During this challenging time, medical social workers can be a great help in figuring everything out.

At WellSpring Home Health, we offer several services and financial options. However, our medical social worker team is vital for ensuring your loved one’s transition to home care is a success. Here is how they can help and why you should include a medical social worker in your home care journey. 

Are you interested in home care? Call us today!

What is Home Care?

If you or a loved one requires assistance living independently, home care is an excellent option. This option can include both skilled or unskilled services and allows seniors to age in place without leaving the comfort of their own homes. 

Skilled Services

Skilled services can include any medical help that is needed, including:

• Skilled nurses/ registered nurses help with pain management, chronic conditions, and more.
• Physical therapy helps with mobility, coordination, and pain management.
• Speech therapy helps with neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
• Occupational therapy can help with mobility, pain management, fall prevention, and more.
• A home health aide/ certified nurse assistant (CNA) can help with daily activities and psychological support. 

These services can help with seemingly more minor things from medication management to more significant tasks like proper physical therapy plans to maintain mobility and manage pain. Receiving these services from home can be easier for patients who may be “homebound.” And access to medical care in the comfort of your own home will allow you to be at ease and have time for other things, such as hobbies and spending time with family. 

Unskilled Services

Unskilled services will help with daily tasks that may have become difficult, such as bathing, dressing, eating, and more. You can even receive assistance with tasks such as shopping, light housekeeping, running errands, laundry, and other items that will make your life easier. Some work that WellSpring Home Health offers include:

• Meal preparation/ feeding assistance
• Housekeeping/ running errands
• Mobility/ transportation
• Bowel/ bladder care
• Bathing/ showering/ grooming

What Are Medical Social Workers?

Medical social workers can help patients or families cope with illnesses. They can help you understand the illness or condition that has changed your life. Often, they will help with the emotional, financial, or social needs that arise from home care. 

Some medical social workers will advocate for their patients while assuring them that their medical needs are being met. They typically work in hospitals, outpatient centers, hospice centers, rehabilitation facilities, doctor’s offices, nursing homes, and home health agencies. These environments allow patients to get help wherever they are. 

What Services Do Medical Service Workers Provide?

Depending on where they work, the services medical service workers provider may be slightly different. However, medical social workers are there to help the patients in any way they need. Some general services that they can help you with include: 

• Reviewing admission documentation and addressing any issues with them
• Assisting in patient discharging 
• Coordinating the care of patients with complex needs that require multiple services or time
• Helping handle any crisis that arises with counseling or therapy
• Aiding in understanding the financial or emotional resources that are available to you

At WellSpring Home Health, our medical social workers can help you cope with the personal, physical, and emotional effects of a disease or disability. They can also help you find and access resources for finances and community assistance programs, like home meal deliveries. 

Do you have more questions about medical social work? Call us today!

Who Can Benefit From a Medical Social Worker?

The short answer is that everyone can benefit from a medical social worker. Since it can be difficult to transition to home care, a social worker can help ensure the process goes smoothly.. However, a few groups of people may need more assistance during their time in home care. 

Elderly Patients

As people age, the likelihood of needing help at home, skilled or unskilled, becomes more prominent. Elderly care can be received in the comfort of your own home. There are many benefits to receiving home care, such as not stressing about receiving care, spending more time doing hobbies and with family, and receiving personalized care. 

Medical social workers can help older adults with paperwork, financial resources, and emotional aid. Sometimes paperwork can be complicated, so having help can be a great way to get the care you need while not stressing how to receive it. 

Pediatric Patients 

Some children may need medical help, and receiving it at home can be a great way to avoid disrupting their life too much. At WellSpring Home health, we provide holistic treatments for children with complex medical issues or developmental disabilities who otherwise may experience frequent or prolonged hospitalizations. 

Medical social workers can be a great help to parents. You’re already stressed with your child needing care, having someone to help with the financial and emotional burden of finding resources can be spared with medical social workers. 

Veterans

Veterans and surviving spouses can receive personalized home care services that will maintain their quality of life and allow them to stay in their homes. Some veterans may not live near VA facilities, and receiving home care may be the best option. 

Having a medical social worker on your home care team can help determine which services you can qualify for. They’ll help you understand the paperwork and how your care is being paid for. 

Why Choose WellSpring Home Health?

WellSpring Home Health is an excellent option for receiving home care and having quality help from our medical social work team. They can help you understand anything challenging to understand. 

Once you’ve qualified for home care, our team can help you coordinate which services you can receive. They’ll also help you with any financial questions that you have, including:

• How do I pay for home care?
• Does my insurance help cover the costs?
• What other financial issues should I know about?

They’ll also help you find which people to talk to about your personalized care plan. With their help on your home care team, the process will be easier and help relieve your stress. 

