One of the biggest obstacles facing health care providers today is ensuring that patients from lower socio-economic environments receive adequate health care. According to a report released by the National Academy of Medicine, “racial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality health care than white people; even when insurance status, income, age and severity of conditions are comparable.” This can also be attributed to the fact that those within the minority community may have limited transportation, and less discretionary income as well. This is where home health care agencies provide the greatest value. Below are a few reasons why home health can be advantageous to minority communities:

Prevents unnecessary trips to hospital

As mentioned above, many older adults in inner-city communities have less adequate, reliable transportation. Many may be on fixed incomes and not have money readily available for an unnecessary visit. There are also limited hospital, clinics and pharmacies within these neighborhoods, so patients may have to travel greater distances for health care.  With home health care, the patients have 24/7 access to health care professionals who can care for the patient in the comfort of their home. Patients have been shown to have faster recoveries, with fewer complications as well. This helps eliminate the need for patient readmission to the hospital.

Personalized Care

Sometimes, physicians and health care workers who do not immerse themselves within a community, or lack cultural awareness or understanding, can provide inferior health care. This can lead to those within minority communities having an increase in comorbidities (such as hypertension, diabetes and strokes) and higher mortality rates. With personalized care, patients receive a specific plan that is targeted to improve and target their individual conditions. This one-on-one care ensures that patients are given the best opportunity to be treated and understand their conditions as well. One of the biggest disparities in the health care system, is the lack of patient education. This can also be due to implicit biases from healthcare providers. With the targeted approach of home health care, families are educated about the specific needs of their loved ones as well as being involved as a part of the health care team, which helps build trust and ensures that the best care possible is given. That trust is essential to bridge the divide between the providers’ bias and the improvement of patient health.

Relief for patient families/caregivers

Many families within these communities are tasked with taking care of their elderly loved ones. This can lead to financial strain, and emotional burnout. Trained home health workers can ease that burden by helping patients with their daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and preparing meals. They also can assist patients in medication management and helping maintain patient independence.

Personal Protective Equipment, otherwise known as PPE, has been one of the most talked about topics of 2020, especially concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. PPE is used by healthcare personnel on a daily basis to protect themselves, patients and the general public when administering care. This can consist of masks, isolation gloves, eye protection, as well as respirators. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, there has been a dire shortage of PPE for healthcare workers. In some places in the country, doctors and nurses are still reusing N-95 masks, which have been deemed the most effective form of PPE by the Center for Disease Control. This increased need for PPE caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has created great strain for healthcare workers and patients as well, especially within home health. Because of these PPE limitations, caregivers must take extra precautions when coordinating patient visits with their home health agency. Here are a few tips for caregivers:

Communicate with Home Health Agency

Before the health care professional visits, please ensure that all members of the household have taken their temperature to ensure that no one has a fever. Other symptoms may be present in COVID include, shortness of breath, loss of taste/smell, cough, chills, fatigue and muscle weakness. Be sure to give as much information of the patient’s status over the phone before the visit so that the amount of patient interaction is limited.

Maintain Social Distance

When caring for the patient, please ensure that the family remains at minimum 6 feet away from the health care professional while they are working with the patient. Each person within the household should wear cloth face coverings as well to limit possible interaction. If possible, they should move to another room while the health care worker is present.

Wash Hands/Sanitize

Because there is a limit of PPE, it is imperative that all household members wash hands while health care worker is in the home. If not possible, use alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. The key is to limit interaction. Many elderly patients may be more susceptible to COVID exposure, so it is imperative that caregivers and home health agencies work together to ensure that the patient receives optimal health care with minimal risk.

Home healthcare is becoming increasingly important as it not only provides you with care and comfort when you are unwell, but it is also a way of keeping people healthy in their homes especially during this COVID-19 pandemic when hospitals are at or near capacity. Home healthcare involves having professional health care provider services right in your home. For many, hospitals are often not the most convenient or preferred location to receive care. This is especially true for patients with an underlying health condition that can make them more vulnerable to infectious diseases and viruses. The good news is that life-saving care can sometimes occur right in your own home.

Universally, home caregivers (also known as providers) are well known for their ability to provide their patients with skilled nursing care. They perform various tasks such as meal preparation, housekeeping, wound care, running errands, and even personal care such as bathing, dressing the patient, and ensuring their hygiene needs are met. Providers are also responsible for monitoring and management including medication management, health assessments, and other forms of care to ensure improvement in the health and well-being of the patient.

Many times, when patients leave the hospital, they are expected to own and manage their health and medical conditions by themselves or with the help of family. They go from a highly equipped medical environment to a non-medical environment, which can lead to unnecessary and avoidable hospitalization. Patient safety at home is just as important as patient safety at the hospital. Homecare provider’s services exist to provide formal and informal caregiving to people of all ages. Homecare providers, also known as homecare nurses and/or therapists, provide professional and skilled nursing care that substantially reduces the adverse effect that may cause further hospitalization. Here are a few reasons you might consider using home healthcare services, especially during a pandemic:

• Limit your exposure: Being cared for in your own home is usually the most comfortable place for patients. It not only provides you with a familiar environment, but also reduces your chances of being exposed to this universal virus. The hospital can be unfavorable for patients at a time like this. For example, patients with lung diseases, seniors, or others who are vulnerable to the virus, may be better served at home where they are isolated from the masses.
• Cost-effectiveness: Homecare is considered less expensive than hospitalization or other forms of health care such as nursing homes. This is because healthcare plans and routines are personalized according to your  budget.
• One-on-one attention: The nature of homecare allows you or your loved one to be the primary focus of the caregiver. Their job is to ensure that your loved one is properly cared for. Whether the patient needs assistance for a few hours, or full-time in-home care, the plan of care is always designed to focus on the patients’ specific and unique needs.
• Reduced chance of hospital readmission: Studies have shown that patients with a specific medical need receiving care at home have lower chances of being hospitalized or readmitted. Readmission tends to be lower due to reduced risk of infections and personalized care. There is also a reduced risk of COVID-19 exposure. Being in a familiar home environment also enables patients to recover faster in the comfort of their own homes.

