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Can a Person With Alzheimer’s Qualify for Home Health Care?
Date Updated: July 26, 2024
Written by:
Rachel Lustbader is a writer and editor with a background in healthcare and technology. Her work has been published on websites including HealthCare.com, BiteSizeBio.com, BetterHelp.com, Caring.com, and PayingforSeniorCare.com. She studied health science and public health at Boston University.
Both of Rachel’s grandmothers had very positive experiences in senior living communities, and Rachel saw firsthand the impact that kind, committed caregivers and community managers can have on seniors’ and their family members’ lives. With her work at Caring, Rachel hopes to help other families find communities, caregivers, and at-home products that benefit elderly loved ones and make life less stressful for family caregivers
Yes, a person with Alzheimer’s can qualify for home health care, depending on the level of disease progression. Receiving essential support services at home enables those with dementia to live safely in a familiar, comfortable environment. It also relieves pressure from family caregivers. Moreover, public funding usually covers doctor-ordered home health care for those with cognitive decline.
Benefits of Home Health Care for People With Dementia
Home health care provides medical and therapeutic services in the comfort of an individual’s residence. For those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, such care can make the difference between them remaining at home for longer or moving earlier to a residential care setting. Aides help seniors with activities of daily living, such as toileting, transferring and personal care, and nurses administer medications and monitor medical conditions. Therapeutic interventions, such as physical, occupational and speech therapy, support people with dementia so they can maintain skills and independence for as long as possible.
When combined with home modifications and enhanced safety measures, home health care has many benefits for those with dementia and their families. That said, individuals in the later stages of disease progression often need round-the-clock supervision, specialized programming and intensive hands-on support. In this case, memory care or nursing home care may better suit their needs.