WellSpring Home Health is dedicated to ensuring quality care in the security and comfort of your own home. We provide services to clients in Wasilla, Anchorage, and Tacoma, whether it’s 24-hour complex care or weekly visits to help with meals and household errands. 

Our work is based on two fundamental philosophies. First, each person has innate worth, regardless of their health, age, race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin. Second, each person is entitled to maximize their potential, enjoy the quality of life, and maximize their potential. That’s why we treat all our patients like our own family.

Ready to have a medical social worker help you with home care? Contact us today!

The post Medical Social Workers Are a Vital Part of Your Home Care Team appeared first on Wellspring Home Health Center.

Speech therapy helps people communicate and overcome feeding and swallowing difficulties. It’s an important part of home care services, especially if you’re experiencing these conditions (traumatic brain injuries, hearing loss, stroke recovery, etc.).

In this blog, we are going to discuss the importance of speech therapy, its benefits, and how to get started.

Interested in speech therapy? Connect with us.

Why Speech Therapy Is Important

If you or your child have a speech impediment or are experiencing issues with eating and swallowing, speech therapy can be a great resource for helping you or your child overcome this. Having a speech impediment can sometimes feel embarrassing because you can’t produce words correctly, you don’t have the ability to carry on a conversation, or maybe you’re having a tough time giving a presentation. Whatever the situation may be, you’ll feel embarrassed and worried about what others may think of you. All these negative thoughts running through your mind may leave you feeling alone and depressed and can lead to an anxiety disorder.

Just because you are unable to formulate words properly does not mean you are any less great than everyone else. Everyone is unique in their own, individual ways, and it’s important we learn to embrace that about ourselves. We are all human beings at the end of the day. We aren’t perfect and if you are trying to overcome a certain disorder, there are tons of tools out there for you to use.

Investing in speech therapy is your first step in the right direction for getting yourself back on track. Every step should be celebrated because you are not only working to improve your speech but you are also doing it to become a better version of yourself. Speech therapy is performed by speech-language pathologists (SLPs), also known as speech therapists. These SLPs can really help you regain the ability to formulate words better and help you feel more confident in the way you speak in front of others.

The Benefits of Speech Therapy

Anyone at any age can develop a speech disorder, but luckily there are ways to fix this. There are many benefits of speech therapy. Check them out.

Better Articulation

If you are looking for a way to improve your or your child’s communication abilities, articulation is key. The more people learn to articulate their words, the better they will sound, the more confidence they will have, and their communication skills will improve drastically. Speech therapists will be able to break down certain words you are having difficulties with and identify the best exercises to correct this problem.

Improved Swallowing

Difficulty swallowing can be another key indicator that you may need speech therapy. People with a speech disorder might have a hard time swallowing, which is the term we use for dysphagia. This might mean you have a challenging time swallowing any type of liquid and solids. Or you may take longer to eat and drink because of the process it takes to get it down your esophagus.

Speech therapy is an excellent way to improve this problem. The speech therapist will be able to perform a variety of techniques and different exercises to improve oral intake and flow of air circulation. Learning to relax the tongue and practicing proper swallowing and biting techniques will help improve this condition almost immediately.

Reduced Stuttering

According to the Stuttering Foundation, more than 70 million people worldwide stutter, which is about one percent of the population. That means over 3 million Americans in the United States are struggling with stuttering. When people stutter, it can sometimes make them lose their train of thought or cause them to feel embarrassed because they keep stuttering and cannot seem to speak fluently.

Speech therapists will be able to give your proper techniques that may work to improve stuttering such as:

• Taking deep breaths before beginning a conversation or engaging with someone else.
• Slow down when you talk. This will give your brain time to process the words before they come out.
• If certain words are giving you major trouble and you just can’t seem to pronounce the word properly, find a different word with similar meaning that is easier for you to process.
• If you are a nervous speaker, try to use your hands more often or pace if needed. This will be able to calm any nerves you may have and work to help relax the tongue, making speech more fluent and easier to understand.

Proper Pronunciation for Second Languages

As mentioned previously, speech therapy can help you formulate your words better and allow you the ability to speak more fluently. However, speech therapy can also be used to either get rid of an accent or helping you gain and learn a new one. The first step is understanding the way you sound. The next step is getting into a speech rhythm. Your speech therapist will be able to assist and guide you through the necessary steps to be successful in achieving this goal.

Increased Confidence

When someone develops a speech disorder, it can really take a toll on their mental health and overall well-being. It’s important to feel confident even if you do have a speech impediment. Take ownership of it; there is nothing to be scared or ashamed about. According to ASHA, about 7 percent of Americans have some form of language impairment while about 5 to 10 percent of Americans have a communication disorder.

