Home Health Therapies

While twenty-first century technology allows many services to be performed at home that were impossible even a few years ago, there are limits to what home care can do. In some cases a person is simply too ill or has needs that are too complex to be cared for safely in a private home. In other cases a person cannot be cared for at home because the home environment is unsafe (e.g., no one in the home can help care for the patient). The need for informal caregiver support as a supplement to home care is especially important for people with cognitive impairments.

There is also a question of paying for care. Under many insurance plans home care coverage is limited or does not exist. If a person cannot afford to pay for home care, the only option may be to return to a hospital or nursing home where services are covered by insurance. Many areas of the country are also experiencing a shortage of home care providers (especially nurses and home health aides), which can prevent home care from being a feasible alternative.