Medical Equipment

The doctors want my husband to get radiation therapy for the next six weeks, five days a week. I don’t drive, and I’m afraid my husband won’t feel well enough after his treatments to drive himself. How is he going to get back and forth for his treatments? Insurance policies seldom cover the cost of [...]

How does my father get into one? Skilled nursing facilities (or SNFs) are often confused with nursing homes, both by patients and their families. SNFs provide a higher level of shorter-term care that aims at having patients return home or to a family member’s home. Nursing homes, on the other hand, provide primarily long-term, custodial [...]

Even though we’ve hired an aide to help her at home during part of the day, I’m really concerned about her safety when she’s alone. What should we do? Nancy’s comment: If you’re caring for someone who doesn’t live with you, it can be helpful to have an occupational therapist (OT) make a home visit [...]

Durable medical equipment (sometimes referred to as “DME”), such as walkers, wheelchairs, bedside com-modes, or hospital beds, can be obtained for long-term or short-term use from equipment suppliers. Medical equipment can be delivered to patients’ homes while they are still in the hospital or after they are discharged. Check first with the medical team, however, [...]

My husband just had colon surgery, and we were just told by the doctor that he no longer needs to stay in the hospital. Are we really going to be able to manage his care at home? Nancy’s comment: A visiting nurse can show the caregiver and family simple nursing skills that they can use [...]

Home care is a broad term used to describe many types of medical and/or personal care services provided in a person’s home. Multiple terms used for different types of care are often confusing, so be specific about your wants and needs when you discuss home care options. Medical home care often requires a doctor’s order [...]