Home Health Care in Lakeland, FL

Lakeland is a city built around its lakes, from the swans on Lake Morton to the walking path around Lake Hollingsworth. Many families here have lived in the same house for a long time, and that is usually where people want to heal. Our clinicians leave our office on N Dale Mabry Hwy in Tampa and head east on I-4 to reach Lakeland homes.

What is home health care in Lakeland?

Home health care is medical care that comes to your door for a limited time, under a plan your doctor approves. It is not a sitter or a housekeeper. A registered nurse, a licensed practical nurse or a therapist visits on a set schedule, does hands-on skilled work, teaches you and your family, and keeps your doctor updated.

In Lakeland, that often looks like this:

• A skilled nurse checking blood pressure, weight and swelling for someone with heart failure, or going over blood sugar logs with someone who has diabetes.
• Home IV therapy, such as IV antibiotics or IV fluids your doctor has ordered, plus PICC line care like flushing, dressing changes and site checks. We do not insert PICC lines; your hospital or infusion team places them and our nurses care for them at home. We don’t supply the drug; an infusion pharmacy picked by your doctor or hospital delivers it.
• Physical therapy to help you stand up from a chair, walk to the mailbox and manage the steps at your front door after a fall or a joint replacement.

If you have chest pain, can’t catch your breath or notice signs of a stroke, call 911 right away.

Who qualifies for home health care in Lakeland?

Under Medicare, a few things need to be true:

• Your doctor, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or physician assistant confirms in writing that you need care at home, and that practitioner checks your plan of care.
• What you need is skilled, part-time care: nursing visits now and then, physical therapy, speech-language therapy, or an ongoing need for occupational therapy.
• Getting out of the house is hard. Medicare calls this homebound: leaving takes considerable and taxing effort, maybe because you use a walker or wheelchair or need someone at your side. Brief, occasional outings for medical care, worship services or adult day care don’t disqualify you.
• You had a face-to-face visit with your provider, tied to the reason for home care, no more than 90 days before your start of care or within 30 days after it.
• The agency is Medicare-certified, as Making Memories Home Health is.

How Medicare and insurance work for Lakeland patients

Medicare can cover part-time skilled nursing, therapy, medical social work and home health aide visits when you meet the rules above. Round-the-clock care, meal delivery and housekeeping aren’t covered, and neither is personal care when it’s the only help you need. Our Medicare home health page walks through each rule.

We accept Traditional Medicare, plus long-term care plans and private pay. Medicare Advantage coverage and our participation depend on your specific plan, so we verify both before care starts. Call (813) 931-0015 to verify your coverage. You can also look over our insurance page before you call. We check your benefits and talk with you about any costs before your first visit.

How to start home health care in Lakeland

Most Lakeland patients come to us through a doctor’s office or a hospital discharge planner. If you are still in the hospital, ask your case manager to refer you to Making Memories Home Health before you go home. If you are already home, phone us at (813) 931-0015 and we’ll reach out to your doctor’s office for the order.

Physicians and case managers may submit a referral on our website or by fax at (813) 931-0017. After the paperwork comes in, we confirm your insurance and call you to set up the first visit. Keep your discharge papers and every pill bottle in one place so your nurse or therapist can review them with you.

Coming home to Lakeland after a hospital or rehab stay

We coordinate with discharge planners at hospitals and rehab centers such as Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center on Lakeland Hills Boulevard and Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Lakeland on Oakbridge Parkway. Some Lakeland residents have surgery or specialty care in Tampa and then recover here at home. We take those referrals too.

Lakeland homes vary a lot. Bungalows in Dixieland and around Lake Morton often have raised porches, narrow doorways and small, older bathrooms. Newer houses may be on one level but still have a step down into the garage or a tub that is hard to climb into. Your therapist works with the home you actually live in and may suggest a shower chair, a grab bar or moving a loose rug.

Areas we serve in Lakeland

We visit homes across the city and its edges, including:

• Historic neighborhoods near downtown, such as Lake Morton, Dixieland and the streets around Lake Hollingsworth
• South Lakeland and Highland City, on the way toward Bartow
• North Lakeland, Kathleen and Polk City, where lots are bigger and roads are more rural
• Mulberry, to the south along State Road 37

Lakeland ZIP codes we serve include 33801, 33803, 33805, 33810, 33811, 33812, 33813 and 33815. Our clinicians get around town on I-4, the Polk Parkway, US 92 (Memorial Boulevard), US 98 and South Florida Avenue. If you live outside the city, read about our care across Polk County or in nearby Winter Haven.