Frequently asked questions about home healthcare

Do you have some questions about home health care that you wish you had answers to? Well here are some frequently asked questions about home health care in Cameroon, you just may find the answers to your worries right here.

What is home health care?
Home health care is a wide range of health care services that can be given in your home for an illness or injury. It is health care provided by a professional caregiver in the individual home where the patient or client is living, as opposed to care provided in the hospital or doctor’s office settings.

What services does home health care provide?
Home health care consists of medically necessary, skilled services prescribed by a physician for the treatment of an illness, injury, or medical condition. Services provided by home health care may include the following:
Nursing care; medication management; post-operative care; lab services; nutrition services; pain management, follow up of doctor’s appointments, psychiatric services; social work; Therapy (physical, occupational, speech); general patient care.

Is home health care effective?
Home health is very effective and has proven better at improving patient outcomes. A study published in The American Journal of Accountable Care shows that home healthcare is an immensely beneficial alternative to hospitalization for millions of beneficiaries.
Researchers compared outcomes between those who were admitted to the hospital following their visit to the Emergency room and those who instead received home healthcare. By examining patients admitted to the emergency room with a serious illness, the results showed the group of patients who were treated in a home-based setting were significantly less likely to be admitted or readmitted to the hospital. Similarly, the home health group had fewer visits to the emergency room as a whole than the patients who were immediately admitted to the hospital.

What are the benefits of home health care?
Home health care has many benefits for both the patient and their family. some of these benefits include:
Home health care reduces unnecessary hospital visits; can improve mental health; saves costs; home health care is a relief for family caregivers; it gives seniors the ability to age in their own home instead of relocating to an unfamiliar environment like the nursing home; it gives the patient more independence and empowerment; the patient can carry on with their daily activities; It is easier for friends and family to Visit.

Is home health care more expensive?
Not only is home healthcare more effective at improving patient outcomes, but it is also a cost-effective alternative to hospitalization. There are many reasons why home health care is a more cost-effective alternative to a hospital or nursing facility. These include:
Reduced need for rehospitalization; shorter treatment times; reduced need for expensive, unnecessary testing; reduced exposure to illnesses that can worsen an aging adults condition

Does using home health care mean I will no longer visit my doctor?
No, rather the home health care agency serves as a bridge between you and your doctor. While you are receiving services such as nursing care at home, your home healthcare team works with your doctor to coordinate your care.
Your home health providers see you on a more regular basis than your doctor does. These regular visits mean that your home care provider can discuss concerns you might have or issues that arise with your doctor in real-time. As a result, your recovery can proceed faster and smoother than it might without home health care.

How do I know if my loved one needs home health care?
Here are some signs that your loved one may need home health care:
They are unable to perform essential daily functions; changes in personal hygiene; excessive weight gain or loss; mobility is a problem; poor nutrition; withdrawal and isolation; skipped medication.

Is Home health care Home care?

People often confuse home care with home health care.
While both of these concepts have the goal to keep patients safe and comfortable in their homes, the two are quite different.
Home care is help with daily activities to allow people to stay safe at home. Home care services usually include Bathing, toileting, dressing and grooming, house cleaning and other chores, transportation, meal preparation, companionship, and medication reminders. Home health care on the other hand provides clinical or skilled care by licensed nurses and therapists.

Who are those who deliver home health care?
Many different people make up the home healthcare workforce, including professionals (e.g nurses, physical therapists, physicians) and direct care workers (e.g., home health aides, personal care aides).

Can children receive home health care?
Yes, children can receive home health services based on a wide variety of needs and conditions.

What kind of diseases can be treated in home health care?

Home health care can treat a wide variety of conditions and illnesses including but not limited to: Alzheimer’s Disease; Chronic kidney disease; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); Diabetes; Heart disease; Recovery from illness or surgery; Chronic conditions or injuries.

What is unique about Klarah home health care?
With the rise in technology in health, we are able to provide unrivaled medical services using state-of-the-art technological facilities which meet up to the client’s every need in the comfort of their home. Our presence all over the national territory further qualifies us to meet the need of everyone whenever and where ever they are. Currently, we boast over 500 registered nurses present in our network which helps to avoid the overcrowded and overburdened situation of health care one may face in hospital settings.

