Home Care

For a growing number of patients, the most comfortable, economical and effective place to complete their recovery from an illness or injury is at home.

Since 1983, Blessing Home Care has been helping patients recover faster while they maintain an independent lifestyle. Physical therapy, occupational and speech therapy, skilled nursing, maternity care, medication management, and medical social work are among the services provided.

Confirmation of this skill and experience comes from regulatory agencies and associations, whose requirements are routinely met or exceeded by the Blessing Home Care staff.

Through Blessing Home Care, nurses, therapists, personal care staff and volunteers provide comfort, security, compassion and friendship to those they serve.

Skilled Services
The Advantages of Home Care
Home Care frequently reduces the length of hospitalization by making early discharge possible. It often prevents premature admission into a nursing home or other alternative care setting. And, perhaps most importantly, it enables patients to remain in their own homes, where family support and familiar surroundings enhance recovery.

When is Home Care Appropriate?
Skilled Services are available to children or adults of any age who require skilled care, but who do not need around-the-clock supervision of a hospital or nursing home staff.

What Services are Provided?
Blessing Home Care Skilled Service begins with a comprehensive assessment visit during which a Home Care registered nurse meets with the patient to determine the need of nursing care, therapy and other services. The nurse reviews the home setting for ease of care, confers with family members and recommends a personalized plan of care to the attending physician. The nurse coordinates the home care program and assists the patient in obtaining needed related services and medical supplies and equipment. Once this plan is approved, the nurse initiates the home care services.

Home Care nurses:

• Perform prescribed treatments for special conditions
• Give injections and intravenous medications
• Obtain samples for laboratory work and educate patients and their caregivers on the care needed

Physical Therapy
Physical therapy in the home setting focuses on the restoration of normal movement. Therapists evaluate a patient's strength and potential to return to their previous level of independence. They provide prescribed therapeutic exercises, gait and transfer training, orthotic and prosthetic training and establish home exercise programs.

Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapists use selected rehabilitative, vocational and educational tasks to restore or enhance physical abilities. These therapists will evaluate the patient's home living situation and develop a program for self-care aimed at promoting independence in daily living.

Speech and Language Therapy
Speech therapists evaluate the patient's level of ability, provide therapy to improve or relearn speaking and listening skills and when indicated, teaches the patient and family new methods of communication.

Medical Social Services
Social services may be needed because there are social problems that impede the patient's rate of recovery. The social worker performs psychosocial assessment, financial environment assessment and provides counseling and long-range planning.

Certified Home Health Aides
Certified Home Health Aides perform specific duties related directly to a patient's personal care; bath, oral hygiene, skin care, exercises, assist with self-administered medications, feeding when necessary, and perform simple procedures as an extension of therapeutic services.

Who Pays for Home Care?
Home visits may be covered by Medicare, Medicaid, Illinois Department of Rehabilitation and many private insurance plans. Arrangements for private payment may also be made. The Blessing Home Care staff can help patients determine which services are covered by third party reimbursement sources and will take care of all paperwork for direct billing.

Arranging Home Care Services
Blessing Home Care Skilled Service must be authorized and coordinated by a physician, but inquiries and referrals are welcome from prospective patients, members of their families, hospital personnel, clergy or others. All patients are provided an equal opportunity to receive benefits from Blessing Home Care. No patient is refused service because of age, sex, race, color, creed, national origin, handicap or any other unjust factors.