Home Health, Hospice, & Elder Care - Home Health Care Overview

Home Health, Hospice, & Elder Care

Home Health Care Overview

Picture of elderly woman and younger woman holding hands

What is home health care?

Before modern medicine, caring for someone medically in the home was quite common, and hospitalization was rare. Today, with a growing trend toward reduced hospital stays, home health care is gaining popularity. While caregivers of the past were generally family members or friends, home health care today is based more on a professional health care team working toward a common goal.

Today home health care may be considered for patients who are:

recovering from an illness.
undergoing treatment.
disabled.
chronically ill.
terminally ill.

Home health care is not an option for everyone. Generally, the patient receiving care or treatment at home must be well enough to be cared for in the home setting.

Types of home health care services:

Many types of medical and social home health care services are available and may include:

physician care
nursing care
physical, occupational, and/or speech therapy
medical social services
care from home health aides
homemaker or attendant care
companionship
volunteer care
nutritional support
medical equipment and supplies
laboratory and x-ray imaging
pharmaceutical services
transportation
home-delivered meals

A patient may receive one of these services or a combination of several services.

Who provides home health care services?

Various agencies and other companies provide home health care, including:

home health agencies
homemaker and home care aide agencies
pharmaceutical and infusion therapy companies
durable medical equipment and supply dealers
staffing registries and private duty agencies
independent providers

Click here to view the
Online Resources page of this Web.

Home Health, Hospice, & Elder Care

| Home | Site Index |

Health Topics Index |Search |Health Sciences Home

Disclaimer

Medical Content last Reviewed April 2003