How can I get Klarah home health care?
If you feel you or your loved one may need home healthcare, then you have made a good decision by choosing Klarah. To subscribe to our services, visit our website, www.klarah.com and you are going to be guided through a simple registration procedure.

A typical Klarah home healthcare visit in Cameroon

Home healthcare is an ideal alternative to hospital care especially in Cameroon where the hospitals are seriously understaffed. Besides it’s other benefits, home health care is great for providing more centred and personalized health care to the individual. Whether just discharged from the hospital, needing long term care at home, or occasional care at the comfort of your home, anyone can use home healthcare.

A Klarah visit consist of first scheduling an appointment with you; the visit typically lasts about 1 to 2 hours.

It will consist a complete assessment of your health, which helps us create a customized care plan for you.

Services during a visit may include but not limited to:

  • Dressing changes,
  • Medication administration,
  • Lab services,
  • Post-operative care,
  • Injection,
  • IV management,
  • Catheter placement and care,
  • Monitoring vital signs,
  • Cardiac and respiratory care,
  • Mobility assistance,
  • Foot care, to name a few.

For a full list of services, click here.

The caregiver can also provide education and training to the patient and/or their family members. Health and nutritional counselling can be provided as well as medication assistance to help you manage your condition and keep you safe at home.

The visit can also consist of virtual doctor consultations. We can also follow up with your doctor’s appointment as well as coordinate and deliver the care your doctor instructed.

For patients needing hospitalisation, hospital accompaniment services can be provided.

Klarah aims to continuously deliver quality health with compassion, excellence and reliability. Home healthcare with Klarah, is quality healthcare as you prefer.

Klarah Nominated for World Summit Awards

Press Release

HACK THE GAPS – DIGITAL.PURPOSE DRIVEN. GLOBAL. THE WSA NOMINEES OF 2022

KLARAH SELECTED AS BEST NATIONAL DIGITAL SOLUTION FOR INTERNATIONAL AWARD IN THE CATEGORY HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

BUEA/Salzburg, 23rd September 2022

Smart content combined with optimized utilization of state-of-the-art technology offers immense opportunities to close global and local divides and the achievement of the UN SDGs. KLARAH was nominated as the best national digital solution for CAMEROON for the international WSA (World Summit Awards), awarding yearly digital innovation with an impact on society.  With this nomination in the Category HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, KLARAH qualifies for evaluation by the WSA Jury 2022 among over 350 international nominations – a global diameter of digital innovation, from Canada to Indonesia, from Finland to Mozambique. 

The WSA nominees 2022 show the richness, diversity, future, and innovation of digital solutions on a global scale and prove how digital technology can improve society on each corner of the world.

KLARAH was nominated as the best national digital solution for CAMEROON for the international WSA.

KLARAH provides mobile apps and intuitive dashboards to improve access to healthcare by matching patients to nurses based on patient need, carer experience and their proximity to each other. By leveraging Africa’s illustrious diaspora as initial sponsors for healthcare financing, KLARAH is enabling quality home healthcare in Cameroon with its eyes set on other African countries in the near future.

The WSA 2022 nominees will be evaluated based on seven fundamental criteria: Content, Functionality, Design, Technology, Innovation, Impact and Value. 

“WSA combines two major perspectives in its initiative – first the commitment on the UN SDGs, and how to use ICTs to development.  And second the development of a global knowledge society. The UN SDGs must be our measurement – in terms of what to look at and where to look. Today we are living in a completely different environment – through the mobile revolution, through the emergence of the algorithmic age – data has become a capital as much as labour, land money and machinery. Hence, it is more important than ever to evaluate what is excellent content that really offers solutions and impact. Qualitative, local content has become the key and permanent issue. WSA presents innovation that uses ICT for social connectivity. To hack the global gaps.“ WSA Chairman Peter A. Bruck.

The WSA nominees are selected carefully and highly competitive by the WSA National Experts from more than 184 UN member states. The WSA National Experts nominate up to eight projects for each country – one for every WSA category. 

A nomination to the WSA hence is already an award in itself – the qualification to compete and compare on an international level and being the best practice in Health and Well-being nationally. 

