Brooks Rehabilitation’s Home Health and Custom Care Also Assist Brain Injury Patients

Brooks’ range of services for brain injury rehabilitation is not limited to our locations. Both Brooks Rehabilitation Home Health and Custom Care divisions deliver care to brain injury patients inside their own homes. Home Health provides a wide variety of skilled, professional medical services under the order and direction of a physician, meaning the services are generally covered under employer-provided or private insurance plans, as well as most Medicare plans. Custom Care offers high-quality, non-medical caregiving services that give needed assistance to patients and their families. Custom Care is usually paid for out-of-pocket by the patient or the patient’s family, although there are a few specific opportunities for reimbursement.

“Many times, brain injury patients have medical or safety issues that make leaving their homes for rehabilitation appointments practically impossible,” said Adam Hoffman, Director of Rehabilitation for the Home Health division. “One major issue is balance and therefore being a fall risk.” However, Adam notes that seeing patients in their homes versus a facility can have benefits.

“You see them in their real, everyday environment,” said Hoffman. “You can tailor the rehabilitation to help them function better in that environment.” Home Health medical services include those performed by registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) as well as those from licensed therapists — physical, respiratory, speech and occupational.

The non-medical Custom Care offerings include assistance with personal hygiene and daily living needs; medication reminders; meal preparation; movement and mobility; and light housekeeping and laundry. Transportation to appointments, the grocery store or visits to a friend or family member’s home can also be scheduled through care coordinators. According to Kelly Wells, Director of Operations for the Custom Care division, it often boils down to giving family members or other primary caregivers a break. “We recently had a brain injury patient who would become very agitated at different times throughout the night,” said Wells. “The family was not getting the rest they needed to function properly — they couldn’t keep up 24 hours a day. By having Custom Care come in for the ‘night shift,’ the family had peace of mind and could get the sleep they needed.”

Both Hoffman and Wells agree that coming into a patient’s home is a privilege. “We are guests in their homes,” said Hoffman. “We get to see and understand how they live. They let us into their lives — it’s an honor.” Wells notes the relationships that can develop. “It’s very personal, one-on-one care,” said Wells. “One of our Custom Care employees could be with a client for months, sometimes years. It’s like becoming a family member — it’s a big responsibility.”