November is Home Care and Hospice Month. Millions of nurses, home care aides and key staff members provide care in the homes of older adults, those with a chronic illness or disability and those recovering from an injury or recent illness. 

Every day, more and more families seek out care services provided in the comfort of home or at a hospice facility. For the aging and homebound, in-home and hospice care offers security, dignity, and the ability to maintain as much independence as possible. That's why it's important to recognize, motivate, and appreciate your dedicated, caregiving staff for brightening the lives of the people they serve every day.

Care professionals have been essential to protecting older adults during the Covid-19 pandemic, but it’s important to note that professional caregivers and home care, in general, are also major facets in the continuum of care.

Caregivers who work in the home are uniquely devoted to the health and well-being of their patients. The intimate, individualized nature of personalized home care services delivered to an individual in their own home by caregivers who often become like an extension of their family is an experience that is unforgettable for the individual, the caregivers and the family.

Did you know 14.9% of those 65+ who are discharged from the hospital are readmitted within 30 days? These unplanned readmissions are not only costly (an estimated $26 billion every year in the U.S.) but harmful for patients. Who wants to get out of the hospital and get worse instead of better?

Why Are People Readmitted?

People with chronic conditions (e.g., heart disease, COPD, diabetes) are most likely to be readmitted – and not because of something that is or isn’t done in the hospital but because of a lack of community support post-discharge, according to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. People, especially older adults, often are unable to: 

• Understand and follow post-discharge instructions.
• Obtain and take medications as prescribed.
• Schedule and attend follow-up appointments with their primary care physician.

These factors contribute to poor self-management, and if someone is ill-equipped to manage their own care, they’re more likely to end up back in the hospital.

How Can Home Care Help Reduce Readmissions? 

A strong support system at home, along with coordinated care, can reduce one’s risk of being readmitted to the hospital. At Philia we have a variety of processes in place to help clients successfully transition home after a stay in a hospital, rehabilitation center or skilled nursing facility. We can:

• Obtain and review hospital discharge instructions and incorporate these instructions into the client-specific care plan.
• Pick up prescriptions, provide medication reminders and help the client adhere to their prescribed regimen.
• Educate the client, caregivers, and family members on “red flag” warning signs for chronic conditions.
• Assist clients with scheduling and attending follow-up medical appointments.
• Communicate with the client’s discharge planner, health coach or other health care professionals and their family members.
• Assist with bathing, grooming and personal hygiene.
• Help with meal preparation, laundry, and light housekeeping.
• Identify trip hazards and make home safety recommendations.
• Provide companionship.

Part of the month-long celebration of National Home Care and Hospice Month is Home Care Aide Week, which takes place November 10 through 16. This week recognizes dedicated, compassionate caregivers – nurses, home health aides, and personal care aides – who make a significant difference in the lives of home care clients and their families. Their compassion in caring for those who are sick, frail, chronically ill or recovering from an illness or surgery is an inspiration.