Home Health FAQs

If I am on Home Health, do I have to stay in bed and never leave my house?
Clients do not have to be bed bound to be eligible for home health and meet Medicare rules. They can leave the home with assistance to attend church or to handle appointments, get their hair cut or fixed as long as these absences are still infrequent and it is still a taxing effort for them to leave. Any absences for medical reasons are necessary and do not disqualify them from being homebound.

Homebound status is confusing. “Homebound” essentially means that a patient has difficulties leaving their home without the assistance of another person or a device.  Most commonly, this is a physical limitation possibly due to weakness, lack of endurance, or ambulation problems. It can also apply to patients who are not functioning mentally at a normal level and could get lost or who have memory problems and could not leave the home alone for safety reasons.

There are also situations where a physician can recommend that a patient be homebound for medical reasons, such as for infection control as with an open and draining wound or if they had a surgery whereby it is not safe for them to drive alone.

If the patient is not homebound, but cannot get to outpatient treatments, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy can be provided in the home under Part B Medicare, if the patient has been enrolled.

What does Home Health do?
A Home Health visit is more than blood pressure monitoring and nursing procedures.  All care is coordinated with the patient’s physician.

The nurses may do wound care, assess the patient’s status, teach the patient and family about managing the disease, medications, diet, exercise or activities of daily living.  

Therapists may do strengthening exercises, gait training, and assess the home for safety.  Any changes or declines are reported back to the doctor for treatment.  

Aides will help with the bath and other activities of daily living around the home.

What benefits does Home Health offer?
Most importantly, Home Health helps people live independently.  Many people leave the hospital with ongoing skilled health care needs.  Home Health can help with the transition from hospital care to independent living.  When clients recover their strength, they can move to outpatient therapy.  Home Health can prevent repeated re-admissions to the hospital for chronic problems.

Can Home Health help after surgery?
Yes!  Home Health nurses and therapists help the patient regain strength, while providing assessment and monitoring.  Home Health nurses will monitor the surgical wound healing and the condition of the patient.  A fast response to changing signs and symptoms may prevent serious problems from
developing or prevent another hospitalization.  This adaptation time in the home can speed recovery and maximize the success of the surgery.

Who pays for Home Health?
Home Health is covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurances.   This program covers nursing, therapy, aide services, and supplies.  If you have a skilled need and do not have insurance coverage, you may apply for charitable care through Regional Hospital.

Is Home Health just for the elderly?
It is not just for the elderly—any one who is homebound and has a skilled need will benefit.  Orthopedic surgery patients, cancer patients, those with diabetes, neurology patients, those who have recently had a CABG or other cardiac procedures, and others with health concerns will benefit from home health.

What do speech therapists do besides help with speech problems?
Speech therapists use their expertise to help with swallowing problems, and difficulty with cognitive deficits.  Speech therapists are often called to work with people with ALS, muscular sclerosis, Parkinson’s, and other neurological disorders.

How does Home Health work in assisted living facilities?
Since assisted living homes are not skilled facilities, this is considered the client's home. Assisted living staff do provide assistance with personal care, nutrition and the normal activities of daily living; however they do not provide skilled nursing or therapy. Clients who live in these facilities can benefit from having nursing and therapy follow-up to help maximize their function in the hope that they would be able to be maintained in these homes and perhaps delay or avoid transfer to a nursing home. Home Health staff work with the assisted living staff in providing exercises and management of medications to help with control of the resident’s chronic illnesses.

If I don’t need a nurse or therapist, but still need someone to help me with bathing, what are my options?
Regional Home Care’s Extended Care Program provides a full array of homemaker and personal care services to help people manage in their own homes. The Department of Social Services does pay for some types of care if the client is eligible, or clients and families can pay the hourly fees. We also provide nursing care for health maintenance needs, such filling medication containers.

How does Lifeline work and who qualifies for this service?
Lifeline is a telephone emergency response system that gets help to people with the push of the Lifeline response button which can be worn as a neck medallion or a wrist band.  Anyone can arrange for Lifeline. It is especially beneficial as a safety measure for people who live alone and may need help if they fell and couldn't reach the phone. Lifeline costs $36/month to pay for the lease of a unit and for the monthly monitoring fee. There is a one-time installation fee of $36. We have over 250 clients in Western South Dakota who have great peace of mind, knowing they are not alone in an emergency.