Why is There a Need For Home Care and Home Nursing Specialists?
With constant advances in medical technology and illness prevention, people are living longer, and this is extremely obvious in the case of ageing individuals. Ageing brings with it definite physical challenges, often relating to mobility and brain function deterioration. Whilst it was common in the past for persons with such health challenges to be confined to hospitals or special facilities where they could be properly cared for, steadily increasing costs of hospital stays generally have made this unaffordable for many individuals and their families. For this reason, home nursing care and support have become a preferred alternative to traditional hospital settings for those who are elderly, or otherwise health challenged. Such decisions are not made for selfish reasons but are rather a carefully considered option to allow for personalised, safe and cost-effective care in a familiar environment which is ideal for those requiring care and for their families who do not have the time or capability to provide this themselves. It must also be mentioned that home nursing or home care covers persons of all ages and with differing health challenges.
Benefits of Home Nursing Care
Home nursing care offers numerous benefits, including the ability to maintain a degree of independence, improve quality of life, and provide an individually planned and designed approach to health needs, whether long- or short-term. The advantage of home nursing care extends beyond the physical aspect of treatment, as it also contributes to the emotional well-being and overall quality of life of individuals requiring specialised care.
Home nursing care encompasses a range of healthcare services aimed at addressing the needs of individuals who require medical attention but prefer to receive care in a familiar and supportive environment. It allows the individuals to remain in an environment where they are safe and can remain with their families and pets, and to establish a routine which is centred around them rather than the somewhat rigid protocols and timing schedules of a medical institution. In a home setting, where medical care is concentrated around physical healing or support – for instance, during recovery from an operation or procedure or a healing process after an accident – individuals can keep themselves occupied with their work matters or hobbies, which is emotionally and mentally stimulating and thus beneficial to their overall recovery. Their normal lives can continue as normally as possible, allowing them to feel more empowered and maintain vital independence during the recovery period. A further crucial factor is the decreased risk of or exposure to infection, naturally widespread in healthcare facilities, whilst the individual’s immune system is compromised.
Who Provides Home Nursing Care?
This care is provided by licensed healthcare professionals, such as registered nurses (RNs), private nurse practitioners (PNPs), and licensed practical nurses (LPNs), who are trained to manage various medical conditions and assist with daily living activities. A Professional Nurse is registered with the South African Nursing Council and provides nursing care on a fee-for-service basis and is therefore reimbursed directly or indirectly by the client or their family.
Whilst nurses and nurse practitioners may administer certain medications, they cannot, and should not, be expected to prescribe any medicines. They can certainly offer suggestions regarding OTC medications, but even those should be carefully considered as some could negatively impact prescribed medicines and should be double-checked with the client’s doctor.
Simple Home Care Services – in Brief
Home care services, where professional nursing qualifications are not required, are generally limited to personal care, administering certain medications, mobility assistance, light household tasks like vacuuming, making beds, changing linens, laundry, cooking, companionship, and assisting with or accompanying clients on errands like shopping or outings. Home carers may live with their clients in instances where the client would otherwise live alone and be at risk of falls or other emergencies or require household assistance and daily personal care services. These appointments are generally long-term, which allows for a relationship of trust to evolve between the individual and the carer.
Finding the Perfect Home Nursing/Home Care Services
Going online and using a reputable search site such as Uptasker may be your best option for finding the right service provider in this field. Uptasker provides listings of many different categories of specialists in geographical locations, which is a definite time-saving bonus. It is highly recommended that online ratings and customer reviews are carefully checked since personal welfare is of paramount importance in this field. Uptasker provides access to this information as it becomes available, together with “one-click” links to service providers’ websites, if available, which is a definite advantage. Uptasker provides listings for both individual providers and nursing companies, so you have a greater chance of finding the right fit for your needs.
