FAQs About Skilled Nursing Care At Home For Seniors
As more and more seniors want to remain in their own homes as they get older, seniors and their families are looking for ways to fill in the gaps in care that is available for seniors at home. When seniors have chronic medical conditions that need monitoring and care or when seniors are coming home after a serious medical event or a hospital stay, skilled nursing at home is a good option. Skilled nursing makes it much easier and more comfortable for seniors to get the care they need. Some of the most frequently asked questions about skilled nursing at home for seniors are:
What Does Skilled Nursing Include?
Skilled nursing includes a range of medical services provided by a nurse or a trained and licensed medical professional. Skilled nursing includes management of conditions like diabetes or COPD as well as taking vitals and administering treatments like narcotic medicines or breathing treatments. Skilled nursing also includes service like:
- Comprehensive health assessments
- Wound & dressing care
- Disease treatment and education
- Medication administration (including injections)
- Heparin flush
- IV management
- Catheter, tube, drain, and bag management
The exact set of services available will depend on your senior parent’s overall health and what their medical needs are.
Does Skilled Nursing Include Physical Therapy?
It can. Physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and other types of therapy that benefit seniors can be done at home and can be considered to be skilled nursing. Having therapy at home is usually much easier and more effective for seniors. It’s very common for seniors to have trouble getting to medical or therapy appointments so it’s much more convenient to have those services provided at home. If you want more detailed information about what types of service are included in skilled nursing you can talk with a local home health agency now.
Is Skilled Nursing Expensive?
There are a lot of factors that determine the cost of skilled nursing at home for seniors, including where your senior parent lives and what their medical conditions are. Typically, though, skilled care for seniors at home is covered by insurance so that the seniors and their families don’t have to pay much, if anything, for skilled nursing at home. If cost is a concern, talking to a skilled nursing at home agency can help family members find alternative ways to pay for skilled nursing.
How Do I Know If My Senior Parent Needs Skilled Nursing?
This is a tricky question because every senior’s situation and health are different. But typically anytime your senior loved one is coming home from a hospital stay, getting out of a rehab facility, or recovering from any medical procedure they can benefit from skilled nursing care. Seniors that are battling chronic illnesses like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, kidney disease, diabetes, ALS, and more can also benefit from skilled nursing care at home. When a skilled medical professional comes to the house to provide care your senior parent won’t have to worry about the stress and hassle of going out to a medical facility or a doctor’s office.
If you or an aging loved one are considering skilled nursing in Highland Park, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.
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