November is National Home Care Month, a time to celebrate the practice of home care and all of the individuals who make it possible, from the patients who inspire us to the caregivers who serve them.
During the month of November, the home care and hospice community honors the millions of nurses, home care aides, therapists, and social workers who make a remarkable difference for the patients and families they serve. These heroic caregivers play a central role in our health care system and in homes across the nation. To recognize their efforts, we call upon all Americans to commemorate the power of caring, both at the home and in their local communities, and ask them to join with the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) by celebrating November as Home Care and Hospice Month.
Home care includes a range of medical, social, assistive, and other services provided in an individual’s home when a person needs follow‐up care after a hospital visit or requires long-term care.
These comprehensive services are provided by nurses, therapists, home health aides, and other direct care staff under the direction of a physician’s order. The focus of these patient-centered services includes prevention, recuperation, and/or an alternative to higher-cost institutional care that would otherwise be provided in a hospital or nursing facility.
Generally, home care services are appropriate whenever a person prefers to stay at home, or is homebound, but needs ongoing care.
Patients receiving home care include newborns and mothers eligible for maternal-infant care services; young children and adults in need of at-home therapy or advanced technology-based care and support; elderly patients who benefit from the services of a skilled nurse to help treat chronic medical conditions; patients receiving wound care following surgery; or individuals with disabilities who may be homebound and require assistive services to meet activities of daily living, such as feeding, bathing, and other forms of self-care.
Use your agency’s social media platforms to spread the word about National Home Care & Hospice Month. You can “like” and share our social media posts on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter, too. We also created special graphics for you to download and use.
Use the NAHC’s templates to create a press release, and then email it to editors and reporters who cover health care. Local, state, and national level officials. Visit the NAHC Advocacy Center to see how easy it is to make your voice heard among legislators and on Capitol Hill.
Many home care and hospice agencies forge valuable relationships at these locations. Share your knowledge and expertise about home care and hospice, and advance care planning. Health care facilities and providers – Inform others about the importance of home care and hospice by sharing your knowledge and expertise. Use the resources at NAHC.org, too.
Home care continues to be the answer to caring for sick and disabled loved ones because of the increased demand on health care providers, personal preference, increased public awareness about the availability of home care services, new technology, and the added cost-effectiveness of home health care. Here are some ways your agency can recognize this special month.
Sources:
https://nationalhomecaremonth.com/national-home-care-month/
https://www.nahc.org/consumers-information/november-is-home-care-hospice-month/