This article is a part of your HHCN+ Membership The home health care industry may still be fighting some familiar battles, including recruitment, retention and reimbursement, but executives are also preparing for a new wave of change expected to accelerate in 2026. As the home has increasingly become the center of the health care ecosystem, innovation has sped up, pushing providers to adopt technologies and workflows that can boost efficiency, strengthen clinical performance and support sustainable growth. Home Health Care News asked 11 home health industry leaders to weigh in on the biggest trends, challenges and opportunities poised to define…
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An athlete who has run 82 marathons throughout his life, James now faces his toughest challenge yet. It is a type of dementia called primary progressive aphasia. But he's not alone. He has his wife of 34 years, Leesa, by his side and the support of Hospice of the Valley's dementia educators, who help the couple navigate challenges such as communication as the disease progresses.Other important support is provided by Home Updated, a home care agency that provides caregivers twice a week. Elisha takes an early morning walk with James, then makes breakfast and they eat together, chatting and laughing.Leesa…
Lucy (pseudonym) is considered a danger to children.Her teenage daughters, Sadie and Hannah (not their real names), were removed from their home because state authorities deemed it unsafe.But Lucy says her teens are at higher risk living in group housing with other state wards, known as residential care units.”They went to school a lot, they went to activities a lot,” Lucy said.“They are not going to school (now). “They smoke, they do drugs, they drink alcohol.”Lucy said her daughters started smoking and drinking after being placed in state care. (ABC News: Graphic by Sharon Gordon)”Ruining two children's lives”Court documents reveal…
Lana Wilhelm, a former intensive care and home health nurse, used her experience as a nurse and family caregiver to found an organization that supports caregivers of seriously ill family members. After 40 years of nursing, Wilhelm's life changed forever in 2021 when her husband Rick suffered a stroke. Suddenly, she was both a 24-hour caregiver at home and a professional nurse. She was immediately struck by the differences in the delivery of those methods of care and how profoundly such illnesses can impact a patient's family. In response to the lack of resources available to caregivers, Wilhelm founded the…
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A Flagler County home health aide is accused of stealing cash and debit cards from the elderly people she cared for, according to the Sheriff's Office.Katie Swain, 32, was arrested on Dec. 31 after a month-long investigation.A senior resident of Harbor Chase in Palm Coast reported that his wallet containing cash and debit cards was missing, according to sheriff's officials. Police determined Swain, a new employee, was responsible for caring for the victim on the day the items went missing.(More Flagler news: Traffic stop leads to hectic chase)The sheriff's office said the fraudulent transactions took place…
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Many older adults and people with disabilities require assistance with self-care such as bathing, dressing, and eating. Help with such services is known as “long-term care” and may be provided in institutional settings such as nursing facilities or in people’s homes and the community, including assisted living facilities. Four-in-ten adults incorrectly believe that Medicare is the primary source of coverage for low-income people who need nursing or home care, but Medicaid is the primary payer—covering nearly two-thirds of all home care spending in the United States in 2023. The 2025 reconciliation law is estimated to reduce federal Medicaid spending by…
KFF estimates that 5.1 million Medicaid enrollees use home care, which provides medical and supportive services to help people with the activities of daily living (such as eating and bathing) and the instrumental activities of daily living (such as preparing meals and managing medications). Medicare generally does not cover home care (also known as home- and community-based services or HCBS), and Medicaid paid for two-thirds of home care spending in the United States in 2023. In Medicaid home care, many people “self-direct” their services, giving them greater autonomy over the types of services provided and who they are provided by;…
Long-standing workforce challenges in Medicaid home care (also known as home- and community-based services or HCBS) impact care for the over 5 million people who use these services. Shortages and high turnover rates among the direct care workforce reflect demanding work and low wages, particularly among home care workers (who are direct care workers that provide HCBS). This issue brief describes states’ ongoing efforts to respond to shortages of home care workers and how they pay these workers, finding that increased payment rates are a key component of states’ efforts to address workforce shortages. Such shortages could increase as states…
Devoted daughter seeks help when caring for her mother becomes too muchMiriam Sabir reveals how a nursing home in Holladay, Utah, is coping with caring for her elderly mother, Connie.I'm 28 years old, and I was recently told that I have 58 years left to live independently.Apparently, when I turn 86, I may need long-term care. It also costs money. Even if it's over $10 million. oh yeah.Waterlily, a new AI tool that predicts long-term care needs, asked me a few questions, such as “How many siblings do you have?” and crunched the numbers in seconds. “Over the past five…