Are you wondering about the next steps after your loved one leaves home health care? For many older adults, home health care plays a crucial role in recovery after an illness, injury, or surgery. It can act as a bridge between a hospital or skilled nursing visit and caring for oneself. It's also a way for homebound people to get the support they need.However, home health care is usually a short-term service. It's meant to help stabilize health, rehabilitate, and teach new skills, but it doesn't last forever.Most funding sources (particularly Medicare) will stop covering home health care services when the patient recovers enough, or sometimes if their progress stalls. This end point may come too soon for some people, especially if they still have health needs or aren't fully independent.The end of home health care doesn't mean the end of support - there are still many options out there for getting the help you need. In this article, we'll highlight options for care depending on your situation when home health care comes to an end.Why home health care endsHome health care provides skilled care that you'd typically need to go to a doctor, hospital, or specialist for. Offered services include the following, depending on your needs:- Skilled nursing care (wound care, IV medication administration, etc.).- Physical therapy.- Speech therapy.- Occupational therapy. - Assistance with personal care (but only if your doctor deems it medically necessary, and only if you need skilled care, too).- Medical social services (only if you need skilled care, too).Home health care services are not simply there to make your life easier. Providers travel to the patients because they have a short-term need for medical care after an injury, illness, surgery, or similar situation, and are considered homebound (meaning that leaving the home is either very difficult or impossible).This process is designed around medical necessity. This means you're typically eligible for the services when you need them, particularly when visiting the doctor would be difficult.Your needs will likely change as you go through home health care, and eventually, the funding will end. What you can do next will depend on your needs at that time.Immediate next stepsHome health care won't end suddenly. Your goals and progress will be assessed before any decision is made, and health care providers will work with you to determine the next steps.This process will typically involve talking about:- Alternative sources of any care required.- Plans for medication management.- Follow-up appointments with specialists and your primary care physician.- How to ensure progress continues.- Local resources and services to support your recoveryThis is also your chance to ask questions. Doing so helps to ensure that you're fully informed about the next steps.If your health has dramatically improvedThis is the best possible outcome and the goal of home health care. However, you'll still need to keep an eye on your health. This includes: - Taking medications as prescribed.- Continuing with any exercises recommended by physical therapists.- Keeping up with personal hygiene.- Eating well.- Exercising at a level you are safe and comfortable with.- Staying socially connected.You may also want in-home support from a family member or home care aide. While home care services don't provide medical support, they can make self-care tasks much safer and easier, and also assist with household tasks.If you still need support with recoveryWhen home health care ends, if your health has improved, you might be visiting specialists instead of having them come to you.Support options here include the following:- In outpatient treatment, you can receive some services at your local hospital, but are not admitted and can return home the same day.- Your primary care provider will continue to provide support, recommendations, and health monitoring. You can make follow-up appointments with specialists to continue your work.- There may also be some programs in your local community, like chronic disease management groups and fall prevention classes. You may find support groups as well, which offer information and social support. If funding has ended but you still need home health careThe end of funding doesn't have to mean the end of home health care. Sometimes you'll simply need to look for other funding sources.Depending on your situation, you may be able to use the following to pay for home health care:- Medicaid.- Private insurance.- Long-term care insurance.