Seniors who are strong enough to live on their own but not strong enough to perform certain household tasks may need senior home care services. Most seniors prefer to stay in familiar surroundings for as long as they can because, like most of us, they value their independence. This is why they find it much easier to accept the idea of home care for the elderly than nursing homes. With the help of a home care provider, older people can easily keep themselves in good condition, allowing them to preserve their dignity and independence.
The cost of in-home senior care services is also often less than full-time nursing homes. That is why it may not be necessary to move your elderly parents to a nursing home, especially if their condition is not serious enough.
There are at least two main types of home care services for the elderly, namely custodial or skilled care and non-skilled or supportive care.
Specialty services are those provided by medical professionals, and these include nursing care, occupational, physical, speech and respiratory therapy, hospice care, social services. A qualified home health aide can also provide personal care to seniors for a limited period of time, as long as they follow a certain plan of care and work under the direct supervision of a qualified professional, such as a nurse or therapist. Skilled services are often not provided on a regular basis. Qualified providers have scheduled home visits for their clients based on a treatment plan prescribed by a physician. Some of the reasons to hire specialized services are to speed up hospital discharges, avoid unwanted hospitalizations, and allow an elderly person to stay at home while recovering from illness or during an acute illness.
Meanwhile, support services are those provided by non-medical home caregivers. These home care providers help seniors with personal care, such as bathing, dressing, grooming, cleaning, preparing meals, and shopping. Depending on the client’s or family’s request, a home care provider may also provide assistance with ambulation and exercise, self-administered medications, and transportation to medical appointments. Custodial or support services can be scheduled based on client need. The services provided often differ in quantity and frequency, with some lasting from a few hours a week to twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Support services are aimed at helping an aging person cope with their declining abilities, preserve their independence, and avoid relocation.
In addition to making sure that your elderly loved one receives proper care, home care services for the elderly ensure that they maintain sufficient interaction with the outside world as they age. This is important because many older people who live far away from family and friends who are unable to have regular interactions with other people tend to be isolated and lonely, which can sometimes lead to depression.
Both skilled and unskilled services are intended to provide care assistance to an older person in their own home, and this is often a better option than institutional care. You can get senior home care services from a home care agency or hire a private caregiver directly, which is often the least expensive option and allows more scope for your involvement in the decision-making process. This may be the best option as long as you exert a lot of persistence and put more effort into the hiring process.
Although you have to pay for most senior home care services, there are some types of senior care and community services that are provided free of charge or donated. If you are a member of a particular church, for example, some of its members may volunteer their time to provide some care for your aging parents. There are also government programs or health insurance that can help pay for particular home care services.
In-home senior care services may be the best bet not only for seniors but for their loved ones as well. Home care for the elderly is the least expensive option than a full-time nursing facility. While every family is unique and must decide the best type of elder care for their elderly loved one, in-home elder care services are often the most affordable and effective option for many families.