Home Health And Alzheimer’s Disease

Common Alzheimer’s Related Diagnoses for Home Health Patients:

1. Aphasia
2. Dementia
3. Organic Brain Syndrome
4. Parkinson’s Disease
5. Anxiety

Common Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Patients Who are Home Health Appropriate:

1. Bowel and bladder incontinence
2. Impaired verbal communication
3. Patient or family having difficulty coping with disease process; caregiver strain
4. Self-care deficits in regards to activities of daily living
5. High risk for injury or infection
6. Impaired physical mobility

Home Health Benefits and Services for Alzheimer’s patients:

1. Home Safety Evaluation and plan to help ensure safety in the home environment
2. Implement bowel and bladder regimen; teach to family
3. Evaluate for weight loss, weight assessed and recorded at every visit
4. Emotional support for patient and family by the medical social worker; referrals to appropriate
community services
5. Assist family in setting up a patient-centered routine and stressing the importance of adhering to the
routine once established
6. Monitor hydration and nutrition intake
7. Reality orientation
8. Identification of the need for assistive devices to assist with activities of daily living care

Home Health Care Goals for Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Related Issues:

1. Safety for the patient in the home environment maintained
2. Maintain optimal hydration and nutrition
3. Patient and family adjustment to long term implications of disease process
4. Family or caregiver demonstrating more effective coping skills; community resources in place
5. Effective personal care and activities of daily living assistance
6. Caregiver being taught how to care for the patient effectively

Alzheimer’s patients will be discharged from home health services when they can be maintained in the home safely with adequate nutrition, hydration, hygiene, and other needs met by the caregiver. If theseneeds are unable to be met in the home, the medical social worker will assist the family with placement ina long-term care facility or an adult day care facility.