Getting home care can sometimes be challenging for families. From understanding what kind of care is needed to paying for services, it can be difficult to know what to do.
Medical social workers are a vital part of your home care team. They’ll ensure that your loved one receives the care they need and that your home care experience is successful.
Home Care
The first thing you should know is what home care is and how it can help you or your loved one. Home care is living assistance that allows people to stay in the comfort of their own homes and have more independence. Services for home care include skilled and unskilled services.
What Are Skilled Services?
Skilled services are any medical help that your loved one may need. This includes:
- Skilled nurses/ registered nurses
- Physical therapists
- Speech therapists
- Occupational therapists
- Home health aide/ certified nurse assistant (CNA)
What Are Unskilled Services?
Unskilled services help with daily tasks that can sometimes become difficult as you age. This may include:
- Meal preparation/ feeding assistance
- Housekeeping/ running errands
- Mobility/ transportation
- Bowel/ bladder care
- Bathing/ showering/ grooming
How Can Medical Social Workers Help?
Medical social workers help families with the whole process. They can help families cope with the challenging emotional, financial, or social needs that arise from home care. They’ll also help organize all the services your loved one may need.
A medical social worker’s job is to advocate for the patient by assuring that their needs are met. Their job includes helping you with:
- Reviewing admission documentation and addressing any issues
- Coordinating the care of patients with complex needs that require multiple services
- Helping handle any crisis that arises with counseling or therapy
- Aiding in understanding the financial or emotional resources that are available to you
You can benefit from a medical social worker on your health care team to ensure that you have everything organized. They’ll also help you know what services your insurance covers and how you’ll pay for services.
Read More About Medical Social Workers