If you are feeling alone and down, remember that you aren’t the only one with a speech disorder and that speech therapy can help.  

Reduced Anxiety and Stress

Some speech disorders are worsened by social anxiety. This can stem from their peers ridiculing them laughing at them when struggling to pronounce words. This is a common reason for speech issues with children and teenagers. A speech therapist can help children become more confident in their speech and minimize anxiety when talking around others.

Give Speech Therapy a Try With WellSpring Home Health

WellSpring Home Health is located right in Alaska and works to provides quality home care from reliable professionals. Our goal is to help individuals live a full, healthy life regardless of their health, age, race, color, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin. We treat all of our patients like family and work to improve the quality of life for all. Our environment will make you feel welcome and comfortable.

If you are struggling with a speech disorder, WellSpring Home Health offers skilled home care services which include speech therapy. Our speech therapists here will help you develop language and speech skills or overcome swallowing disorders.

Are you ready to get started? Get in touch with our office.

The post Can I Get Professional Speech Therapy With Home Care? appeared first on Wellspring Home Health Center.

Physical therapy is a vital part of aging well, and it’s available if you’re receiving skilled home care services. Continue reading on why physical therapy is essential for Alaska’s elders, what the benefits are, and how you can get started to feel relieved and rejuvenated.

Interested in receiving physical therapy services? Contact our office.

Why Physical Therapy Is Important for Elders 

As mentioned previously, over time, our bones, joints, and muscles don’t function the way they used to. That is due to putting wear and tear on your body, like performing strenuous activity throughout the years; this includes anything from putting away groceries, lifting heavy items or boxes, or just even using your strength to stand and sit every day.  

If you notice any muscle pain, joint damage or think you are developing arthritis, solutions and treatments can help alleviate the pain you are experiencing. Physical activity and exercise are extremely beneficial to you and your health, which is why so many doctors and nutritionists recommend daily exercise, even if it’s just going for a nice walk around the park.

According to John Hopkins medicine, maintaining physical activity can help the heart and prevent common diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Just doing a little bit of exercise daily will:

• Lower your blood pressure
• Maintaining a healthy body weight
• Works to reduce inflammation
• Improves blood flow
• Increased amount of oxygen
• Reduces stress
• And more

Physical therapy can even help against injuries. Suppose you injured your back or sprained your ankle. In that case, physical therapy can help alleviate the pain you are having with the assistance of trained professionals who understand which pressure points to hit, exercises that will benefit you the most, and stretches that prevent the pain from coming back.

The Benefits of Physical Therapy 

Physical therapy serves many benefits because it helps you get back on your feet and feel independent again. Why suffer through the pain and worry whether you might not be able to do a particular activity ever again. Tackle your issues and get back to feeling like yourself again.

For example, if someone injured their back and never got the treatment they needed, would they go back and change it? Of course. Once you understand you don’t need to “live with it,” you would do whatever it took to fix it.  

You ever wonder why the elderly talk so much about their past? Who wouldn’t want to go back to their younger days? That’s when they didn’t have to worry about “getting old” and the back and knee pain they have to put up with now. Back then, they knew they didn’t have to worry about any of that stuff because their bones were in the best condition and shape, they could ever be in.

Well, you don’t have to feel like you’re going to suffer forever. That is why physical therapy is here to help your bones stay strong, and you are getting as much exercise as possible. Check out the many benefits of physical therapy.

Physical Therapy Prevents Disease 

That is correct; as we mentioned previously, physical activity and a daily dose of exercise decrease the risk of many common diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. This is because when you work out and exercise, you are improving the blood flow and airflow throughout your body, you’re sweating out toxins, and you’re building muscle.

Boosts Your Mental Health 

Ever hear the saying, “let exercise be your stress reliever”? It’s true. Physical therapy can help reduce anxiety, depression, and stress. But, when you get done with your exercise routine, how do you feel? You leave feeling refreshed, more motivated, and you feel good about the work you just put in. Does it make you feel happy, almost like you’re buzzing from how well you performed? Thank your endorphins. Your brain releases these hormones after you work out or get done with your physical therapy session.

Physical Therapy Decreases Your Risk of Falling 

If you aren’t physically active, the older you get, the more you are prone to falls. This is because when the bones become feeble, it’s often possible for your legs or knees to give out, causing you to fall and severely injure yourself. Physical therapy can be a great outlet to seek help to keep your bones and joints strong and long-lasting. 

How You Can Get Started 

Physical therapy is available for everyone and is easily accessible and is an excellent resource more people should take advantage of. Take on something new or something you’ve never done before that you may have wanted to for a while. Let’s face it, our bodies can never go back to how they were when you were younger, but you can work back to getting as close as possible with the help of physical therapy.

