Home Healthcare Workers Complete A Broad Range Of Tasks For Clients

Many people become temporarily disabled after a serious injury, complex surgery, or a health incident like a stroke. They or their families must decide where these patients will stay after being discharged from the hospital. A skilled nursing care facility is an option, but some patients can return home and receive daily assistance from home healthcare workers. 

Providing adequate care may be difficult for a spouse or other family members, especially if nobody can take unpaid leave from work. Some recovering patients do not have close relatives living nearby who could stay with them for a while. 

Preventing Added Stress

People in this type of recovery process tend to feel more comfortable when staying in familiar surroundings. Residing in a nursing facility, even for a few weeks, can be stressful. That stress can impede recovery and cause depression and anxiety.

The problem that caused the temporary disability is difficult enough to manage without a significant disruption in the living situation. The patient probably is dealing with pain, bothersome weakness, or other upsetting physical issues.

A Broad Range of Tasks

Workers from home healthcare agencies do a broad range of tasks for their clients. Nursing assistants often are the primary caregivers in these situations, although some patients need a licensed nurse to visit daily or every few days. 

A common scenario would include a registered nurse developing a personalized care plan. Most of the plan would be implemented by nursing assistants or home health aides. They would check vital signs like blood pressure and respiratory rate. They notify the nurse of any noteworthy changes in the patient's physical or mental status.

A nursing assistant can make sure the patient eats nutritious meals by preparing and serving healthy foods. A person who lives alone may otherwise not eat well under these circumstances. The client probably needs help with hygiene activities like bathing or showering and washing hair. 

Licensed nurses usually are not expected to do light housekeeping tasks, but nursing assistants often are asked to complete some of these projects. For example, they might change and wash bed linens, vacuum carpeting, and sweep floors.

Concluding Thoughts

Home healthcare services often are more affordable than temporarily staying in a nursing home. That's especially true if the patient needs assistance for just a few hours every day. Many individuals who have suffered a serious health incident or have been injured can manage with this type of help.