- Veterans benefits.You can also dispute the decision to end your home health care. This can be important because home health care agencies don't always fully understand Medicare funding. They may even end care when you're actually still eligible.Your provider is required to give you a notice of Medicare non-coverage when funding has ended. This includes details about how to file an expedited appeal and can help you fight any changes.If your needs exceed what family or home care can provideSome people's care needs end up exceeding anything that home care and home health care can provide. Furthermore, family caregiving is often unrealistic when the individuals care needs are too high, as family members may not have the required skills and can quickly burn out from the workload.In such cases, alternative living arrangements like those listed below may be necessary. Assisted livingAssisted living helps with daily tasks in a supportive environment. While medical support is limited, assisted living ensures that there's always someone on hand to provide support, and that any health issues are quickly noticed. These communities also have a variety of programs and services that continue to support residents nonmedical needs.For example, when a patient receives home health care after hospitalization for a hip fracture, the housekeeping laundry, and meal services at assisted living can help the resident maintain quality of life and good nutrition if their recovery has left them with less mobility than before the fracture.Skilled nursingSkilled nursing facilities are another 24/7 care environment that offers medical support as well as many nonmedical services. This is a good option for people with significant health challenges, helping to improve safety and quality of life.People who require long-term care in skilled nursing often have one or more chronic conditions, physical limitations, or cognitive conditions that make living at home unsafe. Staffed with licensed nursing professionals, trained caregiving staff, attending physicians, and visiting specialists, these facilities provide the greatest access to skilled care outside a hospital setting.Memory careMemory care focuses on people with dementia and provides specialized support to improve their lives. This care may be provided in a stand-alone memory care facility or in another setting, such as a nursing home, assisted living, or even in the individuals home. To decide the next step, youll need to think about current needs and how these might change in the future. Primary care physicians are important here. Theyll often be able to inform you about possible future changes and what such changes mean for care needs. If youre considering different senior care options, Oasis Senior Advisors Carrollton-Frisco is there to help. Contact your local advisor, Holly DeLisi, at (682) 375-9604 for information and guidance.

Social Security and the New Senior Tax DeductionBy Senior Tax Advisory GroupTax law changes may help retirees keep more of their income. However, headlines about no tax on Social Security can create confusion. We want seniors to understand what has changed and how the new rules fit their retirement plans.The One Big Beautiful Bill Act created a temporary additional deduction for people age 65 and older. For tax years 2025 through 2028, eligible individuals may deduct up to $6,000. Married couples filing jointly may deduct up to $12,000 when both spouses qualify. There could be a ROTH conversion opportunity at No Additional Tax Cost!This deduction is available whether you itemize or take the standard deduction. Married taxpayers must file jointly to claim it, and each person claiming the deduction must have a qualifying Social Security number.Income limits matter. The deduction begins phasing out when Modified Adjusted Gross Income exceeds $75,000 for an individual or $150,000 for a married couple filing jointly. Taxable IRA withdrawals, capital gains, or Roth conversions may reduce the deduction available.The law did not repeal federal taxation of Social Security benefits. Depending on your combined income, up to 85% of benefits may still be included in taxable income. The new deduction reduces taxable income; it does not change the formula determining how much Social Security is taxable. Eligibility also does not require receiving Social Security.For example, a qualifying couple with both spouses age 65 or older could receive the full $12,000 deduction. If that entire deduction offsets income otherwise taxed at 12%, their federal tax savings would be $1,440. Actual savings depend on their tax situation.Before making withdrawals or changing withholding, review your income and eligibility. Social Security claiming decisions still deserve coordination with taxes, savings, and survivor needs. We believe retirement planning begins with understanding people. Contact Senior Tax Advisory Group at 719-596-4844 or visit www.springstax.com for help evaluating these changes within your retirement plan.

