Guide: In-Home Care Supply Companies

What You Need to Know

There is a wide variety of products available for patients transitioning to or engaged in in-home care. While many of these products can be purchased from local stores, home health care products tend to be large and bulky, and often difficult to transport on your own. Many online stores sell these same products, and feature an extensive selections of items in a range of categories. Many online stores offer free or discounted shipping, and most have live customer service representatives that can help you decide on the right products.

Depending on the patient’s medical situation and needs, certain adjustments or modifications may need to be made to the home. These adjustments may include:

• General home modifications, such as changing the layout of the home or adding railings to stairs or walls
• Bedroom modifications, such as adding guardrails to a bed or purchasing a waterproof mattress cover
• Bathroom modifications, such as adding a bench or seat in the shower, or raising the height of a toilet seat for easier access

In addition, common household objects may need to be reevaluated in light of the patient's needs: for example, you may need to replace a standard telephone with a large-button phone for easier dialing, or you may need to replace standard dinnerware (plates, glasses, utensils) with items that are easier to maneuver.

Parentgiving

Parentgiving offers over 5,000 products to support in-home care and independent home living. Products are organized into Buyer Guides to help you get a sense of the types of products available in a given category, and to help you find the products that best meet your needs and situation. Their weekly newsletter delivers savings coupons and special deals. Parentgiving's live customer service is available during standard business hours.

AliMed

AliMed organizes home health care products by health condition, brand, and product category, as well as by body part, to help you find the items needed for your situation. They have a free helpline if you have questions: 800.225.2610.

Elder Depot

Elder Depot offers a wide range of home health care products organized by category. Their "Elder Express Lane" creates a personalized list of products while you shop, making frequently ordered products easier to purchase. Shipping is free on orders over $50. Live customer service is available during standard business hours.

The CareGiver Partnership

The CareGiver Partnership has a specific focus on incontinence support (over 400 incontinence products), and have a unique Incontinence Product Finder to help you find the right incontinence products. Shipping is free for purchases over $50. Live customer service is available during standard business hours, and a Physician Assistant and Mayo Clinic-trained Nutritionist is on-call to answer emails.