Taking care of yourself or a loved one who has HIV or AIDS can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re struggling with fatigue, shortness of breath, and other troublesome symptoms. When managing this condition becomes too much to handle, professional home health care can provide the kind of support and assistance you need. VNSNY’s highly skilled and trained professionals often work together as a team and provide a broad array of services.

Our professionals

• Registered nurses who work closely with your doctor to manage at-home care. During a visit to your home, a nurse will evaluate your needs as they relate to HIV/AIDS and any other conditions you may have and develop a personalized plan of care for taking your antiviral medications and dealing with their side effects, handling symptoms you may have, and managing stress and your lifestyle; afterwards, the nurse will coordinate the delivery of services and revise your plan as necessary.
• Certified home health aides who can provide personal care (such as bathing or dressing), check vital signs (like blood pressure, pulse and respiration rates), measure your cholesterol and blood sugar, and help you keep track of your symptoms. They can also shop for and prepare healthy meals that may be prescribed by a doctor, as well as assist with laundry and household chores.
• Home attendants (a.k.a., personal care workers) who can help with basic activities of daily living—bathing, dressing, grooming, making yourself more comfortable at home, walking, eating, shopping, paying bills, doing laundry, changing the bedding, and taking you to medical appointments.
• Licensed social workers who can assess your physical, functional, emotional, environmental, and social needs and offer strategies and resources for support. (Depression is common among people with HIV or AIDS, and feeling down can make it harder to follow your treatment plan and take good care of yourself.) Social workers can also step in and offer assistance if family relationships become strained as a result of caring for a loved one with HIV/AIDS.
• Registered dietitians who will evaluate your nutritional and hydration needs, develop a meal plan that ensures you get enough of the essential nutrients you need, and suggest ways to improve food-safety practices in your home. 

To make at-home care successful, prepare ahead of time by making a list of responsibilities and chores you’d like the caregiver to take on, so you can be sure you’ll receive the help you need and won’t forget anything that’s important to you. It's also wise to map out a schedule for meals, medications, sleep, exercise, and other activities, and to compile a list of emergency phone numbers for doctors, as well as friends and family members who can help in a pinch. This way, everyone will have the same information and the same expectations.