Esther C. Kane, C.D.S.There are many benefits of home care services for the elderly. Elderly care services allow seniors to stay in their familiar environment, sleep in their own bed and live as they are used to.
After all, don’t most of us want to grow older in our own homes?
Keep reading to find out the benefits, costs, and some disadvantages to home care for seniors.
What Are The Benefits Of In Home Care For Seniors?
If your elderly loved one is still relatively independent, one of the biggest benefits of home care is that it can give seniors the opportunity to continue living in their own home and community with some assistance.
Maintaining a sense of independence is crucial to their emotional well-being and can be very comforting during this time in their lives.
This can provide a sense of continuity and purpose, as well as reducing feelings of isolation.
Home care assistance offers family members peace of mind, as well.
They know that their loved one is being taken care of by a professional caregiver and that they don’t have to worry about them.
Also, the home care provider(s) can give assistance to the family caregiver. It’s up to the family and the senior family member how much they want the care providers to do.
Additionally, home care can be more affordable than other forms of care, depending on where you live.
For these reasons and more, senior care services are a very popular choice for seniors and their families.
Research has shown that seniors stay healthier and have a better quality of life when they can remain in their homes. When hospitals release patients to the familiar surroundings of home, they tend to heal faster and have far better results as they recover.
homehelpershomecare.com
For family caregivers, having their senior loved one cared for by in-home caregivers in their own home can be advantageous if they happen to live near each other.
They can easily stop by to check in, bring them a home cooked meal, or take them on an outing.
This also allows them to continue providing one-on-one care for their senior loved one as they are used to.
This is often more comfortable for both the senior parent and the family caregiver than living in a nursing home or assisted living.
Read more about how to be a family caregivers with information from Comfort Of Home.
What Does Home Care Services For Elderly Adults Include?
Home care services for elderly adults can include a variety of different things, depending on the needs of the individual.
The type of care that is needed will determine not only the type of professional caregivers but also if the senior even qualifies for the service.
Professional caregivers can help with activities such as grocery shopping, meal preparation, laundry, light housekeeping, and medication reminders.
This can help your loved one to stay healthy and safe while living at home.
If your loved one is no longer able to live independently and needs help with daily activities a qualified caregiver can help with personal care services such as bathing, dressing, and grooming.
If your elderly parent suffers from a mental health issue, there are home care services specifically for those issues as well.
I would recommend that you speak with your physician, psychiatrist and/or a geriatric care manager to find the local resources for this in your area.
They can also provide meals, transportation, and assistance with medications. This can allow your loved one to live at home for as long as possible.
Some home care providers offer basic services such as help with bathing, dressing, and meals.
Others may provide more extensive care, such as medication management, wound care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, etc.
It is important to work with a home care provider who understands the individual needs of your loved one.
This ensures that they receive the best possible care and that all their needs are met.
Here are some tips on What To Look For In A Home Health Aide.
One of the great advantages of home care services for the elderly is that they can tailor care plans to each individual.
This means that seniors can get the specific help and support that they need, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
This is especially beneficial for those with chronic conditions or disabilities.
What Are The Costs Of Home Care For Seniors?
The cost of home care for seniors depends on various factors, such as the amount and type of services needed, the geographic area where you live, and the agency or provider offering these services.
In general, home care costs can range from around $20 an hour to over $50 an hour.
When it comes to assisted living facilities and nursing homes, though, the costs are typically much higher.
For instance, a private room at a nursing home can easily cost upwards of $7000 per month and will include meals, activities programs and 24-hour care.
For many older adults, home care is an economical option for obtaining necessary care services. While monthly fees vary by location and the degree of service required, on average, rates for home-based care come in about 42% lower than nursing home rates.
payingforseniorcare.com
Assisted living is slightly cheaper but still very costly; typically ranging from around $3,500 per month up to nearly $6,000.
By contrast, home care for seniors is a much more affordable way to get the help and support that elderly family members need.
If you are considering home care services for your elderly loved one, be sure to ask about what is included in the package.
You should also ask about any additional fees that may apply.
How To Begin Getting Home Care Services
If you are like most families, you are probably feeling a bit overwhelmed at the thought of providing home care for an elderly loved one. It can be difficult to know where to start.
The best place to start is by talking to your loved one’s doctor.
They may be able to provide you with a list of home care providers who can meet your loved one’s specific needs.
