June 16, 2021 | Home Health Care, Maintaining Independence
“There’s no place like home.” We know that line from The Wizard of Oz, but AARP repeated it in an article about aging in place. In a survey the organization took in 2018, “76% of Americans age 50 and older say they prefer to remain in their current residence and 77% would like to live in their community as long as possible.”
At Windward Life Care, we understand the desire to age in one’s own home, surrounded by friends, family and community. We also know that some people may not be aware of the services that are available to help them do that. We’d like to help by explaining the difference between two of our service lines – home care and home health care.
Home care
The goals of home care are to help aging individuals or people living with disabilities achieve their optimal level of well-being and continue living in their own homes. Some of our home care clients simply need a little help around the house, a ride to appointments or activities, or relief from isolation and loneliness. Home care services help the client retain their sense of independence and avoid a move to a long-term care residence.
Our home care aides focus on the individual and their specific needs. Day to day, their work with the client may include:
- Socializing and activities
- Help with bathing, dressing, and personal care
- Preparing nutritious meals that take into account dietary preferences and needs
- Performing light housekeeping
- Giving medication reminders
- Transporting clients to appointments
- Providing end-of-life care, including advanced personal care
By the way, the service is not limited to those who live in their own homes. We have many home care clients who live in independent living, assisted living or memory care residences. Home care is available in short shifts a few times per week during waking hours, all the way up to around the clock, seven days per week. Learn more about Windward Home Care here.
Home health care
In general, the goal of home health care is to treat an illness or injury in the comfort of the patient’s own home. Home health care also helps people living with chronic disease continue living at home, even if their situation is medically complex. Windward’s highly skilled registered nurses and licensed vocational nurses provide a broad range of personalized care, including:
- Medication management
- Wound care for pressure sores or surgical wounds
- Intravenous or nutrition therapy
- Injections, ostomy and colostomy care, G-tube feeding, catheter care
- Monitoring serious illness and unstable health status
- Chronic disease management, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and dementia
Of course, our home health nurses provide care according to doctors’ orders. They also help educate both the patient and family members or other caregivers about the patient’s condition. Home health care nurses visit on a set schedule based on the patient’s needs, anywhere from four to 24 hours per day. Learn more about Windward Home Health here.
Windward Life Care’s service options are flexible and scalable, providing exactly the level of at-home care clients need now—and as their needs evolve. We work together as a team to provide optimal levels of support in helping clients achieve their health and wellness goals.
Have questions about the type of care best suited for yourself or a loved one? We encourage you to reach out to our sales team for a free consultation at 619-450-4300 or send us a message at agingwell@windwardlifecare.com.