If you have an illness or disability that prevents you from getting to the doctor’s office or to other healthcare providers for appointments, or you have an elderly relative in this situation, you may be wondering what options are available for receiving the care that you need.
One great option is at-home primary care, in which healthcare providers visit your home and provide treatment there. If this route sounds like the ideal option for you, and you decide to set up home primary care for yourself or a relative, here are 3 ways to prepare:
Gather All Medical Supplies and Information
As a first step to prepare for home primary care, be sure to gather all needed medical supplies and information for yourself or the relative you help care for. This will make things easier for all of the medical personnel entering your home, as all of the medical information and supplies will all be in one place and easily accessible to them.
Some things to begin gathering include any medications, medication dosages, medical equipment, medical records, and a list of doctors and emergency contacts. Once you have all of these things in a designated area, be sure that any medical providers who come into the home to provide care are aware of where this designated medical area is.
Prepare the Home to Home Care Specifications
If you or your relative are transitioning from hospital or inpatient care to at home primary care, you may need to do some rearranging of the home. If a second floor bedroom is no longer accessible, you may need to arrange for a first floor bedroom set up.
Bathrooms may need adaptive equipment such as bars and seats to help with sitting on the toilet and taking a shower or bath. Medical providers can help to arrange for delivery of needed medical equipment, but you can work with providers and installers to make the setup work the best for your situation.
Set Boundaries
Your situation or your relative’s situation may call for around the clock care, or there may be many medical appointments or medical providers in and out of your home throughout the day to provide a variety of services, including medical appointments, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and more.
While the convenience of at home care is unparalleled, you may wish to retain some privacy in your own home. To that extent, you may have some rooms of your home or areas that you would like to remain private. As you prepare for in-home care, during your first visit with each provider, you may give them a tour of the areas they will need to access for your treatments or therapies, such as the living room, kitchen, or a bathroom, if they need to use the restroom. You can indicate that all other areas, such as your bedroom, or the second floor are private. Of course, this all depends on your situation and the level of care that you need.
In-home primary care can be a great help for someone with advanced illness or disabilities. Receiving medical care and therapies at home is not only convenient but crucial to providing the best care possible.
