What does Home Health Care Include – Services and Benefits Explained – North Penn Now

Report on Home Health Care’s Role in Advancing Sustainable Development Goals

Home health care constitutes a critical and expanding sector within the global healthcare landscape, delivering professional medical and supportive services directly in patients’ residences. This model is integral to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), by providing accessible, affordable, and patient-centered care.

Market Analysis and Economic Impact

The economic significance of home health care underscores its role in building sustainable healthcare systems. The global market was valued at USD 416.4 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 747.70 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.21%. This expansion aligns with SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and reflects a global shift towards cost-effective healthcare alternatives that mitigate rising costs, a key factor in supporting SDG 1 (No Poverty) by reducing financial hardship for families. North America currently holds the largest market share at over 42.47%.

Core Service Offerings and Alignment with SDG 3

Home health care services are directly aligned with the targets of SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Medical and Nursing Services

Skilled nursing care forms the foundation of home health, providing essential medical services that support universal health coverage (SDG Target 3.8). The decreasing availability of institutional facilities, such as the decline in nursing homes in Pennsylvania from 695 in 2019 to 669 in 2024, increases the demand for high-quality in-home alternatives. Core services include:

• Wound care and management
• Medication administration and management
• Intravenous (IV) therapy and injections
• Monitoring of vital signs and health status

Chronic Disease Management

Effective management of chronic conditions is crucial for achieving SDG Target 3.4, which seeks to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases. In the United States, chronic diseases account for 90% of the nation’s $4.1 trillion annual healthcare expenditure. Home health care provides continuous, skilled support for conditions such as:

• Diabetes: Blood sugar monitoring, insulin guidance, and nutritional support.
• Heart Disease: Cardiac monitoring and medication oversight.
• Respiratory Conditions: Oxygen therapy and breathing treatments for patients with COPD or asthma.

Personal Care and Daily Living Support

Home health aides provide non-medical support that enhances patient dignity and quality of life, contributing to overall well-being under SDG 3. These services enable individuals to remain safely in their homes. Support includes assistance with:

• Bathing, grooming, and dressing
• Toileting and incontinence care
• Meal preparation and feeding assistance

Therapy and Rehabilitation Services

Rehabilitation services are vital for restoring independence and improving quality of life. The U.S. physical therapy market is projected to grow from $46.75 billion in 2023 to $87.83 billion by 2031, highlighting its importance. These therapies help individuals regain function and contribute to a healthy, productive life.

1. Physical Therapy: Focuses on improving mobility, strength, and balance to prevent falls.
2. Occupational Therapy: Helps patients relearn or adapt skills for daily living, such as cooking and dressing, often with the use of adaptive equipment.
3. Speech Therapy: Addresses communication disorders and swallowing difficulties.

Specialized Programs and Contribution to SDG 10

Home health care promotes inclusivity and reduces inequality (SDG 10) by offering specialized programs tailored to the needs of diverse and vulnerable populations. By providing care in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner, such as through multilingual teams, providers ensure equitable access for all. Specialized programs include:

• Palliative Care
• Pediatric Home Health
• Maternal and Newborn Care
• Dementia and Alzheimer’s Care

Conclusion: A Pillar for Sustainable Healthcare

Home health care offers a comprehensive and adaptable model of service delivery that is fundamental to creating resilient and sustainable healthcare systems. By providing high-quality, accessible, and cost-effective services in the home, this sector makes a significant contribution to achieving global health and development targets, particularly SDG 3, while also supporting broader goals related to economic growth and reduced inequalities.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• The entire article is centered on home health care, a key component of a functional healthcare system. It discusses medical services, chronic disease management, therapy, and personal care, all of which directly contribute to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages, particularly for the elderly and those with chronic conditions.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• The article highlights the significant economic contribution and growth of the home healthcare sector. It provides specific market valuations and projections, such as the market being “worth USD 416.4 billion in 2024” and projected to “reach USD 747.70 billion by 2030.” This demonstrates the industry’s role in driving economic growth and, by extension, creating employment.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Home health care services are presented as essential for vulnerable populations, including “older adults and seniors,” individuals with “chronic illnesses, disabilities, or post-surgery needs,” and those with “limited mobility.” By providing tailored care at home, this model promotes the inclusion of these groups, allowing them to live with dignity and independence. The mention of “multilingual” care teams further addresses inequality by ensuring services are accessible to diverse linguistic communities.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The article points to a trend of decreasing institutional facilities like nursing homes, which increases the demand for in-home care. By enabling people, especially the elderly and those with disabilities, to receive essential services in their own residences, home health care contributes to creating inclusive and resilient communities where individuals can age in place safely.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Target 3.4: Reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.

• The section on “Chronic Disease Management” directly aligns with this target. The article states that home health care provides “skilled, continuous support” for conditions like diabetes, heart disease, COPD, and asthma. This management aims to prevent complications and reduce mortality associated with these non-communicable diseases.

Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.

• The article emphasizes home health care as a “cost-effective alternative” to rising healthcare costs and a provider of “quality care at home.” It also notes that services can be covered by “Medicare, Medicaid, and many private insurance plans,” which points directly to achieving financial risk protection and access to essential health services for a broader population.

Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors.

• The healthcare industry, particularly the rapidly expanding home health care segment, is a high-value-added and labor-intensive sector. The article’s data on market growth (“expanding at an impressive CAGR of 10.21%”) illustrates its increasing contribution to economic productivity.

Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

• By providing essential medical and personal support, home health care empowers older adults and people with disabilities to maintain independence and quality of life within their communities. The provision of specialized care for dementia, pediatric complexities, and services from a “multilingual team” are concrete examples of promoting inclusion for all, irrespective of age, disability, or origin.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Indicators for Target 3.4 (Non-communicable diseases)

• Mentioned Data Point: The article states that chronic diseases are linked to “five of the top 10 leading causes of death in the U.S.” and account for “90% of the annual $4.1 trillion US healthcare expenditure.” This data serves as a baseline measure of the mortality and economic burden of non-communicable diseases.
• Implied Indicator: The text mentions that effective home-based chronic disease management “reduces hospital readmissions and improves quality of life.” Therefore, hospital readmission rates for patients with chronic conditions and patient-reported quality of life scores are implied indicators of progress.

Indicators for Target 3.8 (Universal health coverage)

• Mentioned Data Point: The article notes a decrease in the number of nursing homes in Pennsylvania (“from 695 in 2019 to 669 as of August 2024”), which acts as an indicator of shifting service availability from institutional to home-based settings.
• Implied Indicator: The mention of coverage by “Medicare, Medicaid, and many private insurance plans” implies that the proportion of the population covered by such schemes for essential home health services is a key indicator of financial protection and access.

Indicators for Target 8.2 (Economic productivity)

• Mentioned Indicator: The article provides direct quantitative indicators of economic growth in this sector. These include the global market value (“USD 416.4 billion in 2024”), projected market value (“USD 747.70 billion by 2030”), and the compound annual growth rate (“CAGR of 10.21%”). The projected growth of the U.S. physical therapy market (“from $46.75 billion in 2023 to $87.83 billion by 2031”) is another specific economic indicator.

Indicators for Target 10.2 (Inclusion)

• Implied Indicator: The article identifies the primary users of home health care. The proportion of older adults and people with disabilities receiving necessary in-home care can serve as an indicator of their inclusion in the healthcare system.
• Implied Indicator: The mention of a “multilingual team” implies that the availability of services in different languages is an indicator of inclusivity for ethnic and linguistic minorities.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: northpennnow.com