Interim HealthCare Inc., the nation's leading franchise network of home care, senior care, home health, hospice and healthcare staffing services, released a new national study examining the shifting perspectives around access to medical care and changing opinions on healthcare careers brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
To help better understand consumers' knowledge of the scope of home healthcare services and how those sentiments may have changed after the onset of COVID-19, Interim HealthCare commissioned the online Home Health Insights Study of 2,070 U.S. adults, among whom 186 are licensed medical professional, conducted by The Harris Poll. Among the findings, it revealed that more than two-thirds (71 percent) of licensed medical professionals have considered a career shift to home healthcare as a way to reconnect with why they originally entered the field. Additionally, 67 percent of Americans have thought differently about their own healthcare options or those of a loved one as a result of the pandemic, with 65 percent agreeing that they would have considered home healthcare as an alternative to a past hospital stay if they knew it was an option.
"We have seen a tremendous amount of stress being placed on those working tirelessly in every corner of healthcare since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Jennifer Sheets, CEO and president of Interim HealthCare Inc. "This survey highlights the very real effects of the burnout we've been observing across the industry. In addition, it emphasizes consumers' growing interest in the superior quality and accessible services that home healthcare can provide, coinciding with a greater need for skilled, passionate individuals to join us in delivering home healthcare."
Pandemic Shifts Consumers' Preferences for Care
Over the past 20 months, people across the country have witnessed the unprecedented strains on medical facilities and the enduring tragedies taking place in hospitals, nursing facilities and long-term care centers. This has resulted in a paradigm shift when considering how to approach end-of-life care, with 82 percent of Americans preferring to face end-of-life at home versus at a hospital more now than they did prior to the pandemic. In addition, 61 percent indicated a fear of dying alone more now than they did prior to COVID-19. Due to strict hospital and facility rules for visitors at the bedside over much of the last two years, popularity in home healthcare has increased, especially for those who are chronically ill or reaching the end-of-life stage. Home healthcare is unique in providing the balance of critical care with less restricted access to loved ones in a known environment.
Notably, 79 percent of seniors ages 65-plus say that their quality of life would be significantly better if they could receive healthcare at home rather than in a hospital or nursing facility if needed. These results signal the need to educate healthcare decision-makers on the evolving wishes of the aging population.
Lack of Knowledge Around Home Healthcare Persists
Despite COVID-19 prompting consumers to reconsider how they may receive care in the future, a widespread lack of knowledge around home healthcare's varied services remains among both patients and prescribing medical professionals. The survey found that only 32 percent of licensed medical professionals believe home healthcare is an option for acute illnesses, like COVID-19. However, home healthcare's customized, patient-centered care can cater to individual needs more effectively, boost emotional health and mental acuity, and provide other benefits including improving overall spiritual well-being and the quality of family interactions.
Furthermore, only 30 percent of Americans have used home healthcare services either for their own care or that of a loved one. Many Americans don't know that home healthcare is an option for medically complex individuals, such as those with ALS or spinal cord injuries (62 percent each). Home healthcare supports a wide variety of healthcare needs, from companionship to 24-hour care, including hospice. It provides nearly the same level of care and similar, if not better, outcomes to a hospital or long-term care setting through more cost...
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