Home Care Providers Types of Services Offered

By Vikki Kalitsi

There are many services that home care providers can deliver, from professional health care to support services. Patients can be visited in their homes for medical treatment by Physicians, Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses. These medical professionals can treat patients and provide skilled services including injections, intravenous therapy, wound care, patient education, and patient assessments.

Speech, occupational, and physical therapists also aid individuals as home care providers. Speech therapists work with patients to restore speech, and they also aid patients in breathing, swallowing, and muscle control. Occupational therapists use techniques and equipment for patients with physical, developmental, social, or emotional problems. This helps patients to function in their daily lives more independently. Physical therapists use exercise and massage to restore mobility and strength to injured patients.

Social workers are an important category of home care providers. They coordinate services for a patient, and can evaluate patient needs to find resources for an individual. Dieticians counsel on nutrition and give dietary guidance for patients based on their needs. A home care provider that assists patients with general activities in their homes is a home health aid. They help with walking, getting in and out of bed, bathing, and dressing. Homemaker and chore workers do not help a patient with personal care, but they assist in household duties like laundry, cleaning, meal preparation, and shopping.

Home care agencies meets family service needs such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands, companionship, and hygiene assistance in patient homes. They work with physicians, hospitals, social workers, and the families to develop individualized programs.