Physical therapy can be full of positivity and a natural mood booster, especially when seeing results. For example, suppose you are having a difficult time bending down to pick something up. It feels like your back may give out at any moment; physical therapy can get you feeling normal within a couple of weeks to a couple of months. In that case, you will be able to bend down without the same pain you were experiencing before.

Getting started is easy. You have to want to do it and once you can get yourself to begin actively going a couple of times a week or even just once is a huge step, and you will be able to see improvements almost immediately.

Want to learn more? Get in touch with us.

Get Going With WellSpring Home Health 

WellSpring Home Health offers quality home care from reliable professionals. Our goal is to help Alaska’s seniors live safely and comfortably in your home. Our team of experts are dedicated to making sure you receive the personalized care you need and with the courtesy and respect, you deserve.

At WellSpring Home Health, we offer physical therapy through our skilled home care services. We have physical therapists who are trained and certified professionals who will be able to develop a plan by, of course, working with your physicians’ orders. Our physical therapists can come right to your home, so you don’t have to worry about transportation. Their work includes:

• Performing a movement and joint motion analysis
• Developing therapeutic exercise programs
• Training to help coordination and balance
• Mobility assistance
• Pain management
• And more.

We also offer many other services such as skilled home care, veteran services, and even pediatric services. So, if you are interested in getting started on your journey to experience greatness again, we have the right tools, resources, and experienced staff members to help you get back on track and feeling good again.

Want to get started? Contact us to set up an assessment.

The post Alaska Home Care Services: Does it Include Physical Therapy? appeared first on Wellspring Home Health Center.

According to Senior Voice, the population of Alaskan seniors who are 65 and older has grown significantly and will continue to increase as the years go on. The senior population in Alaska has grown by more than five percent every year since 2010, in which we had 55,000 seniors. It is now estimated that by 2035 there will be 138,000 seniors in Alaska. 

Many people are choosing to grow old in Alaska, which means there is a growing demand for elder care services. Here are some things that make home care services in Alaska different. 

Looking for a one-of-a-kind Alaskan home care experience? Give us a call! 

The Benefits of Choosing a Home Care Service Provider 

With an uptick in Alaska’s senior population, the more and more seniors in Alaska will need some sort of safety net, home care services, and much more. We want our elders to understand that there are solutions to receiving the type of care they are looking for. Check out some of the benefits of choosing a home care service provider: 

• Stay within the comfort of your own home – Many elders want to age in their own homes. Some may have no interest in picking up their things and locating elsewhere because it may not feel like “home” to them and that is completely okay! That is why when you seek guidance from a home care provider, they will be able to come directly to you – whether that means for a few hours or the full day. We will be there for you. 
• Receive personal care – It may be difficult for seniors to take care of all their own needs in a given day, such as bathing, cooking meals, shopping, medications, and so much more. With the assistance of a home care provider, you won’t have to worry about any of that and all the stress will be lifted off your shoulders for you. 
• Keep families together with home care support – When seniors live in a facility, it can be difficult for their family and friends to visit frequently. Home care providers make it possible for family members to stay involved in their loved one’s day-to-day life while knowing the senior always has the proper guidance and care they need.
• Provide more flexibility – With a home care provider, seniors will have the ability to get back to the things they love, develop or work on a new hobby, or simply enjoy retirement the way they choose. This frees up their time to live life on their own term while having a support system that encourages them daily. 

Alaska is the Place to Be, Especially for Elders 

The senior population is skyrocketing in Alaska because seniors can pursue a better quality of life in a beautiful environment. Here are a few of the perks that seniors are moving to Alaska for.

Slow Down 

It’s no secret as to why so many people want to move to Alaska or want to grow old here. While Alaska is filled with beautiful nature and scenery, it’s also the perfect place to live in terms of day-to-day living. Alaska is a place where you don’t have to stress about beating traffic in the morning on the way to work or the grocery store. People move at the leisure of their own pace, and seniors who move here enjoy being able to slow down and take each day one step at a time. 

New Lifestyle 

Alaska is also a great place to start a new lifestyle. It has plenty of space for you to build the life you have always envisioned. As people start to get older and retire from their jobs, they naturally want to embrace the things they love and have always wanted to do. Their focus becomes to live a happy, peaceful, and stress-free life, and Alaska is the perfect place to do that.  

No State Income Tax 

You heard that right. Many people are upping and moving their lives to Alaska because of the financial perks. Although Alaska’s housing market is relatively high, you won’t have to worry about paying state income tax or extra sales tax. 

If you’re ready to make the move to beautiful Alaska, we are here to help! 

Home Care Services Offered Up North 

Here at WellSpring Home Health, we offer a multitude of home care services, such as skilled, unskilled, pediatric, and veteran services. Read on to learn about what each service entails and how it will best help you. 

