Should I Get a Home Health Aide?

When to Get a Home Health Aide to Help You

Whether temporary or permanent, there comes a time when you may require additional assistance around the house. Maybe you are recovering from an intense surgical procedure, or maybe you are simply needing assistance due to your age.

Whatever the case, a home health aide can be beneficial to your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Should I get a Home Health Aide? Deciding to hire a home health aide is a big decision! If you are requiring additional assistance to accomplish daily tasks, hiring a home health aide is a wise decision.

Additionally, a home health aide can assist you with daily medical care as your situation requires.

Many individuals are hesitant to hire a home health aide. However, this should not be the case. A home health aide does not inhibit your independence in any way. Having help around the home can allow you to be more independent in many areas.

How Can a Home Health Aide Help Me?

There are many ways that a home health aide can assist you in your day-to-day life.

How your personal home health aide assists you will be dictated by your unique needs and abilities.

Before you are assigned a home health aide, your situation and needs will be assessed by a team of registered nurses.

This assessment is the best way to create a unique Plan of Care that is right for you! Your care plan will be reevaluated regularly to ensure that you are receiving the best care possible.

Personal Care Tasks

One of the biggest ways a home health aide can be of assistance is through personal care tasks. Tasks that fall under this category include:

Personal Hygiene
Exercise Assistance
Transportation
Pre- and Post-Op Care
Medication Reminders

These tasks are essential to maintaining optimal mental, emotional, and physical health. If you are having a tough time safely accomplishing these tasks, a home health aide can be of great value!

In many cases, your home health aide will simply assist you as needed in the areas listed above. The goal of any home health aide is to allow you to be independent whenever possible. This is especially valuable if your condition makes some days more of a challenge than others.

Companion and Homemaker Services

Many individuals are fully capable of personal hygiene tasks and simply daily routines. However, taking care of tasks around the home can be both challenging and dangerous.

A home health aide can provide companionship and assistance with homemaking tasks.

Some of the ways a home health aide can assist in this area include the following:

Housekeeping Tasks
Laundry
Meal Planning and Preparation
Transportation for Appointments or Errands
Playing Games or Talking
Accompanying Medical Appointments

A home health aide can assist you in keeping your home both clean and safe. Companion and homemaker services are great for individuals who long to remain in their own homes, but simply can’t keep up with daily tasks on their own.

Additionally, a home health aide who is responsible for these tasks is highly beneficial to individuals who live away from family members. Simply having someone else in the home to talk to and work alongside goes a long way in maintaining mental and emotional stamina as well as physical well-being.

Skilled Nursing Care

There are many times when you may require medical assistance. Whether this be for a short recovery period or long-term care, a home health aide can save the frustration of making a daily trip to the doctor’s office.

Home health aides can provide medical assistance in the form of at-home care in many situations. Depending on your unique needs, your home health aide may even be a registered nurse. Some of the medical tasks that a home health aide can assist with include the following:

Daily Assessments
Vital Signs
Wound Care
Blood Work
IV Medications

By hiring a home health aide to assist you in accomplishing these medical tasks at home, you save yourself the inconvenience of a trip to the doctor’s office. This will go a long way in keeping you healthy as you avoid the germs that can be so easily spread in medical centers.

Additionally, a home health aide who is trained in providing skilled nursing care provides peace of mind in the event of a medical emergency. Many serious medical issues can be avoided if they are simply caught in time. A home health aide provides great value in this area.

Reasons to Hire a Home Health Aide

There are many reasons why you should hire a home health aide. The assistance of a home health aide provides is valuable to both aging and disabled individuals. In addition to these situations, a home health aide can assist in pre- or post-op care.

If you are struggling to complete daily tasks such as personal hygiene, food preparation, local transportation, or exercise, a home health aide is a good decision. Additionally, you should hire a home health aide if you are in a situation that requires daily medical assistance such as vitals, assessments, blood work, or IV medications.

Hiring a home health aide can save you unnecessary frustration in your day-to-day life. The companionship as well as the professional care a home health aide offers is great for maintaining your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Qualities of a Good Home Health Aide

When you are looking to hire a home health aide, there are a few key qualities to look for. Hiring a home health aide with these qualities in mind will ensure your safety, comfort, and satisfaction.

Reputable Home Health Company

It is incredibly important to hire a home health aide who works with a reputable home health care company. Health aides go through rigorous interviews, testing, and training to make sure they meet the company’s standards.

After all, your home health aide will have access to your personal life. It is crucial to make sure they are reputable as well as insured through their company.

Compatible Personality Traits

Many home health companies include a personality assessment as part of their Plan of Care creation process. Doing so allows them to match you with a home health aide that suits your personality.

Additionally, reputable home health care companies will allow you to meet your home health aide before you begin care. This is an additional step to making sure you are compatible and comfortable with their style of care.

Comprehensive Home Health Care Services

Although your current situation may only require minimal assistance, it is wise to hire a home health aide who is capable of providing comprehensive home health care services.

By starting with a company that can provide for your present needs, as well as any future needs, you provide yourself with the opportunity to build a relationship.

It is a good idea to hire a home health aide who is trained and capable of assisting with personal care needs, homemaking services, and skilled nursing care. The only situation where this is not necessary is when you are hiring a home health aide for a set amount of time for a surgical recovery.

Experienced Home Health Aide

In any situation, it is wise to hire a home health aide who is experienced. Experienced home health aide treats their job as a career. This passion and dedication will provide you with the best level of care possible.

Working with a Broken Arrow home health care company is the best way to be sure you are hiring an experienced home health aide.

Home Health Aide Professionals

If you are wondering whether you should hire a home health aide for yourself, the answer is most likely yes. Many individuals are afraid to take this big step as they feel it is giving in to something. Don’t let pride or fear stop you from getting the home health care help and assistance you so desperately need!

A home health aide can assist with your daily tasks and responsibilities such as hygiene needs, meals, medication, and exercise.

In addition to these crucial tasks, a home health aide provides companionship and company. This is something that many people miss greatly when their situation makes it harder for them to socialize outside their homes.

Working with a home health aide will ensure that your physical, mental, and emotional needs are met. Additionally, hiring a home health aide can save you money spent on medical bills due to an unnecessary injury. Having assistance around the home is the best way to prevent falls, accidents, and other serious medical events from occurring.

Call your local Broken Arrow home health care company for more information about how hiring a home health aide can benefit your unique situation!