Who provides home health services? Can friends and family participate in the care of a home health patient?

Home health care is provided by licensed nurses, therapists and home health aides. Nurses provide specialized care that requires a licensed caregiver, such as IV therapy, feeding tubes, and complicated medication or wound care. The nurses also do a lot of teaching, enabling the family to care for the patient. Physical, occupational and speech therapists provide rehabilitation and techniques to keep the patient safe at home. Home health aides assist in the care of the patient with tasks such as bathing, dressing, light meals and transfers – such as moving the patient from bed to chair. Friends and family play in integral role in the care of patients at home. Because home health care is provided intermittently, the goal is to empower the patient and his or her family so that the patient can remain safely and comfortably at home and avoid hospitalization.