Patients experiencing injury, surgery, illness, or self-management of chronic disease requiring recovery and recuperation may be eligible for home health care through their Medicare benefit.

To meet Medicare guidelines, each patient must:

• • Meet the definition of ‘homebound (the normal inability to leave home). Must be a ‘taxing and considerable effort’ by the patient and requires the assistance of others or a supportive device. Absences from home for non-medical reasons must be infrequent and for a short duration.

• • Have a specific care need requiring part-time or intermittent care.

• • Require the care of a nurse or therapist.

• • Be under the care of a physician licensed to practice in the state of Minnesota

A Skilled Speech Language Pathologist can come out to your home to help patients with:

• • Assess and treat cognitive, language, communication and swallowing disorders.
  • Provide education for patients and caregivers that may include oral motor and breathing exercises, safe swallow strategies and compensatory strategies.
  • Assist with diet planning and modifications, feeding and hydration techniques, and positioning changes to help with swallowing impairments.
  • Provide exercises to strengthen speech and swallow muscles to prevent deterioration or decline
  • Improve and/or prevent decline of cognitive functions such as memory, reasoning, planning, attention, organization and problem-solving tasks
  • Provide language services such as writing, word-finding, reading and comprehension.
  • Improve articulation, voice and resonance services to improve speech.
  • Set up or improve efficiency in alternative ways of communicating such as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), special devices, smartphones, etc.

Disclaimer:
Please note that the level of services available may vary due to what your insurance provider allows.