As adults, we’d all like to believe that we can remain independent and active until the end of our days, but the truth is that our bodies and our faculties can deteriorate over time, rendering us incapable of performing activities we once undertook with ease. In addition, we become more susceptible to illness and injury, which can leave us coping with recovery or even chronic pain conditions.
When the seniors in your life require assistance due to illness or injury, or simply to get through the average day, you may face a common quandary. What can you do to help? Some families are able to provide needed assistance or bring elderly loved ones into their homes. However, you may not have these options, and it’s only natural that seniors would prefer to remain in their own homes rather than moving to a senior community, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home, just for example.
The good news is that there’s another option: in home senior care services. Whether seniors need help with meal preparation and transportations, they have mobility issues that make it hard to get around the house, or they’re recovering from an ailment of some kind, an in home caregiver can provide appropriate assistance and care for seniors in need. Here’s what you should know about in home senior care services before you decide on the best course of action for elderly loved ones in your life.
Services Provided
In home senior care services can provide for a wide variety of needs. Many families first consider hiring an in home caregiver when an elderly loved one suffers an illness or injury that requires extended recovery. If a senior suffers a slip and fall accident and ends up with a broken hip, he/she may need assistance for a while just to perform everyday activities like bathing, cooking, or even moving from room to room.
It’s important to understand that caregivers are not medical professionals, and they cannot take the place of a dedicated nurse, for example, but they can certainly provide daily assistance to elderly patients in a number of ways, including administering medication on a schedule. Caregivers also offer personal care services like bathing and grooming and they’re able to help seniors with mobility issues to get around the house.
In home caregivers can help with light cleaning tasks and laundry, they can run errands and ferry seniors that no longer drive to appointments, and they can help with meal planning, grocery shopping, preparation, and cooking to ensure a nutritious and balanced diet. In short, they provide one-on-one, personalized care and do the things you would do if you didn’t have to work all day and care for your own family.
Socialization
Whether your elderly loved ones are ailing or they simply need help with daily living tasks, a qualified in home caregiver can see too many of their physical needs. However, many seniors that are living alone will also benefit from personal interactions with a caregiver.
When seniors lose a measure of independence because they can no longer drive or they become house-bound, they can easily succumb to loneliness or depression, especially if they are also ill or in pain. Even if you’re able to visit daily, they may still spend the majority of their time alone.
Caregivers offer the frequent socialization and mental stimulation seniors need to remain healthy and vital. They not only provide care, but also companionship. It may take time to find a good fit, but the right caregiver can become something of a lifeline for elderly patients who have lost a spouse, siblings, parents, and others that once made up their social support network.
Cost and Coverage
Many methods of caring for aging parents are going to be expensive, but in home senior care services fall on the lower end of the spectrum. While selling a senior’s home could provide some money for care for a while, the truth is that nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and even senior communities are going to cost you a lot more than hiring an in home caregiver.
Medicare and other health insurance may or may not cover the cost of in home services. It will depend on the type of caregiver you need. While nursing services are generally covered, personal care may not be. Even so, in home senior care is a much more affordable option than moving an elderly loved one to a care facility. The major bonus, aside from dedicated, personal care, is that seniors can remain in the comfort and familiarity of their own home, which most prefer.