Holiday Tips for Supporting Elderly Loved Ones at Home
While the holidays are synonymous with togetherness, many elderly individuals experience increased isolation and loneliness during this time. Physical limitations,…
Home care typically refers to non-medical services that assist individuals with activities of daily living. Home care is an increasingly popular choice for care because it enables individuals to remain in their own environments, and can also be a lifesaver for caregivers.
For example, simple tasks such as housekeeping, shopping, meal preparation, opening a jar, or driving to appointments can become increasingly difficult for many older adults. Personal tasks such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting and even transferring from the bed to a chair can became unmanageable alone. Many types of individuals, including those who are trained and supervised by agencies, provide such services. In general, home care providers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They may work by themselves or as a team on a shift, part-time, hourly, live-in, or on an as-needed basis.
While some home care agencies provide health-oriented services, it is important to understand the difference between non-medical home care and home health care. Home health care is more specialized medical care, such as that provided by nurses or physical and respiratory therapists. Care providers are trained medical, health care and psychiatric professionals, or certified nurses’ aides. Home health services are usually ordered by a physician and may be covered by insurance.
What types of services are available for seniors living at home?
When should I consider using home care services?
For many caregivers, there don’t seem to be enough hours in the day. It’s difficult to care for all of the needs of a family member and still have enough time and energy left for your own family, a job and yourself. Exhaustion and stress can become overwhelming.
Seniors who become home care recipients most often would rather stay in their own homes than move into residential care. And economically, except for round-the-clock nursing care, home care can be less expensive than most board and care homes, skilled nursing homes and assisted living facilities. However, this is not always the case, and prices should be compared.
If you or your loved one has the living space and financial resources, you might consider hiring a live-in care provider. This type of home care is very well suited for long distance caregiving situations in which the primary caregiver can’t be there in person and the elder needs full-time assistance or monitoring.
How do I know what types of home care I need?
In addition to consulting with your senior family member and any relevant medical or therapeutic professionals, consider a “needs assessment,” which can be conducted by a care manager or home care specialist—or you can do it yourself. A needs assessment helps to evaluate every aspect of care, including physical and cognitive functioning, and issues relating to the home environment. An assessment also asks about your needs as a caregiver and the services you use now to help provide care. It will help a person understand how extensive an informal support network that might already have in place.
How can I locate home care providers?
You can research and hire home care providers privately or go through a home care agency. To locate agencies or private providers, check with any or all of the following resources:
As families and individuals throughout the country prepare for the impact of aging, it is essential to understand the effects of the aging process. Take time to investigate the care options in your area. A proactive approach will help you and your family best determine a course of action that can help you remain healthy and happy.
While the holidays are synonymous with togetherness, many elderly individuals experience increased isolation and loneliness during this time. Physical limitations,…
On July 1, 1946, the Communicable Disease Center (CDC) opened its doors and occupied one floor of a small building…
It’s a fact, home is the safest place for all of us to be right now. But there’s this to…
The first week of December is National Handwashing Awareness Week! Why is this week so important? The goal of National…
Holidays like Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Years are celebrated and happy times for many people, however, if you are…
In 1999, Senator Harry Reid, who lost his father to suicide, introduced a resolution to the United States Senate which…
During National Family Caregivers Month, recognition is given to family caregivers who face many challenges when a family member needs…