An individual who is unable to leave his or her home – due to a health issue or injury – without assistance of another individual or a supportive device (such as crutches, a cane, a wheelchair, or a walker); or if it is not medically recommended for them to leave their house due to a medical condition, is considered to be homebound. While an individual does not have to be confined to their bed to be considered homebound, if the individual does not have normal mobility to leave home, or if the individual experiences extreme discomfort when leaving home, or if the only reason an individual leaves home is to to receive medical care, then the individual is considered to be homebound.
If the patient can leave the home, are they still homebound?
If the patient is able to leave the home, however, if this happens rarely or for relatively short duration, they will still be considered homebound. This is especially true when the primary reason for an individual to leave their home is to get medical treatment. Infrequent absences from the home for non-medical reasons, such as an occasional visit to the barber, a walk around the neighborhood, or a drive, would not make them ineligible to be considered homebound.