| Many people do not understand what home care | | | | patients who have trouble swallowing or breathing |
| providers actually do. There are many different | | | | 5. Dietitians help patients who need specialized |
| types of home care that offer different services | | | | meal plans, such as those with diabetes or |
| related to medical care and supportive services to | | | | allergies. |
| patients or clients who have limited abilities | | | | Not everyone requires medical care. Some |
| because of illness, age, or disability. Home care is | | | | patients need help with general activities of daily |
| for people who can no longer live independently | | | | living (ADLs). Home health aids are responsible for |
| but wish to stay in their own home instead of a | | | | helping with getting in and out of bed, getting |
| nursing home. Patients may require nursing care, | | | | dressed, using the bathroom, bathing, and walking. |
| dietary monitoring, or a variety of therapies | | | | Chore workers help with household duties such as |
| including speech, physical, occupational, and | | | | laundry, cleaning, shopping, and cooking; they |
| respiratory. | | | | focus more on the actual home than working |
| For medical care, the services must usually be | | | | directly with the patient. Some clients require |
| prescribed by a physician. Examples of home | | | | constant monitoring to prevent harming |
| health care includes: | | | | themselves, such as patients suffering from |
| 1. Physicians may perform "house calls" to | | | | dementia, and are assigned a companion. For |
| 2. Registered nurses (RNs) or licensed practical | | | | many non-medical home care duties, volunteers |
| nurses (LPNs) performing duties such as blood | | | | can fulfill these needs. Depending upon the |
| draws, wound care, injections of medicine, and | | | | difficulty of the duties, volunteers have different |
| professional assessments or case management | | | | levels of training and requirements. |
| 3. Physical therapists (PTs) help their patients | | | | Social workers will evaluate the needs of the |
| regain mobility and strength of weakened body | | | | patient whether they are financial, emotional, or |
| parts through specialized exercises or massage | | | | physical. They will help the patient and their family |
| 4. Speech language pathologists work with | | | | find appropriate social services to help with a |
| patients who are suffering from communication | | | | variety of needs including housing, food, or health |
| disorders, usually through a traumatic event such | | | | services. |
| as a stroke or accident; they can also help | | | | |