Do you need tips on how to make the best of home health care? Home health care is a service typically recommended for seniors leaving the hospital or another acute care setting after a surgery, procedure, or other health situation, in order to help them recover. Whether the stay was planned or not, it's common for the patient's family members to feel uncertain or anxious about their return home. Fortunately, home health care services help patients recover at home with the skilled care they need. In this article, we'll go through some tips on how to make the most of your loved one's home health care experience.A study published in Frontiers in Public Health demonstrated that the transition from hospital to home is tricky and complex, with "approximately one in five patients [experiencing] adverse events during this transition, including unplanned readmissions within a month of discharge, medication errors, and even death." Home health services provide the care that can prevent these readmissions and adverse events.The suggestions in this article will help you to minimize the stress and maximize the benefits of home health care services, so that your loved one's transition back home is a supportive and restorative one.Understand what home health care isFirst of all, it's important to understand the types of services provided by home health care. These typically include skilled clinical services prescribed by a doctor, and may involve: - Skilled nursing care, like wound care and administration IV medication.- Physical, occupational, or speech therapy.- Monitoring of health conditions.Keep in mind that home health care is not the same as nonmedical home care. Home health care usually does not include services like extensive supervision or help with personal care tasks. However, these services may be included on a short-term basis if a doctor deems them to be medically necessary, alongside the already provided medical care.Before services begin, ask the provider for a care plan that outlines both the specific services they'll provide and the frequency of their visits. This will help to align expectations and avoid confusion.Talk with key staff members before dischargeIf possible, you should meet with the key staff members of the home health care agency prior to your loved one's discharge, but this isn't always feasible. Talking to them on the phone for a brief introduction might be your best bet, as putting a voice to a name and having that voice answer some of your preliminary questions can help put you more at ease.Your loved one may feel overwhelmed when they head back home, and meeting someone new can take a lot of their mental energy. If they're able to meet key staff before leaving the hospital, they may adjust to better treatment at home. Get organized before the first home health care visitA smooth transition starts with preparation. Before the first home health visit: - Clear a safe space in the home for care delivery, especially of physical therapy is involved.- Gather medical records, recent discharge papers, and a list of current medications.- Make a list of questions or concerns, including symptoms to monitor, medication side effects, or changes in mobility or mood.Being organized helps the care provider work more efficiently, so that your loved one gets exactly the care they need from the start.Plan to be present for the first few visitsA family member or trusted caregiver should be present during the initial visits whenever possible. This will allow you to: - Give them a tour of your home, including which areas are good for certain therapies and where medications are kept.- Clarify care goals and ask for follow-up questions.- Learn how to assist with exercises, wound care, or medication routines.- Build a relationship with the home care professionals.- Share your loved one's preferences about relevant aspects of care.- Observe your loved one's response to the care.Even if you can't be there in person, consider joining by phone or video call if possible. Your engagement shows your support and helps ensure that the care is coordinated with preferences and daily routines.Establish a communication stationOftentimes, the home health care staff will use an online medical portal to document what they did during their visit, how your loved one responded, how they're progressing, vital signs, medication times, side effects, etc. If they're not doing this, however, you should find another way to communicate with them.Put a notebook and pen or pencil on the kitchen counter or front entry table and designate it as a communication station for the staff. Ask them to write any questions or concerns in the notebook, and you can also use it to leave notes for them.Ask questions and express concernsRemember, your loved one is still recovering. It will take them time to get their strength back and reacclimate to living at home. The home health care team is a part of this process, and you should work together towards these goals.You can always ask questions, share your observations, and express your concerns to the visiting staff. As most of them will be with your loved one for only a short amount of time, your insight is helpful and necessary. You'll also want to be able to communicate with the staff leadership if needed. Speak with them to make changes to the care schedule, add more services or sessions, ask questions about insurance coverage, or report serious concerns. Keep their contact information in your phone so you can access it quickly if needed.Plan ahead for the end of home health care servicesHome health care is typically temporary, designed to support recovery after hospitalization for illness, injury, or surgery. As your loved one nears the end of the services: - Ask about the next steps, such as outpatient rehab, follow-up with primary care doctors, or community resources. - If needed, explore long-term care options, such as nonmedical home care, assisted living, or a skilled nursing facility.- Talk about future goals, especially if your loved one has a chronic or progressive illness.Transitions can be stressful, but planning ahead reduces the chances of repeat hospitalizations and helps your loved one maintain independence longer.Home health care can be an effective and convenient way to support recovery after a hospitalization or medical event. By understanding what to expect, staying organized, and communicating with the care team clearly, families can help to ensure a smoother and more successful home health care experience. If you want more tips on how to make the best of home health care, Oasis Senior Advisors Carrollton-Frisco can help you. Contact your local advisor, Holly DeLisi, at (682) 375-9604.