Nursing Home vs. Home Health Care Essay

INTRODUCTION Either young or old, we love our family members dearly, and disabilities does not focus on a specific age group. We would love to feel assured that they are being taken care of the best way possible. As we all know, time does not allow us to take care of them ourselves, with business to tend to of our own, it makes it almost impossible. There are a few options to assist with this matter, but making the best choice is always in our best of interests. NURSING HOMES Nursing homes are facilities that provide high levels of care assisting elders and even young people that are temporarily or permanently disabled. There are several options that you can refer to for payment method. Medicare is an option. Medicare is a national social insurance program, administered  by the U.S. Federal government since 1966, it is currently using about 30 private insurance companies across the United States. You can also pay through your private insurance company, as well as out of pocket. Within a nursing home facility, they will be assisted with all of their ADLs. (Activities of Daily Living is a term used in healthcare to refer to daily self-care activities within an individual place of residence, in outdoor environments or both.) In this facility, they will interact with their peers, medical professionals, as well as others when visiting. They will have continuous care around the clock including routine vital signs. Vital signs includes the blood pressure, temp erature, heart rate and respirations. With the option of being able to choose a nursing home, there are a few factors in which you might need to consider. One factor is the ratio of CNA’s (Certified Nursing Assistant) to the residents, the ratio might not match the entire time accordingly to state requirements. According to Abbasi and Rudman, medical literature has continued to identify many clinical problems occurring within nursing homes. With this being said, there is a possibility that the patient will not have the required undivided attention that is necessary, because the aide will have several others to tend to as well, the aides time will be limited with each patient, especially if an emergency occurs within the facility. Due to other situations that occur within the nursing home, aides will not have the time to make sure each resident consumes their proper fluids and nutrients which are essential to daily intake. Malnutrition and dehydration are the main issues that affect the patients most of all, because of lack of the proper nourishment and fluids can lead to rapid skin breakdown and a quick decline in the health status. The patient will also be more prone to infections. Depression is an issue the family member will be faced with as well. Being stripped from everything you know is a heart wrenching experience of its own, which can lead to stress that will also affect their health. The wrong medicine given to the wrong resident is another issue. With all the patients that the nurse have to deal with on a daily basis, juggling them can result in such mistakes. Being understaffed can result in a many of mishaps. A majority of these mishaps can be avoided with the proper attention. The more you think about it, one on one attention is very important to ensure the safety and  well-being of your loved ones. HOME HEALTH CARE Another option when it comes to providing care for your loved one is home health care. This option allows the aide to assist your family member within their home. Home health care provides plenty of one on one attention, and allows the aide to focus entirely on the patient and the patient’s needs. This option can also be covered by Medicare, your private insurance company or out of pocket pay as well. The need for home health care is greater than ever. You will be able to choose the healthcare provider, which not only eases the mind of the guardian but it is also affordable, being that you are able to set a wage that is comfortable enough to meet the guardian’s or the relative needing assistance means of income. Who wouldn’t want their relatives to be cared for within the comforts of their own home? This specific kind of care will allow the guardian to feel more at ease. Even the LPN (licensed practical nurse), and RN (registered Nurse) make home visits as well. In this option, they are also assisted with activities of daily living. The one on one attention is the only attention your loved one will receive and is a repeated occurrence versus that of a nursing home. Vitals signs are also checked in this method of care. Another positive factor in this method is that there is a high possibility that the aide can develop a great relationship with the patient, which will allow the patient to feel more comfortable. The personal relationship can benefit the patient and the patient’s family greatly. This can also help the aide to pin point any improvements and odd changes in the patient’s health. Being that they are in a well-known environment, they are more likely to do for themselves more, rather than depending on the assistant they will be provided at a nursing home. Medical literatures has identified that a family member that is allowed to be cared for in the comfort of a familiar environment is less likely to become depressed. The one on one attention will guarantee the proper care for your loved one. Your family member will feel that sense of independence, which helps them emotionally as well as physically. CONCLUSION When it comes to ensuring the well-being of our loved ones, we have to weigh out the positive and negative in order to come up with the best choice possible. One on one attention that can truly assure the proper care that our loved ones need and deserve is definitely a positive factor. Just the idea of knowing that our loved ones are well taken care of is a gift within itself. At the end of the day, it is about family, their health, and how we can keep them in our lives longer. REFERENCE Abbasi, ., & Rudman, . (1994). . , (). (1996, August). . The New England Journal of Medicine, (335.5), 324-329. D, M. (). What is a Nursing Home?. , _Volume 5_(), p. 410.