The aftermath of Covid has given rise to a once unorganized sector of healthcare in India. Home healthcare in Bangalore is now transforming and gaining traction as an effective single-window system ensuring medical assistance is delivered promptly to families at home.

Prevalent across India,  in the south, home healthcare in Bangalore now presents a convenient system for busy executives and NRIS unable to meet the health needs of their loved ones. Catering to this emerging industry are Bangalore healthcare companies like Ensocure Integrated Medicine, backed by digital solutions, telehealth services, mobile health services, and specialists working together to redefine home healthcare in the city.

COVID-19: A Catalyst for Home Healthcare Growth in India

In India, the Pandemic resulted in almost 44 million infections and nearly half a million coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country as of July 2022. The Pandemic triggered the desperate demand for doctor house calls and medical supplies. Home healthcare services then catered to several million Indians, offering assistance in cases where hospitalization was unnecessary. According to statistics, post-pandemic, there has been a considerable rise in home healthcare services in India, with the market value of the industry valued in 2022 at a staggering USD 8.8 billion. This is expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.29% from 2023 to 2030.

Factors Increasing Demand in Home Healthcare in India

• Increasing Geriatric Population: According to a United Nations Population Fund report, India has the second largest senior people in the world. The number of Indians aged 60 and over will increase from 100 million in 2011 to 300 million by 2050. Out of this population, at least 200 million may suffer from various ailments, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Moreover, Patients with heart failure, respiratory failure, and Alzheimer’s do not really need hospitalization; they need home healthcare with nursing assistance and health monitoring.

• Demand For Quality Post-Operative Care: Rising incomes, advanced mobile diagnostic technology, and digital monitoring equipment, along with increasing patient awareness, are all factors driving the need for better post-operative care. Home healthcare companies in Bangalore specializing in high-quality healthcare induce confidence in better care delivered in the comfort of one’s home.

• Lifestyle Disease: Occupational and lifestyle diseases, increased alcohol intake, sedentary lifestyles, and high salt intake are contributing factors to severe chronic problems. Ironically, growing health technology with sophisticated diabetic care units, blood pressure monitors, and health trackers is gaining attention to meet the needs of home care, driving further growth in the home healthcare segment.

• Increasing Life Expectancy: As surprising as it sounds, life expectancy is increasing in India, and with it, more older adults are requiring home healthcare. Monitoring of the elderly, once a prerogative of hospitals, can efficiently be offered easily at home.

• Nuclear Families with Children Working Abroad: NRI’s and working executives abroad with aged parents in India make home healthcare mandatory. A well-established model of elderly healthcare in Bengaluru, such as that provided by companies like Ensocure Integrated Medicine, ensures every assistance is provided to the elderly at home. Offering nursing assistance, mobile diagnostics, regular screening, and coordinating with specialists eliminates the hassles of an aged person traveling to different facilities at the risk of exhaustion. Moreover, it brings immense peace of mind to those away from home, knowing their elderly are being taken care of.

• Old-Age Homes Not an Option: Old-age homes aren’t socially acceptable in India, which makes home health care a necessary alternative. For the average older adult, a home environment is best suited to meet all the needs of healthcare for better results and reduced costs.

The Benefits of Home Healthcare

The benefits of home healthcare in Bangalore are plenty. While it does benefit older people most, the entire family also stands to gain from such services, primarily when it is delivered from a single healthcare unit.

Convenience

Home health care allows patients to receive medical attention and recover in the comfort and convenience of their own homes. This eliminates the need for frequent trips to hospitals or clinics.

Personalized Care

Unlike hospitals shuttling from patient to patient, home healthcare focuses on just one patient’s specific health requirements. As a result, personalized care results in the accuracy and efficiency of treatment, leading to better outcomes and improved overall health.

Cost-Effective

Home healthcare reduces expenses related to hospital room charges, travel, and accommodation. Moreover, it can also help prevent complications and reduce the length of hospital stays, ultimately saving money for patients and their families.

Reduces Hospital Readmissions

The regular monitoring of home healthcare ensures continuity of treatment and medications correctly. Moreover, there is an element of compassion and emotional support involved as well, both from the caregiver and family present. This leads to better management of chronic diseases and a decreased likelihood of exacerbations that would otherwise necessitate hospitalization.

Family Involvement and Support

Home health care encourages family participation in a patient’s treatment. Education on how to provide care and emotional support helps strengthen the family unit and fosters a sense of togetherness during challenging times.

Prevents Infections

Home health care minimizes the risk of hospital-acquired infections by allowing patients to recover in a familiar, controlled environment. This is particularly crucial for those undergoing surgeries or immunosuppressive therapies.

Regular Monitoring

Home healthcare providers regularly assess patients, track their progress, and report any concerns to the patient’s primary healthcare provider. This proactive approach helps in preventing complications and ensuring that patients receive the proper care at the right time.

Mental and Emotional Well-Being

Home health care professionals are trained to render medical assistance as well as offer emotional support for a patient’s mental well-being. Being in a familiar environment surrounded by loved ones can significantly reduce stress and anxiety levels, which are often heightened during illness or recovery.

Addresses the Shortage of Hospital Beds

Wherever hospitalization is optional, home health care reduces this problem by providing medical care to patients without the need for hospital admission. This is particularly beneficial in emergencies and during disease outbreaks when hospital resources are stretched thin.

Home Healthcare in Bangalore

The demand for home healthcare in Bangalore is growing due to the presence of a rapidly increasing elderly population in Karnataka. According to a Deccan Hearld report, Bengaluru Urban is home to 9,11,336 senior citizens, the most in the state. A sizeable aged population also means a prevalence of health issues, making the demand for home healthcare in Bangalore a necessity. The emergence of various home healthcare models in the city now provides a convenient option to individuals seeking more cost-effective and convenient options to take care of the elderly at home.

Various Models of Bangalore Home Healthcare Services

• Nonmedical Home Healthcare: Providing assistance and nursing support for people with chronic illness, age, or disability.

• Medical Care: Nursing and medical care for activities like wound dressing, IV infusions,  injections, managing medication schedules, diagnostics, or monitoring vitals. This also includes short-term healthcare for people with illness and injury.

• Home Healthcare: Comprehensive health care, which includes live-in assistants, nurse care, maintaining medical records, medical concierge services, and coordinating with specialists’ services like nutritionists, doctors, physiotherapists, pathologists, physicians, and psychotherapists.

• Family Packages: New models of home healthcare in Bangalore are now offering health packages to include comprehensive healthcare for the entire family, which could also include nanny and childcare services.

Catering to the demand for home healthcare in Bangalore, Ensocure Integrated Medicine now seeks to deliver a holistic model of home care to families at home. Backed by a phenomenal team of trained specialists led by Dr Vinay Bhardwaj (MD, MBBS, Neurology, University of Colorado, St. Johns Medical College). Ensocure hopes to build strong relationships between the family, their doctor, and the entire team. The company believes that the patient-doctor relationship is the key to successful medical therapy.