Home Health Care Supports Sarasota Seniors’ Independence

Home health care allows seniors and other adults in the Sarasota, Venice and Bradenton communities to receive skilled health care services in the comfort of home, an alternative to care delivered in residential facilities, such as a nursing home or rehabilitation center.

Home health care is often prescribed following a hospital stay for surgery or treatment of illness or injury, allowing patients to recuperate in the familiar surroundings of home where they can transition back to independent living with assistance. Home health also is prescribed to assist seniors and other clients at home after they have been diagnosed with chronic medical conditions.

Home health care agencies in Sarasota, Bradenton or Venice, Florida, offer a variety of skilled care services, such as nursing by registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, IV therapy, wound care, medication management, and physical, occupational and speech therapy. Home health care nurses also evaluate clients’ homes and make recommendations for adaptations to promote the clients’ health, safety and independence.

Nurses and therapists may also recommend durable medical equipment, such as canes and walkers, to improve their mobility and independence.

Some home health care providers in Bradenton, Venice and Sarasota also offer nonmedical in-home care services to complement skilled care services and enhance their level of independence.  These consist of care provided by nursing assistants, aides or caregivers who help clients with the activities of daily living—such as personal care services, light housekeeping, meal preparation and planning and companionship.

In other cases home health care agencies partner with in-home care providers that specialize in nonmedical services.

Caregivers serve as valuable partners to home health care nurses. In most cases they are with their clients more often than nurses. Because of this they’re more likely to be the first to observe a change in a client’s health status, and thus can alert a nurse to intervene.

In much the same way, home health care nurses complement doctors, serving as their eyes and ears in a patient’s home, helping doctors provide timely care.

Home health care nurses, who are also called home care or visiting nurses, provide care ordered by a physician. In addition to managing the health care of their clients or patients, they educate clients and their families on their condition and provide them self-care instruction so they can provide for their needs after home health care services end. Instruction from home health care nurses is particularly important for clients or patients who have just been diagnosed with a health condition, such as diabetes.