Skilled Home Care Services 

Skilled home care is just another term we use for medical care. At WellSpring Home Health, we have highly skilled nurses who are available to care for you on a full time, part time, or day-to-day basis. However many days a week you may need assistance or care, we’ve got you covered. Our nurses are registered and certified, and work very closely with you, your physician, your family, and your caregivers to decipher what specific care services you will need moving forward. This may include: 

• Medication management 
• Pain management 
• Chronic conditions 
• Injury care/wound care
• Post-surgical care
• Physical therapy 
• Occupational therapy 
• Speech therapy 
• And more

WellSpring Home Health also offers home health aides with our trustworthy Certified Nursing Assistant. Unlike our skilled nurses who primarily focus on medical services, our CNAs assist with daily activities like personal care and hygiene, mobility, feeding assistance, and much more. 

Unskilled Home Care Services 

Unskilled home care services refer to non-medical care, which can include help with daily activities like bathing, eating, and help getting dressed. The service also entails running day-to-day errands, such as shopping tasks, light housekeeping, and laundry. 

Pediatric Care Services 

For children with complex medical conditions or issues, no need to stress! WellSpring Home Health provides immaculate holistic care approach and treatment for children with developmental disabilities. Our pediatric caregivers will make sure your child is in great hands and is taken care of. We come up with an accessible and comprehensive written plan of action that is approved by your medical team, family, and caregivers. 

Veteran Care Services

In honor of our veterans bravely defended and protected our country, we offer veteran care services to show our gratitude and respect. At WellSpring Home Health, we believe in honoring them for the work they have done for us and the freedom they have given us. We provide skilled services and unskilled services for our veterans. Many people fail to recognize and honor the brave veterans that helped our country survive, and we believe in taking excellent care of the people who have gone to war for us. 

Look to WellSpring Health for Elder Care in Alaska 

If you are an elder or know someone who is an elder who would benefit from the home care services we provide, please get in touch with us. It is our job to make sure everyone is getting taken care of properly and respectfully. 

Ready to live a happy and stress-free life? Get started now! 

The post Elder Care in Alaska: What’s Unique About Home Care Up North? appeared first on Wellspring Home Health Center.

There are two main options available in Alaska: skilled services and unskilled services. Our programs are coordinated by highly trained and licensed home care providers, and our whole team is dedicated to ensuring each client receives professional and compassionate care. Everything we do is designed to make your life safe and comfortable so you can enjoy a great quality of life.

(Please note we also provide home care services in Pearce County, Washington. If you’d like to access these services, please call our Tacoma office on (253) 625-7606.)

Let’s dive into the home care options in a little more depth.

Want to skip ahead and become part of our family? Contact us today.

Option 1: Skilled Home Care Services in Alaska

Skilled home care services essentially means medical care. We employ a multi-disciplinary team of health care professionals who can work with your primary care physician to deliver seamless care.

Say, for example, that you need care from a registered nurse (RN). We can arrange for a nurse to help you on a full time, part time, or per visit basis. They will liaise with your doctor and work with your family and other caregivers to provide personalized care designed specifically to meet your needs. This could include medication management, pain management, wound care, and more.

We also have certified nurse assistants (CNAs) on staff. They can help with daily activities, such as personal care and hygiene, meal preparation and planning, emotional and psychological support, and more. They’re also CPR certified, which is very important because it means they’ll be able to intervene in an emergency which may save your life. We have strict requirements for employment, including background checks, so you can relax knowing you’re in safe hands.

One of the most important parts of skilled home care services is that qualified therapists can meet you at your home to deliver the care you need. There are three different types we work with, each of which has a slightly different focus that will help you live independently at home:

Physical Therapy

Physical therapists develop plans to help you regain mobility, reduce pain, restore functionality, and prevent disability, working closely with your primary care physician. Their services include:

• Movement and joint motion analysis
• Developing therapeutic exercise programs
• Coordination and balance training
• Mobility assistance
• Pain management
• Massage therapy

Speech Therapy

Speech therapists  help you develop language and speech skills, which is a really important part of stroke recovery, as well as overcoming feeding and swallowing difficulties that may occur as we get older. The key services they provide include:

• Understanding and processing verbal language
• Making yourself understood through speech and other means
• Strengthening the muscles you need to eat and swallow
• Addressing hearing impairments

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists help you relearn skills and use new devices such as wheelchairs, braces, splints, and prosthetics to make your home as safe as possible. Their work includes:

• Home safety awareness education
• Hazard awareness and injury protection
• Training in the use of mobility assistive devices
• Development of specialized exercise programs
• Motor skills rehabilitation
• Fitting for prosthetics
• Correction of posture
• Pain management
• Balance training
• Fall prevention

Other Skilled Home Care Services

Many other things can fall into the category of skilled home care services in Alaska. For example, at WellSpring Home Health, we also have medical social workers on staff to assist you and your family cope with the personal, physical, and emotional effects of disease or disability.

