Community and home care is an important aspect of socially managing health conditions from ageing to disability, short-term injury or an illness that requires consistent attention. Numerous research globally shows that using home and community care raised the probability of maintaining and improving physical health, decreased depression, and improved the cognitive function. Using home and community care also increased the probability of actively participating in life and elevated the score of life satisfaction. These are critical aspects governments must take note of to further improve the quality of home and community care services for target populations.

There are two main types of long-term care services available for the elderly and the disabled: institutional care, and home and community care. The advantage of home and community care services is that they can be personalised and diversified at reasonable costs to meet physical, emotional and social needs of patients. 

So what exactly is community care? Community care is treatment and care outside of an acute healthcare setting, such as a hospital. It includes primary care (provided by general practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals), out-patient clinics, homecare, nursing homes, hospices, convalescent centres, ambulatory care (such as intravenous chemotherapy), and providers of medical technologies such as pharmacies, medical device shops, appliance contractors, and homecare companies.

For many patients, especially the elderly and disabled, it is more convenient to access care within the community or a home setting. Health service providers such as a local care centre, senior home or personal homecare professional can be a lot more effective in providing the specific kind of attention a patient needs. Many chronic conditions can be managed better in a community setting. For example, frequently, senior people are admitted to hospital without need for it and stay longer than necessary. Hospital care is always more expensive than homecare, which is preferable whenever appropriate.

As technology continues to bring us products, services and solutions that help people to better manage their disease or health condition by themselves, their use of hospital care is minimised. Raising awareness and trust in community care and home care not only among patients but also within the healthcare industry will enable a more efficient care delivery system. This can also be empowering for patients, providing them with flexibility and with more convenient ways to receive care.

To book a mobility assistant, click on the Book a Companion button on top of the page.