Manage Home Care

What is this service?

Self or home care occurs when you are responsible for taking care of yourself or someone else at home.  It can last for a brief few days, several recuperating weeks, or, it can last for the rest of one’s life.  It happens more often than you think.  More than 25% of local families care for someone in their home, and more than half manage at least one chronic condition.  Smart Health Decisions helps families get started on home care and stay on track by helping them understand hospital discharge instructions, reviewing care guidelines and suggested lifestyle changes, and offering practical tips for following care recommendations and monitoring results.   We help you work through difficulties and connect you to resources to help you be successful self managers.  We increase your awareness of health insurance coverage for services to help manage chronic conditions like patient education, dietician counseling, medical equipment, or physical therapy.  We can help you find excellent permanent or temporary home care givers.  (Washington County Disability, Aging, and Veteran Services, 2007).

Smart Health Decisions does not provide medical care.  We are not a substitute for your provider.  Our services are designed to help you make your healthcare experience better and more effective. 

How do consumers benefit from this service?

Caring for ourselves and others when sick is probably one of the most important things we do.  Yet giving excellent home care is not something that comes naturally.  One in five hospital patients undergoing major procedures suffers a significant complication after returning home.  Furthermore, providing home care can be very stressful for the caregiver, often resulting in the deterioration of their health.  Our goal is to help the consumer-patient receive excellent care at home and to support and assist those providing that care. (Associate Press, 2008.)

When should consumers use this service?

Smart Health Decisions assists consumers with self/home care concerns.  The ideal time to become well informed about giving care at home is before a patient is discharged from the hospital or when the patient is given home care instructions by their provider.   

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