Getting older and asking for help isn’t always easy, but we want to make the transition as smooth as possible for you. These team members can also assist with accessing financial resources and community assistance programs, such as home meal deliveries, to make things easier.

Option 2: Unskilled Home Care Services in Alaska

Unskilled home care services, on the other hand, basically summarizes everything that falls into non-medical care. These are the services you need to feel safe, comfortable, and happy at home. This can be organized by contacting our team directly and discussing your care needs.

This is different for every person. For example, if you’re struggling to get yourself dressed in the morning, we can help. If you’re fine with dressing, but you find laundry really difficult, we can step in. If shopping for groceries is too much, we can take that off your plate. The main thing you need to know is that you can access a fully customized home care plan to suit your individual needs.

Here are the key unskilled home care services we provide in Alaska:

• Meal preparation and feeding assistance
• Housekeeping and running errands
• Bathing, showering, and grooming
• Mobility and transportation
• Bowel and bladder care

Accessing Home Care Services in Alaska

We treat all our clients like family. As such, we aim to make it as easy as possible to access our services. There are multiple ways you can access skilled and unskilled home care services.

Generally speaking, you may be eligible for home care if your doctor decides you need medical care at home and makes plans accordingly. This could be because you have a medical condition or because you are considered “homebound,” which means you’re unable to leave your home without considerable and taxing effort. The best place to start is by talking to your primary care physician.

We work with the following insurers:

• Medicare (which covers 100% for skilled services)
• Medicaid
• Tri-Care
• VA/Tri-West
• Workers’ Compensation
• Private Pay Clients
• Private Insurance Companies

Veteran Home Care Services in Alaska

We’re also honored to provide home care services in Alaska to the veterans who bravely protect our freedom and our way of life. This includes both skilled and unskilled services, because we want to ensure all veterans can live with dignity in their own homes. We work closely with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to help veterans living a long way from their nearest VA facility. The best way to find out if this is the right option for you is to call us and discuss your situation.

About WellSpring Home Health

WellSpring Home Health provides compassionate and professional home care services at two locations in Alaska: Anchorage and Wasilla. We also have a third location in Tacoma, Washington, focusing on the Pearce County area. We aim to provide the best possible home care for all our patients, whether that’s 24-hour complex care or weekly patient visits.

We operate on two core philosophies:

1. That each person has innate worth, regardless of their health, age, race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin. We treat everyone equally.
2. That each person is entitled to maximize their potential and enjoy a great quality of life. That’s why we treat all our patients just like our own family.

What this means is that our clients can enjoy an unsurpassed level of service according to the highest possible standards. We only hire professionals who have a proven track record of providing high-quality services. We’re passionate about providing elderly and disabled Alaskans the care they need to live safely, comfortably, and independently at home.

Want to learn more? Contact us to set up an assessment.

The post What Home Care Services Are Available in Alaska? appeared first on Wellspring Home Health Center.

You have the right to live safely and comfortably in your home and enjoy a wonderful quality of life. That’s why it’s so important to choose an agency that will treat you like their own family, who will tailor the care you receive to suit your individual circumstances, and who will be able to have a laugh or two with you along the way. Choosing the right home care agency is a big decision, so here are some questions you should ask to make sure you get the support you need.

Want to skip ahead and schedule an assessment? Click here.

1.      What Home Care Services Do You Provide?

Every home care agency is different and they all offer different types of services. It’s important to carefully read through the list of services they provide to ensure they will meet your needs.

Here at WellSpring Home Health, we offer a mixture of skilled and unskilled services. You can find out exactly that’s included here, but the simplest explanation is this:

• Skilled: This means working with a multi-disciplinary team of health care professionals, including registered nurses, physical therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and certified nurse assistants. They work with your primary care physician to deliver seamless care that ensure you will receive care tailored to your medical requirements.
• Unskilled: This means non-medical care. These are the personal care services that will make your life safer, more comfortable, and more enjoyable. It includes things such as meal preparation and feeding assistance, housekeeping and running errands, mobility assistance and transportation, bowel and bladder care, bathing and showing care, and more.

Some home care agencies will also specialize in a particular type of care, for example, elder care or disability care. Our services, for example, include pediatric and veteran home care services.

Pediatric Home Care Services

Pediatric home care services provide holistic treatment for children with complex medical issues or developmental disabilities. Typically, children who fall into this category experience frequent and/or prolonged hospitalizations and they may be required to enter long-term care. Our goal is to optimize your child’s care and minimize interventions. We’re here to help your family thrive.

