Deciding if You Need In-Home Care
Deciding if You Need In-Home Care
You have always been independent and handling your daily needs yourself. But, as you age, there may come a time that you realize you need assistance with daily needs. Getting around and even dressing is becoming more and more difficult. What now?
In-Home Care
Aging in place is the number one priority for many seniors. May seniors don’t want to live in a retirement home, a nursing home, or an assisted living facility. They want to reside in their own home as long as possible.
With in-home care, it makes this possible for as long as it’s safe and viable. If you only want help with your daily needs and have a network of family and friends close, then in-home care is the perfect solution.
What is In-Home Care?
In-home care can provide many needed services which can provide help with your needs. Some of these services are listed below:
Personal care: If you have difficulty with dressing, bathing, or preparing meals, then you may need personal care. A home health aide can provide you with these services. You can arrange to have care for a few hours a day to daily. Some health care aides are certified to offer medication reminders and take blood pressure readings.
Health care: Many healthcare services will provide health care at home with trained professionals. These would include social workers, home health nurses, and occupational therapists, to name a few. You will need to check with your health insurance to see what services are covered. Sometimes you will have to pay some cost out of pocket. Plus, if required, hospice care is another service that can be provided at home.
Household maintenance: If you find that maintaining your household is becoming more and more of a problem, in-home care can help with that as well. Light housekeeping, meal prep, shopping, and laundry are some of the options to choose from to keep you aging in place. Helping you to keep your home neat and tidy is safer for you, too, so there aren't any tripping hazards.
Transportation: No one enjoys losing their independence and turning in your car keys. But sometimes it’s a necessity as well to prevent injury to yourself or others. If you are having a difficult time seeing at night to drive, don't like to drive, or are uncomfortable behind the wheel, there are other options.
There are choices of public transportation, UBER, LYFT, and senior transportation choices. But a home health aide can provide transportation to appointments, social obligations, and even the grocery store. It gives you a better option than using public transportation without the hassle of trying to find your destination.
Companionship: In-home health care can offer you companionship if you are housebound because of mobility or other health issues. Your home care aide can come by and keep you company. You can watch movies, play games, have lively conversations and enjoy the company of another person. All this while still in the safety of your home and aging in place.
Pet Care: Pet care may be another worry as you age. Taking care and cleaning up after a pet may become a little too much for you. But with a caregiver’s help, you won’t have to give up your beloved pet. An in-home caregiver can walk your dog, feed, and clean up after it. If you have a cat, the caregiver can clean the litter box. You can still have all the loving benefits of pet ownership without having to be concerned about having to care for your pet. It’s a win-win situation.
When you realize that you need help with your daily needs, there are options to help you age in place. We here at Right at Home can help you with those options; call us today!