If you or your loved one is interested in home health provider services, contact us to today to get started. Our mission is to assist you in achieving the highest level of potential in your day-today activities.

1.) Does the Flu Shot Make Me Sick?

 One of the most common myths about the flu, is that receiving the vaccine will cause you to become sick. This is false. The flu shot contains an inactivated copy of the existing flu vaccine. Your immune system identifies this “copy” and uses it to prepare against the actual flu strain. This process usually takes anywhere from 7-14 days, so if there is a case when someone gets sick after the shot, it most likely happens because the body hasn’t had time to process the vaccine and protect itself. It is also possible for a person to still catch a cold after the flu shot. These are two different viruses; the flu shot does not protect against a common cold. The cold may have similar symptoms to a flu including runny nose, cough and sore throat, however they are much milder than the flu. The flu usually comes on rapidly and immediately results in body fever and aches, whereas the cold may come a lot slower. In addition, each year there can be a different active flu virus strand. Companies begin preparing flu vaccines months before the flu season so that they are ready for patients by the end of the summer. It is possible, that either the flu strand mutated to a different strand, or there is a mismatch with the vaccine and the identified strand. For example, the swine flu strand may be produced in the vaccine, but the bird flu strand ends up becoming the prevalent strand during flu season. This would make the vaccine ineffective. So, there are many reasons why the flu vaccine may not work but it will not make you sick.

2.) I feel sick. Should I get the shot? When is the best time to get it?

Unless you are seriously immunocompromised or have severe allergies to active ingredients within the flu shot, it is highly recommended to get the flu shot. People with mild colds or allergies are ok as well, however if you have a moderate or severe illness, it is better to wait until after you are recovered. Children and the elderly are especially encouraged as they have weaker immune systems and are more susceptible to the flu. The vaccine is the first line of defense against the flu and as more people are vaccinated the chance of spreading the flu decreases. The Center for Disease Control recommends that everyone is vaccinated by the end of October. This gives your body the 1 to 2-week time period needed to build up immunity by the peak of flu season in November.

3.) I think I have the flu. What do I do?

 Two words. STAY HOME. The flu is highly contagious, so it is best to stay in a confined area. However, for vulnerable people (geriatrics and children), medical doctors should be contacted as soon as possible. There are antiviral medications that may be given to shorten the time period of the flu. Drinking plenty of fluids and remaining hydrated is essential, as well as handwashing and wearing a facemask and coughing into the elbow. Because it is a virus, there is no cure, and it must run its course. So, treating the symptoms and taking precautions to keep it from spreading is the most effective way to control the flu.

Recently, I had the privilege of speaking to residents at a retirement community about the importance of diabetes management. One of the main points I stressed to the residents was the importance of taking medications as prescribed and reporting any issues to their doctor or nurse. After the presentation, I was approached by a couple of residents who spoke to me about some of their difficulties in taking medications. One particular woman expressed to me how the medications affected her energy level and caused her feet to swell and make it difficult for her to walk. Now, she does not take the medications as regularly as she should, but instead only if she remembers to do it. After hearing this, I approached one of her caregivers and suggested an alternative that the doctor will now switch to, which will help alleviate her swelling. This story illustrates that many seniors struggle with taking medications, and it is up to the families and caregivers of the patient to recognize when there may be some difficulty. Many times, there are signs and symptoms that indicate when a patient may be having difficulty in taking their medications, and as caregivers it is important that we not only recognize the issues but have solutions which may help them as well. As people age, one of the first hallmark signs that a senior may have issues with medications is memory slippage. Many times, patients have difficulty in remembering when to take medications, especially if they have multiple medications for different health issues. Medication pillboxes are traditionally a great way for caregivers and patients to manage medications, including those which have indicators for day and nighttime doses. Many pharmacies which specialize in elder care have blister packing available which separates the medications into plastic pouches that make it easier for patients to keep up with what they are supposed to be taking, as well as it being much simpler for patients to carry around. There are also medication bottles that have smart caps which track each time a patient uses the medication. So, if the bottle is not touched over an extended period of time, an alert gets sent to the physician which then can investigate why the patient is unable to take the medications. Open communication with your loved ones may reveal issues that prevent the patient from being adherent. Similar to the woman I helped with the swelling, there may be side effects that may make medications more difficult for patients. Having attentive caregivers which ask many questions, will enable patients to feel comfortable in talking about certain difficulties that they may be experiencing. Many people regardless of age, will stop taking medications if they believe it makes them feel worse. This highlights the importance of paying close attention to your loved ones and listening to their health difficulties. It is important in not only ensuring their health and wellness but maximizing the benefits of taking the appropriate medications.