Home Based Care (HBC) is extended care from the hospital or health facility given to the sick and affected in their own homes through family participation and community development.
The rationale for HBC rests in its benefits to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHWA’s), their families, the community and health care systems.
HBC allows PLWHA’s to take responsibility for their own welfare and well-being, receive care in a familiar environment, continue participating in family affairs, retain a sense of belonging to social groups, and accept their conditions more easily.
HBC contributes to family solidarity helping the family to accept the infected person’s conditions. This makes it easier to provide care and support, reduce health care costs and makes it easier for family members who provide care to attend to other responsibilities.
At the community level, HBC helps reduce health care costs, giving opportunities for community members to confront stigma and provide support to persons living with HIV / AIDS. It also contributes to community cohesiveness and raises awareness about the causes and impact of HIV / AIDS. HBC helps ease the demand on health care facilities in that communities are not required to create extra facilities where none exists. Responsibility for care is extended to individuals, families, and communities.
Components of Home Based Care embrace a holistic and integrated system in providing HBC which incorporating clinical Care, nursing care, counseling / psycho-spiritual care and social support. This care is also extended to Orphans and Vulnerable children in homes under the care of guardian.
VICDA’S Role in Home Based Care Program
Volunteers
VICDA is supporting people living with HIV/AIDS by placing trained care giver volunteers to work in Home Based Care institution. Volunteers support these projects through visiting patients in their homes, counseling, medical care, providing food, and support for income generating activities run by support group members and dissemination of health education to affected and infected community members.
Support with Supplement, Food and Drugs
Most of Home Base Care Programmes are located within the slums of Nairobi. Population living here whose high percentage is infected with HIV/AIDS lack basic coping mechanisms to deal with adverse poverty levels that have been compounded by HIV/AIDS. Those receiving the ARV treatment at times fall out of the drug regime due to insufficient food or do not have sufficient income to buy drugs. It is for this reason VICDA comes in to supplement these projects with either food or drugs.
Women empowerment and HIV/Aids are directly and indirectly affected by OVC Program.
