Your mom’s health is changing as she gets older. She’s been diagnosed with a chronic health condition and needs support at home. Some of the most common chronic health conditions include cancer, heart failure, COPD, and stroke.
What health care conditions can home health care nurses help with? When there is a medical need for care services, home nurses can help with most tasks. Take a closer look at them.
IV Care and Feeding Tubes
If your mom has a condition like cancer or stroke and needs IV nutrients, liquids, or medications, a home health nurse can place the IV line in the comfort of your mom’s home. There’s no need to take your mom to a medical clinic or doctor’s office.
With IV lines in place, nurses can administer pain medications at the correct intervals. If your mom had a stroke and gets her nutrition through a feeding tube, nurses can take care of those feedings and ensure the feeding tube and skin area are kept clean and free of any problems.
Wound Care
For some illnesses or health conditions, surgical intervention is necessary. Your mom had surgery and wants to recuperate at home. With a home health care nurse, she has an expert in wound care changing her bandages, keeping the wound clean, and preventing infection.
Injections
Your mom has a health condition, such as diabetes, that requires regular injections. Nurses can handle injections for you. While you might be offered the chance to learn how to give certain medications via a needle, you may not be comfortable doing so. A nurse is helpful here.
Vital Signs
Your mom has heart disease and requires close monitoring of her pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. A home health care nurse can record her vitals and relay them to her medical team. If anything is off, the nurse and doctor will discuss the next steps.
Physical Therapy
Part of your mom’s treatment plan is to work on exercises recommended by a physical therapist. Instead of having your mom go to a physical therapy clinic each day or week, a physical therapist comes to your mom’s home.
Ask Your Mom’s Doctor for Guidance
Your mom’s doctor can answer a lot of your questions. Learn more about your mom’s treatment plan, the symptoms she faces, and what medical care is necessary. If a home health care nurse could keep her in a comfortable home setting, it’s worth discussing hiring one.
After you talk to the doctor, call a home health care specialist. You’ll create a care plan together and be arrange home nurse visits.