost-Efficiency

Another challenge for acquiring home care services is cost-efficiency. While many believe facility-based care may entail more expenses as the fees would include housing and food costs, home care services may also come with high costs. For instance, receiving medical treatment at home may come at a premium price as it’ll require more time and effort from health providers to do home visits. To add, the patients and their families will also need to cover costs for specialized home care from certified caregivers. These costs depend on the duration of the service and the type of assistance required by the patient.

To overcome the barrier of cost-efficiency, patients can take advantage of healthcare plans that make costs easier to manage with the help of subsidies from government agencies and other health institutions. It’s also possible to explore other financing options that can help offset or cover direct costs.

7. Boost Public Awareness About The Benefits Of Home Care

While home care has been widely accepted in many regions and localities worldwide, many people have yet to discover the benefits it can bring, especially to the elderly and those living with disabilities or chronic ailments. Because it’s more common, facility-based treatment and healthcare are still preferred by many. Hence, boosting public awareness about this professional care solution can help people become more accepting and comfortable with providing home care services when needed.

Here are some of the benefits of receiving home-based living assistance:

• Increased independence
• Comfort
• Improved health and wellness
• Safety
• Security
• Proximity to loved ones and friends
• Personalized care and services
• Patient-centered care plan
• Cost-effective services
• Patients are provided adequate nutrition and exercise.
• Companionship
• Opportunity to participate in social events in the patient’s locality

Home care services have evolved over the years to cater to the unique needs of patients. Institutions that provide specialized care have come up with care plans that focus on care coordination, health management, and other essential aspects that enable professionals to provide top-notch care to clients.

Conclusion

Many patients and families across the world benefit from professional home care services, as those who acquire them are able to live comfortably, safely and securely while managing health conditions or illnesses. Because of the key role of home care services in caring for the sick and the elderly, it’s crucial that barriersare effectively addressed. It can be done by improving the patient’s experience, allocating sufficient resources, addressing treatment concerns, and adhering to government or medical board regulations. Lastly, improving public awareness regarding the benefits of home care will help those who need it most receive the best quality care possible in their homes.