When to Consider Home Health Care

For illness, hospitalization or surgery that requires recovery and healing, getting quality care at home can be particularly beneficial. It can also be effective in dealing with a new health care diagnosis that requires a change in daily lifestyle.

Here are some key indicators that may determine eligibility for home health care: 

• Assistance required when walking
• A recent or scheduled surgery
• Frequent falls
• Changes in medications
• Multiple visits to the emergency department (ED) or admission to the hospital
• Unplanned weight loss
• Difficulty breathing
• Poorly controlled pain
• Assistance required in leaving the home
• Anxiety or psychosocial challenges due to immobility or changes in condition
• Daily wound care or treatments
• Multiple diseases or recent diagnosis that limit the ability to leave the home
• Requires oxygen
• Nutritional or fluid assessment needs or management
• Infection that complicates the wound-healing process
• Advanced neurological disease
• Limits on physical mobility
• Chronic illness with periods of instability
• Need for assistance with IV medication for infection
• Need for tube feeding support