Home Health: The Best Kept Secret

Jan 22, 2020

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By Rachel Livingston, BSN, RN, Home Health Director

Did you know that home health is among the fastest-growing healthcare industries in the United States? It makes sense as 10,000 baby boomers in the US turn 65 every day and 75 percent of these people over 65 live with multiple health conditions. So you may wonder, what exactly is home health a****nd how could you benefit from it?

Home health care provides healthcare services in the comfort of your home for an illness, injury, or after a hospitalization. These services can include: skilled nursing, physical, occupational and speech therapy, or an aide to help with bathing and grooming. Medicare covers these services 100 percent if you meet certain qualifications including:

• The patient is under the care of a physician.
• There is a skilled need (meaning there is a need that can only be provided by a licensed professional).
• The patient is homebound (described as difficult and taxing for a patient to leave their home; unable to leave home without assistance; no driving). William Newton Home Health has been serving the community since 1981. As the only not-for-profit agency in the area, our sole focus is providing professional, dedicated, and quality care to our patients; enabling our clients to stay in the comfort and security of their homes and helping them maintain their dignity and independence.

Our service area encompasses residents of Cowley, western Chautauqua, eastern Sumner and southwest Elk Counties. William Newton Home Health provides:

• Skilled nursing - Nursing care provided by all registered nurses who live in our community. Available services include: teaching on disease processes and management of the disease, medical assessments, injections, blood tests, urinary catheter care, wound care, intravenous (IV) therapy, tube feeding, ostomy care, tracheostomy care, and more.
• Physical Therapy - Rehabilitation following joint replacement, stroke, head injury, improve safety in the home, prevent falls, or other illness or injury that hinders mobility to the patient.
• Occupation Therapy - Training on adaptive equipment to keep a patient safe in the home and rehabilitation to maximize a patient’s functional independence in everyday living tasks.
• Speech Therapy - Assistance to someone who suffers speech impairment due to an illness or injury, has issues swallowing or problems with choking, or difficulties with memory.
• Home Health Aide - Assists a patient with personal care needs such as bathing, grooming, dressing, and performing exercises. William Newton Home Health accepts Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans, private insurance, Medicaid, and workers compensation. We will conduct a free insurance investigation to determine eligibility for reimbursement of home health care costs.

Call on us for skilled nursing care and therapy services during the transition from hospital to home following surgery, illness or acute injury, or during adjustment to a new diagnosis or treatment.

If you think you or someone you know could benefit from home health services, speak with your doctor for a referral. For questions, contact William Newton Home Health at 620-221-2916 or stop in and visit us at our new location at 1809 Main Street, Suite 200.

Editor's Note: This article was submitted by William Newton Hospital for the Cowley CourierTraveler Regional Medical Guide published January 22, 2020.