In-Home vs. Facility-Based Health Care –Pros and Cons 

While it is understandable that most individuals wish to age in place, believing that at-home care is always the best option when they require more assistance is not. Yes, there are times when in-home care will perfectly suit your family’s needs. However, there are situations when the difficulties and costs of this choice outweigh the benefits. You need to have a good understanding of what each option offers and how it meets your needs. For more information about Valley Forge home health care, consult a professional today. 

When it comes to who will flourish with in-home services rather than any type of institutional care, there is no one “correct” answer, so it is worth considering some of the advantages and downsides of both.

Pros of in-home care 

• It is an affordable option. 

According to the National Association of Home Care, skilled nursing facility care will cost roughly $554 per day if insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid do not cover it. Independent living facilities are also frequently costly, and when more care is necessary, the expenses rise. Many people are now getting long-term care insurance, but they account for a small proportion of the total population.

• It allows you to age in place. 

People feel most at ease in familiar surroundings, surrounded by the goods and memories of a lifetime. Losing control is a big negative, and the thought of an “institution” is not reassuring to most elders, even if it is just briefly.

• You can get skilled care as required. 

Staying at home does not exclude professional treatment from being provided. Many medical illnesses, including COPD, may be treated at home using oxygen supply and other techniques.

Cons of in-home care 

• High-skill workers cost more. 

Staff at a home care services organization will be capable of the services they provide, but the majority will not be professionally trained medical caretakers. Certified practical nurses, therapists, or home health aides can be hired, but the costs might quickly outweigh the financial benefits of living at home vs relocating to a care facility.

• Full-time monitoring is costly. 

For someone’s safety and continuing good health, far more medical attention is required than can be offered in a distant situation. That comes with the services at a facility; in the home, it entails adding extra services, staff, or other interventions.

• Insurance and Medicare is a hassle. 

Choosing to get treatment at home may potentially violate Medicare and other insurance policies. What is completely or partially covered at an assisted living or rehab facility may not be covered, or may be covered just partially, as an in-home care service.

This is not to imply that the choice between house and facility is binary. These are significant decisions that should not be taken hastily. If a person wishes to remain at home but is losing the capacity to care for oneself adequately, it is vital to know that there are “guard rails” that may be installed to address safety issues.