(Please note this service is currently only available in Tacoma, Washington.)

Veteran Home Care Services

We are honored to provide home care services to the veterans that bravely protect our freedom and our way of life. As a veteran home care agency, we provide veterans and surviving spouses the care they need to live with honor and dignity while staying in their homes as long as they wish. These services are provided to veterans living a long way from their nearest VA facility and can include both skills and unskilled services. Please call our office to discuss your circumstances.

2.      Is Your Home Care Agency Based in My Area?

There are two main reasons why it’s very important to choose a local home care agency.

First, they’ll be based in your area which means they’ll be able to quickly respond when you require assistance. Second, they’ll have a much better understanding of who you are and where you come from, which will increase your chance of finding a provider you can get along with. As we said right at the start, choosing a home care agency is a big decision. It’s important to find a provider that “gets you,” because this will ensure you received the standard of care you deserve. It also makes the whole process a whole lot more fun for everyone involved.

We don’t need to tell you that Alaskans are a pretty unique bunch. If you’re looking for home care services in Anchorage, you should consider WellSpring Home Health in either Anchorage or Wasilla. We employ local people who go through an extensive screening process to ensure they share our commitment to the highest standards of ethics, honesty, and integrity. This includes compliance with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations regarding patient care. We also have a third center based at Tacoma, Washington, that serves people living all over Pierce County.

3.      Do You Accept My Insurance for Home Care?

Insurance is really important when it comes to home care services. Different insurers will have different requirements around things like preferred providers, referrals, and qualifying criteria. It’s important to read your policy carefully to make sure you choose a compatible home care agency.

Each insurance company will also set out different rules around things like co-pays and deductibles. If you have any questions about this, or you need to clarify anything, it’s worth calling your provider before you contact us to schedule an assessment. That will ensure we’re all on the same page.

4.      What Values Guide Your Home Care Agency?

This might sound like a strange question, but bear with us a moment. Once you’ve found a home care agency that provides the services you need, is based in your local area, and accepts your insurance, you might think your search is complete. However, culture is equally important.

Think about it this way: you’re letting someone into your home so they can take care of you and improve your quality of life. Trust is critical. On top of this, since you’ll be spending a lot of time with your providers, shouldn’t you pick a home care agency you actually like?

That’s where values come into play. WellSpring Home Health provides an unsurpassed level of service while maintaining the highest standards. We have two core values:

• Compassion: We care for our clients like we would our own loved ones. We’re passionate about providing elderly and disabled members of our community the personalized care you need with the courtesy and respect you deserve.
• Knowledge: Our employees are our greatest resource. We only hire professionals who have a proven track record for providing high-quality, dependable care to help people live safely, comfortably, and independently at home.

5.      Do You Have Any Home Care Reviews I can See?

Reviews are a great way to get a feel for a home care agency before you make an inquiry. These should be transparent and readily available both on their website and via Google reviews. It will give you a quick overview of what kinds of issues the agency helps people with, what the staff members are like, what its standing is within the community, and any red flags you should consider.

This is an essential part of the modern business landscape. If you’re struggling to find reviews, or the reviews are bad, you should broaden your search and consider another home care agency in your local area. This is important, so make sure you take the time you need to get it right.

Finally, How Do I Sign Up for Home Care Services?

If you’re looking for skilled home care services, the first steps are to get a referral from your primary care physician and then contact our team to schedule an assessment. Once that’s done, we can work with your doctor to develop a home care plan that will suit your clinical requirements.

If you’re looking for unskilled home care services, however, you can either get a referral or go ahead and call our office directly to discuss your needs. We would be honored to work with you.

Sound like a plan? Contact our professional team to get started.

The post 5 Questions to Ask Your Home Care Agency appeared first on Wellspring Home Health Center.

We’ll start with the scope of home care services and breakdown the key services offered by the different types of providers. Then we’ll take you through some practical information about accessing home care, including what you need to qualify and how to work with your insurance provider.

Prefer to talk to a person? Contact WellSpring Home Health today.

What Are Home Care Services?

Home care refers to the services you need to live safely, comfortably, and independently.

This includes skilled home services (also known as medical care), which includes assistance from professionals such as registered nurses, physical therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, medical social workers, and certified nurse assistants. These providers work with your primary care physician to ensure you get seamless care you need to live healthily.

Home care also includes unskilled home care services (also known as non-medical care), which is where trusted providers come to your house to help with things such as meal preparation, errands, housekeeping, transportation, and personal hygiene tasks. This service is designed to ensure you can stay safe and enjoy a wonderful quality of life from the comfort of your own home.