You can also speak with a Geriatric Care Manager.
They can help to guide you to the best resources for your needs and in your area.
These professionals, sometimes called “aging life care managers,” are usually licensed nurses or social workers trained in senior care. They act as private advocates and guides for family members who want to ensure their loved one is in the best hands, and they generally serve clients and families whose incomes are too high to qualify for publicly financed services.
aarp.org
You can also ask friends and family for recommendations. You never know who may have gone through this process or who they may know that can help.
Utilize your resources and don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Be sure to ask the home care providers about their experience and qualifications. You should also ask about the services they offer and what their fees are.
It is important to find a home care provider that you feel comfortable with and who can provide the services your loved one needs.
If you are considering home care for an elderly loved one, doing your homework can help you to feel comfortable and assured that you’ve hired the best available.
TIP: You should conduct a caregiver background check on any potential caregiver you are hiring on your own.
11 Great Benefits To Using Home Care Services For Elderly Adults
Home care services for the elderly offer a variety of advantages over other forms of elder care.
Whether your loved one needs help with basic activities like bathing and grooming, or more specialized care such as dementia management, home health aides can provide personalized assistance that meets the unique needs of each individual.
1). Allows elderly individuals to remain in their own home and maintain a sense of independence.
2). Provides family members with peace of mind.
3). Is often more affordable than other forms of long-term care, such as nursing homes.
4). Can be tailored to each individual’s needs.
5). Provides social interaction for seniors who may be isolated at home.
6). Allows seniors to continue with their social activities that they are involved in.
7). Can help seniors with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, and eating.
8). Can provide transportation to doctor’s appointments and other outings.
9). Can offer respite care for family caregivers.
10). Can help to avoid trips to the hospital.
11). Provides personalized care and support that is not always available in nursing homes.
12). Can greatly help to prevent caregiver burnout to many family caregivers.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Home Care?
Home care is not always the right solution for every elderly person.
There are some disadvantages of home care that should be considered before making a decision.
1). Not all seniors welcome a “stranger” in their home. I know it stressed my own mother out so if this is an issue, home care may not be suitable.
2). Home care may not be available in all areas. This is often true of rural areas.
3). Home care requires a good deal of coordination and communication between the family, the home care agency, and the health care team.
4). Home care can be disruptive to family routines and schedules.
5). Home care can be emotionally challenging for both the seniors receiving care and their families.
6). Home health aides are not always reliable and may not show up for scheduled shifts.
7). Some seniors are very particular about how their daily tasks are to be performed (my mother was like that). This meant that NO ONE could do the housekeeping or meal preparation or basically anything well enough for her. This may cause more stress for everyone.
8). There is a risk of home care aides stealing from their clients. Sadly, this is an issue to be aware of. Hence, the importance of a good hiring process.
9). Home care services may not be able to provide the level of care that your senior loved one needs. Someone in the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease who is combative may need more supervision and care than they can get at home. Other chronic conditions may also make it very difficult to get proper care at home.
10). Older adults who require skilled nursing care or other medical care treatments 24/7 may also not benefit from being taken care of at home.
11). The home environment needs to be safe for the senior aging in place. If it is not, it may be more dangerous to continue living there than in an assisted living facility or nursing home.
12). Home care can be very isolating for both the seniors receiving care and their families. This is true if family and friends do not live nearby.
Despite these disadvantages, home care is a safe, effective and affordable way to provide necessary assistance with daily living.
It can prevent hospitalization or nursing home placement for those who need it most! You should consider discussing this option with your physician today.
Conclusion
With all these advantages, it’s no wonder that more and more families are choosing home health aides to provide eldercare in the comfort of their own homes.
Have you considered home care for your elderly loved one? If not, we invite you to explore the many benefits offered by this growing form of elder care.
Recommended Books To Read
There are some wonderful resources that you can take advantage of besides social workers, counselors and agencies.
These books I list below can be valuable for you and your elderly loved one if you are considering home health services.
The Home Caregivers Daily Log
This is a great way for the home caregiver to write down daily notes for family members. A great way to keep up with what’s going on day per day.
Home Health Aide Training Handbook
I know from years of working in geriatrics that some families insist on taking charge of hiring a person themselves (and training them) to care for their elderly loved ones. So, this book would be a great resources for those types of families.
Aging With Care
A wonderful book to help you with hiring and managing caregivers for your senior care services.