 

About the WSA

WSA is a global initiative within the framework of the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). WSA is the only ICT event worldwide, that reaches the digital-driven social impact community in over 180 countries. WSA highlights digital content improving society and focuses on local content with global relevance.

Visit us on www.wsa-global.org, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, #WSA21

Media Contact WSA: 

 

Manuela Wagner

WSA Global Community Manager
manuela@wsa-global.org

+43.660.630408.7  

Global Week for Action on NCDs

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases refer to a group of conditions that are not mainly caused by an acute infection, result in long-term health consequences and often create a need for long-term treatment and care. These illnesses do not spread from person to person, they take a long time to develop and do not present symptoms in the early stages.

There are several diseases which fall into this group of conditions. The main types of non-communicable diseases are:

  • Diabetes,
  • Coronary heart disease,
  • Stroke,
  • Cancers, and
  • Chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma).

NCDs are diseases of long duration targeting men, women and children and people in all income groups. One of the most serious concerns about Non-Communicable Diseases is that they affect people in the productive years of their life. Non-Communicable Diseases are a leading cause of premature mortality.

The annual Global Week for Action on NCDs campaign seeks to bring attention to NCD prevention and control

According to the World Health Organisation, 41 million people die every year due to an NCD, accounting for over 70% of all deaths worldwide. But the deaths from NCDs are projected to escalate to 52 million – 75% of all deaths – within just eight years, by 2030. Although the burden is universal, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are hit the hardest, NCDs disproportionately affect people in low- and middle-income countries where more than three quarters of global NCD deaths – 31.4 million – occur.

In Cameroon, chronic diseases accounted for 848.1 deaths per 100,000 in 2002, corresponding to 43% of all deaths.

The rise of NCDs has been driven by primarily four major risk factors: tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets. The epidemic of NCDs poses devastating health consequences for individuals, families and communities, and threatens to overwhelm health systems.

The Global Week of Action on NCDs in 2022 aims to get a message across to governments, donors, international agencies and private sector. The 2022 theme puts the focus on investment for prevention: “Invest in NCDs today, save lives and money tomorrow“.

The imperative to change the global architecture of NCD treatment is not only ethical, but economic: morbidity and mortality from non-communicable diseases strains healthcare systems, removes people from the workforce, and places an enormous burden on younger generations (often young women) who must cut their education or careers short to act as unpaid caretakers for their parents and grandparents. Investing in better management of NCDs is critical.

Klarah is glad to join the global community to fight against this cankerworm that looms large in our society. Since its inception, Klarah has made it a mission to bridge the gap between the patient and primary care providers, who are in the frontline in the fight against non-communicable diseases.

By providing affordable and comprehensive health care which targets detecting, screening and treating NCDs, Klarah aims at reducing deaths from chronic disease by helping families, individuals and communities diagnose and manage the diseases early.

Non-communicable diseases affect us all, they cause nearly 3 out of 4 deaths globally – and billions of people live with one or more NCDs, many of which are preventable. But we can do something to turn the tide, let’s join the movement today, shun modifiable risk factors and engage in active contributions in the fight against NCDs. We can invest today to save lives tomorrow.

World Physiotherapy Day, Cameroon

As people all around the world gather this day to celebrate World Physiotherapy Day, we are reminded of the crucial contribution Physiotherapists make to society to keep people well, mobile and independent. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines Physiotherapy as a health profession that uses manual therapy, exercise and education to restore movement and functional ability. Physiotherapists provide treatment to help people prevent or recover from physical or mental disabilities or rehabilitate after an injury.

The World Physiotherapy Day had its roots right back in 1951, on 8th September, when the World Confederation of Physical Therapy (WCPT) was founded. The Confederation later decided to commemorate the day as an annual event to raise awareness about the hard work of the physical therapist and the potential of physiotherapy. On 8th September 1996, World Physiotherapy Day was observed for the first time and since then, the day is celebrated world wide.

The theme of this year’s World Physiotherapy Day centers on a very important health issue, osteoarthritis. The theme has been coined “osteoarthritis and the role of physiotherapists in its prevention and in the management of people affected by osteoarthritis.”

Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears down over time. Although osteoarthritis can damage any joint, the disorder most commonly affects joints in the hands, knees, hips and spine.

Cameroon like most African countries is greatly affected by this disease. It affects mainly women more than men and people over 50 years. Its progression is slow and irreversible, and often leads to serious disability problems. A shortage of medical personnel and limited access to joint replacement therapy in most developing countries further aggravates the situation.

Physiotherapy has proven to play an important part in curbing the degeneration of osteoarthritis.

According to the Journal of physical therapy science, physiotherapy is the appropriate non-surgical treatment for knee OA. Physiotherapy has been suggested to not only help reduce pain, but also improve function, muscle strength, range of movement, joint stability, and aerobic conditioning.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also recognised the central role that physiotherapy plays in the management of osteoarthritis. In the WHO global disability action plan 2014-2021 “better health for all people with disabilities”, one of the objectives of the action plan as enunciated by WHO is to strengthen and extend rehabilitation, assistive devices and support services, and community-based rehabilitation which will enable people with disabilities fulfil their aspirations in all aspects of life.

According to the world confederation of Physiotherapy (WCPT) 2019 report, an estimated 250 physiotherapists exist in Cameroon, representating an extremely low rate of 0.10 physiotherapists per 10,000 populations. This compromises acces to quality physiotherapy services for those in need.

On this note we specially appreciate physiotherapists in home health care who work in and out of schedule to go the extra mile to provide home based physiotherapy to patients. Home-based physiotherapy has in many ways improved the quality of life for the patient.

Home based physiotherapy with regular visits from the health personnel can promote empowerment, increase independence and self management. All home based physio visits are set around goals agreed by the patient and therapist with the ultimate aim of improving that individual’s quality of life Research shows that a tailored, supervised exercise programme can help improve people’s day to day function and slow down the progression of long-term conditions.

We celebrate all the amazing Physiotherapists we have in Cameroon, Africa and the world in general. We remain thankful for your immense contribution in helping the world to keep moving. Happy World Physiotherapy Day!

To be a physiotherapist on our platform, sign up here and start earning on your terms.

Health Benefits of Walking for Older Cameroonians

As we grow older, we are most likely to feel like it’s a time to relax, not to increase our physical activity. However, for a healthier life, walking is one exercise we cannot toss away. From short walks around the neighbourhood to 30 minutes walks, walking has been known to be one of the best exercises for seniors. Besides being a great mood booster, walking has some great health benefits:

 

Improves cardiovascular health and function

Walking increases your heart rate strengthens your heart and increases blood circulation through your body.
Walking has the potential to play a key role in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

 

Improves blood pressure, control your blood sugar and reduces your risk of diabetes

Older adults are at a higher risk of experiencing health issues relating to high blood pressure, high levels of cholesterol and heart disease in general. Walking daily can improve circulation and blood sugar levels, leading to lower risks of diabetes, strokes and cardiac arrest.

 

Boosts your immune system

People who walk regularly are less likely to get sick than those who do not exercise at all, research indicates. As the body ages, the immune system can weaken, but walking is one of the ways in which one can maintain a healthy and effective immune system and better protection against day-to-day illnesses.

 

Helps reduce arthritis pain

Walking reduces arthritis pain by lubricating knee and hip joints and strengthing the muscles surrounding those joints, which reduces the strain on them.

 

Reduces the risk of many chronic diseases

In addition to lowering your risk of heart attack and stroke, walking and other moderate exercises also help protect against dementia, peripheral artery disease, obesity, depression, colon cancer, and even erectile dysfunction. It may even lower the risk of breast cancer and other cancers.

 

Improve mental health

Walking outside, and being in nature allows you to decompress, get in touch with your thoughts, to understand what’s important and to relax. Walking can also improve self-esteem, decrease negative thoughts and improve overall mental well-being.

 

Improve mobility and balance

Weight-bearing exercises, including walking, increases lubrication and delivery of nutrition to your joints.

 

The benefits of walking are endless, we highly recommend that seniors should be as active as possible for a healthier lifestyle and longer lifespan. Therefore put on your walking shoes today and get walking today!