There are many reasons why this might be the right solution for you. The most common one is when you start to get older and you find yourself struggling with things like personal care. However, home care services can also assist people who are living with disabilities, people with serious medical conditions, people who are recovering from surgeries, veterans, and many others.

Want to learn more? View our services here.

Skilled Home Care Services

Here’s a list of skilled home care services we provide:

Registered Nurses

• Medication management
• Chronic condition management
• Pain management
• Post-surgical care
• Wound care
• And more.

Physical Therapists

• Movement and joint motion analysis
• Developing therapeutic exercise programs
• Coordination and balance
• Mobility assistance
• Pain management
• Massage therapy
• And more.

Speech Therapists

• Overcoming feeding and swallowing difficulties
• Managing traumatic brain injuries
• Working through hearing loss
• Rehabilitation after a stroke
• Treating learning disabilities
• Managing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
• And more.

Occupational Therapists

• Home safety awareness education
• Hazard awareness and injury protection
• Training in the use of mobility assistive devices
• Development of specialized exercise programs
• Motor skills rehabilitation
• Fitting for prosthetics
• Medication management
• Correction of posture
• Pain management
• Balance training
• Fall prevention
• And more.

Medical Social Workers

• Coping with the emotional side of disease or disability
• Helping your family adjust to increasing care needs
• Finding and applying for financial resources
• Accessing community assistance programs
• And more.

Certified Nurse Assistants

• Personal care and hygiene
• Emotional and psychological support
• Meal preparation and planning
• Medication management
• Mobility assistance
• Feeding assistance
• And more.

Are we the right fit for you? Learn about our home care philosophy.

Unskilled Home Care Services

Here’s a list of unskilled home care services we provide:

• Meal preparation
• Feeding assistance
• Housekeeping and laundry
• Running errands
• Grocery shopping
• Mobility assistance
• Transportation
• Bowel and bladder care
• Bathing and showering
• Personal grooming

Can’t find the service you need? Talk to our team to discuss your options.

Organizing Home Care Services in Alaska or Washington

How Do I Qualify for Home Care Services?

Now that you know a little more about home care services, it’s time to talk about eligibility. There are many different factors that determine whether this is the best fit for you.

The first step in organizing skilled home care services is to get a referral from your primary care physician. Once you have this, you can contact our team and we will talk to your doctor to develop a plan of care that will address your concerns. We’ll also come to your home to meet you, learn more about your health care needs, and talk about your skills and unskilled home care requirements.

One of the big questions your doctor will ask is whether you’re “homebound.” This means you’re unable to leave your home without the assistance of another person, or you’re unable to leave without considerable and taxing effort that puts you in danger or otherwise compromises your health. This is important because it gives us an idea of what we’ll need to do to support you.

Your doctor will also consider your health history and whether you have a medical condition that will require skilled nursing care (or any of the other therapies we’ve already mentioned) to improve your quality of life. They will talk this through with you to ensure all of your clinical needs are met.

If you’re looking for unskilled services, however, you can either get a referral from your physician or organize them directly by calling our offices. WellSpring Home Health works in Anchorage, Alaska, Wasilla, Alaska, and Tacoma, Washington. We pride ourselves in treating our clients like family.

Want to make an inquiry? Give our friendly team a call.

How Do I Pay for Home Care Services?

Once you’re clear on what services you need, it’s time to talk to your insurance provider. There are multiple payment options you can use to help cover the cost of home care services.

For example, the WellSpring Home Health team provide services to Medicare, Medicaid, Tri-Care, VA/Tri-West, Workers’ Compensation, and private pay options. It’s important to choose a home care services provider who can help you identify any programs for which you man qualify, because they’ll also be able to help take care of the paper work you’ll need to arrange reimbursement.

The exact amount varies from provider to provider. It’s really important to check your insurance policy to make sure you know exactly what to expect when it comes to co-pays and deductibles. Remember, you can always call our office with any questions about billing for our services.

Once you get the green light, you can access home care services as required around the clock. We also have a local on-call manager available who can answer questions and provide clinical support after hours to ensure you’re getting the help you need and everything is running smoothly.

Still have questions? Try our FAQs.

Finding an Agency in Alaska or Washington

WellSpring Home Health is committed to providing quality home care services to our clients in Wasilla, Anchorage, and Tacoma. Our goal is to help you live safely in the security and comfort of your home. We provide tailored solutions to meet the need of each individual, whether that’s 24-hour complex care or weekly visits to help with things like meals and household errands.

Our work is based on two fundamental philosophies. First, that each person has innate worth, regardless of their health, age, race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin. Second, that each person has entitled to maximize their potential and enjoy quality of life and maximize their potential. That’s why we treat all our patients like our own family.

Ready to take the next step? Call us today to schedule an assessment.

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