For more than 47 years, Partners In Care has been a trusted, independent, nonprofit healthcare organization serving patients and families across Central Oregon’s 10,000-square-mile service area. Our local team understands the unique needs of the communities we serve and is committed to helping people receive high-quality care where they are most comfortable: at home.
What Is Home Health Care?
Home health care provides skilled medical services in a patient’s home, helping individuals recover from surgery, illness, or injury while remaining in a familiar and comfortable environment. Ordered by a physician and delivered by nurses, therapists, and other healthcare professionals, home health care is designed to improve recovery, manage chronic conditions, and reduce the risk of unnecessary hospital readmissions.
How Is It Different from Other In-Home Services?
Unlike non-medical home care, which focuses on assistance with daily activities such as bathing, meal preparation, and housekeeping, home health care is medical in nature and requires a physician’s order. It is also different from hospice care, which provides comfort-focused support for individuals with a life-limiting illness. Home health care is restorative, with the goal of helping patients heal, regain strength, and maintain independence.
Who Qualifies for Home Health Care?
Patients may qualify for home health care when a physician determines they need intermittent skilled nursing or therapy services and are considered homebound. Homebound does not mean someone can never leave home; it means leaving requires considerable effort or assistance. Common reasons for home health services include recovery after surgery, wound care, chronic disease management, stroke rehabilitation, and transitioning home after a hospital stay.
What Services Are Included?
Home health care can include skilled nursing, physical, occupational and speech therapy, medical social services, and limited home health aide support when part of a broader care plan. Care is provided on a part-time basis and continues as long as the patient meets eligibility requirements and requires skilled services. With the right support at home, patients can heal more comfortably, safely, and independently in the place they know best.
