Different Types of Home Care Providers

There are many services that home care providers can deliver, from professional medical care to support services.

Physicians and Nurses

Patients can be visited in their homes for medical treatment by Physicians, Registered Nurses and Licensed Nurse Practitioners. These medical professionals can treat patients and provide skilled services including injections, intravenous therapy, wound care, patient education, and patient assessments.

Speech, Occupational, and Physical Therapists

Speech, Occupational, and Physical Therapists also aid individuals as home care providers. Speech Therapists work with patients to restore speech, and they also aid patients in breathing, swallowing, and muscle control. Occupational Therapists use techniques and equipment for patients with physical, developmental, social, or emotional problems. This helps patients to function in their daily lives more independently.

Physical Therapists use exercise and massage to restore mobility and strength to injured patients. Social Workers are an important category of home care providers. They coordinate services for a patient, and can evaluate patient needs to find resources for an individual. Dietitians counsel on nutrition and give dietary guidance for patients based on their needs.

Homecare Aides

A home care provider that assists patients with general activities in their homes is a Homecare Aide or Home Caregiver. They help with walking, getting in and out of bed, bathing, and dressing. They also perform tasks such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands, companionship, and medical reminders. They work with physicians, hospitals, social workers, and the families to develop individualized programs.

 

Unlike homecare aides, Homemaker and Chore Workers do not help a senior client with personal care nor do they provide companionship.  They only assist in household duties like laundry, cleaning, meal preparation, and shopping.

At a high quality home care agency such as Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, homecare aides are trained to provide assistance with compassion and always treat their clients with dignity and respect. They have been instructed and provided guidance by CDP certified Case Managers in homecare services for seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease to help them take better care of clients with these illnesses. They may also possess skills such as the use of Hoyer lifts and other mobility devices. Also, a good personality match between the caregiver and the client can help to ensure an excellent outcome in their relationship.

When hiring homecare aides, it is a good idea to consult Home Care Pulse, a client satisfaction survey firm that conducts interviews with homecare users and compiles reviews for caregiver agencies nationwide. Home Care Pulse gives awards to the best home care agency in each state annually. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton of Massachusetts is proud to have received these awards for years, including Best of Home Care Leader in Excellence, Provider of Choice and Employer of Choice Awards.

If you are interested in non-medical homecare services in Wellesley, Newton, Canton, Dedham, Needham, Brookline and nearby cities and towns in Massachusetts, please contact us at 617-795-2727 or visit our website at https://www.visitingangels.com/newton.