A Home Health Agency can help you heal your wounds and live a healthier, fuller life. Home health is a great treatment option because there are often fewer microbes or pathogens in the home than in a hospital or other institution treating large numbers of sick and infected people.
There can be serious consequences if wounds are neglected or do not heal, such as:
o The tissue around the wound can die (necrosis) which could potentially lead to amputation of a foot, leg or arm.
o The wound could turn into a septic infection which could potentially cause death.
There are only 4800 nurses with the Wound Ostomy Continence Specialty credential in the United States. Texoma Home Health is pleased to have Patricia Martinez-Morales on staff with this credential. Patricia and other medical staff can provide you with the following services:
o Education on diet and care. Through education, a Wound Ostomy Continence (WOC) nurse can help empower patients to participate in their own care, and be assured of their ability to continue in their activities of daily living. For example, a nurse can advise on nutrition to help your wounds heal. Did you know extra protein helps and zinc hinders wounds healing? Also, a nurse can explain why it's important to not smoke because smoking clamps down vascular flow so blood doesn't reach the wound for healing.
o Wound care.A Home Health agency can regularly clean and treat your wound to help it heal. This can include establishing a program for evidence based topical therapy, such as wound VAC therapy or conservative sharp debridement when ordered and indicated. Sometimes, cauterization hypertrophic granulations tissue and closed wound edges is also ordered and indicated.
o Diabetic foot and nail care if necessary. You may find that wounds on your body heal more slowly when you have diabetes. This is one reason some Home Health agencies specialize in wound treatment. They can assess sensorimotor, vascular and skin/nail status and can clip nails and pare corns and calluses in a way that avoids injuries.
o Ostomy management if necessary. An ostomy refers to the surgically created opening in the body for the discharge of body wastes. A nurse can help establish an effective pouching system and educate you on self-care and lifestyle issues. They can provide supportive counseling and rehabilitative care and manage peristomal complications if needed.
o Fistula management, percutaneous (medical procedure where access to inner organs or other tissue is done via needle-puncture) tube management, and incontinence management.
One Case Manager tells this rewarding story of how Texoma Home Health helped one of her patients manage her wound.
When Jane, an 82 year old woman, had back surgery, she went to a skilled facility to recuperate.
Unfortunately, the wound in her back opened up and she developed a fever. The wound became as deep as a fist in her back. She went back to the hospital for immediate treatment. Then Jane was sent home with a prescription for home health and wound VAC therapy.
The nurse worked with Jane, treating the wound and educating her on diet. Since Jane couldn't see the wound, the nurse showed her pictures so she could see the healing progress.
Within three months, the wound was healed. Jane was walking and living a normal healthy life.
People with chronic wounds often don't understand why their wound isn't healing. A Home Health nurse can work with your doctor to assess the reasons why your wound may not be healing and develop a customized plan of care for you.
J. Whiting from Texoma Home Health.
Texoma Home Health serves Grayson, Collin, Fannin and Cooke counties in North Texas. We help our patients maintain their independence at home by providing high quality and compassionate medical care.
Get the care you need in the comfort of your own home.
?Do you have a heart condition?
?Are you recovering from a knee or hip replacement?
?Do you have a respiratory condition such as COPD?
?Do you have diabetes?
?Do you need wound treatments?
?Are you taking different medicines that need careful management?
Call us at 903-868-9991. See the treatments we offer at texomahomehealth.com/treatments.html texomahomehealth.com/treatments.html
Medicare pays 100% for those qualified recipients.
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