Unit 34

1. Unit 34 The Organization of Home Care: Trends in Health Care

2. Objectives • Spell and define terms. • Briefly describe the history of home care. • Describe the benefits of working in home care.

3. Objectives • Identify members of the home health team. • List guidelines for avoiding liability while working as a home health assistant. • Describe the types of information a home health assistant must be able to document.

4. Objectives • Identify several time management techniques. • List ways in which the home health assistant can work successfully with families.

5. Introduction • Health care of persons in their own homes is an age-old tradition • Middle of the twentieth century • Massive trend to move patient care out of the home and into the community health care facility

6. Providers of Home Health Care • Because of the increasing demand for home care, there are many different types of home care providers: • Government-sponsored agencies • Private agencies • Hospital-sponsored agencies

7. Benefits of Working in Home Health Care • After you have completed your nursing assistant class • You may choose to join a group that provides home health care

8. Benefits of Working in Home Health Care • There are advantages to working for such agencies: • Satisfaction of giving complete care to one client at a time • Satisfaction of caring for the same client over a period of time

9. Benefits of Working in Home Health Care • There are advantages to working for such agencies: • Opportunity to work with greater independence • Part-time employment, if desired

10. Source of Referral • Most persons using home health care • Patients being discharged from a hospital or skilled care facility

11. Source of Referral • Health care team at the discharging facility • Completes a discharge plan and evaluates each person’s need for continuing care at home

12. Payment for Home Health Care • Home health care may be paid for by: • Medicare • Medicaid • Private insurance companies • Client’s personal funds

13. The Home Health Care Team • The home health care team consists of the: • Client • Family • Nursing assistant • Supervising nurse • Physician • Other specialists

14. The Assessment Process • Nurse does an assessment of the client during the first visit • Other health care professionals assigned to the case also complete assessments

15. Liability and the Nursing Assistant • You need to be aware of the responsibilities involved in home care • And how to avoid legal problems associated with caregiving

16. Recordkeeping • Be sure you know exactly what documentation you are expected to do • Types of records you should keep • Forms you need to use • All documentation must be accurate, complete, and up-to-date

17. Time Management • As a home health assistant • You are responsible for planning your assignment and completing the client’s care within a certain amount of time • You may have several clients to see during your shift • They will be expecting you at a specific time of day

18. Working with Families • Clients may have spouses or other family members who reside in the home • For other clients • Families may live elsewhere but stop in periodically

19. Working with Families • In some situations • Family members may live so far away that they can seldom visit • You must be able to kindly interact with clients’ family members