Psychiatric Home Health Care

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What is Psychiatric Home Health Care?
What is case management?
What does a home visit involve?
How do I pay for Psychiatric Home Health Care?
How can I access Pine Rest’s Psychiatric Home Health Care service?

I worry that my mother will forget to take her antidepressant medicine. Can someone monitor her?

We thought having our son hospitalized for schizophrenia was an adjustment. Having him come home is an even bigger one. Can someone teach us how to help him—and us—cope with this?

My father has had several psychiatric admissions—always for the same reason. Is there any way we can change this pattern?

Pine Rest’s Psychiatric Home Health Care (PHHC) offers the answers to these and many other questions. PHHC serves people with unique mental health needs by bringing Pine Rest’s caring to their own home.

What is Psychiatric Home Health Care?
Psychiatric Home Health Care (PHHC) provides in-home clinical services to adults, older adults, and their families. PHHC offers treatment that combines quality care with compassion at a low cost. Registered nurses-certified in psychiatric/mental health nursing-offer 24-hour access, care, and support to those who need specialty nursing. Service is offered in the client's home, assisted living setting, foster care home, or other residential facility.

Nurses work with the client's physician to ensure clients receive the treatment they require. The nurses provide case management for a few weeks, a few months, or longer. PHHC's services begin with a home visit to assess the client's individual needs and continue with periodic visits as frequently as needed. The nurse and physician may decide a client could benefit from additional services. Depending on the client's needs, the treatment team also may include:

• social worker
• physical therapist
• speech therapist
• occupational therapist
• dietitian
• medical/surgical registered nurse for acute medical care

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What is case management?
The nurse oversees all aspects of a person's treatment to make sure he or she gets the specific help necessary. This includes:

• developing and updating an individualized treatment plan
• teaching and supporting the client’s caregivers
• helping the client be as independent as possible
• contact with the family and the physician
• working to avoid rehospitalization

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What does a home visit involve?
The nurse's visit lasts 30-60 minutes. What the nurse does depends on what the client needs. Some of the services the nurse provides are:

• assessing for compliance, side effects, and response to the medication
• checking vital signs and the client's general physical health
• assessing the safety of the client's home environment
• teaching the client and family about the illness and medications
• assessing tolerance and response to electroconvulsive therapy
• helping the client adjust to both being home and to the illness

If indicated, a social worker will provide short-term individual therapy or family therapy.

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How do I pay for Psychiatric Home Health Care?
Most insurances and Medicare are accepted. Check with your plan administrator for coverage information.

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How can I access Pine Rest’s Psychiatric Home Health Care service?
Talk with your therapist/physician about the option of using PHHC or simply call the PHHC office at 616-281-6440 for information on admission to the program.

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