Care For Seniors At Home

How Do I Know If My Loved One Needs Home Care

Many older adults eventually reach a point where they can no longer care for themselves the way that they used to. Home care is an appealing option for many seniors and their families because it can be used for just a few hours a week or on an as-needed basis for those who are having some difficulties, but do not need constant care. It can serve as an in-between for seniors who are struggling to care for themselves or their home completely independently, but do not need around-the-clock assistance. Its also a good option for seniors who may have been resistant to moving out of their home, but who do need help with some of their ADLs. Though each individual is different, below are some signs that it may be time for in-home care.

• Weight loss or decreased muscle mass
• Neglecting to maintain home cleanliness or organization
• Inability to drive or any incidents while driving
• Isolation or signs of loneliness
• The occurrence of accidents and injuries such as falls

Some seniors may also need home care on a short-term basis, such as when they are recovering from a surgery or health emergency like a stroke. In these cases, the senior will be better suited for home health care than standard in-home personal care assistance.

Tell The Case Manager About Your Needs

Your case manager will tell you what services your Home and Community Care Support Services organization can provide and whats available in your community. Government-funded services are delivered by health professionals and personal support workers who are under contract with your Home and Community Care Support Services organization.

Enlist Helpers Early On

Caregiving is a huge responsibility and gets increasingly harder as your parents age even more since their needs grow proportionally as time goes by. Waiting until a crisis happens makes it difficult to figure out what exactly is needed, how frequently, whos best at providing it, etc.

Get the entire immediate family involved. Whether its providing respite care on scheduled days or times of the year, contributing to a general fund to support professional in-home care providers as needed, or someone to come to clean the house, it should be a team effort. Youll wear yourself out if you take it all on solo.

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Resources To Help You Age In Place

Here are some resources to start with:Reach out to people you know. Family, friends, and neighbors are the biggest source of help for many older people. Talk with those close to you about the best way to get what you need. If you are physically able, think about trading services with a friend or neighbor. One could do the grocery shopping, and the other could cook dinner, for example.

Learn about community and local government resources. Learn about the services in your community. Health care providers and social workers may have suggestions. The local Area Agency on Aging, local and state offices on aging or social services, and your tribal organization may have lists of services. If you belong to a religious group, talk with the clergy, or check with its local office about any senior services they offer.

Talk to geriatric care managers. These specially trained professionals can help find resources to make your daily life easier. They will work with you to form a long-term care plan and find the services you need. Geriatric care managers can be helpful when family members live far apart. Learn more about geriatric care managers.

Look into Federal Government sources. The federal government offers many resources for seniors. Longtermcare.gov, from the Administration for Community Living, is a good place to start.

Tangible Ways To Put Yourself And Your Health First

Seek Support

While asking for help can be difficult, it’s a significant part of overcoming feelings of being overwhelmed. Take advantage of community resources. If you don’t have a friend or family member to talk to, look into support groups at your local hospital, community or senior centers. Online forums can also be a valuable outlet.

Go Guilt-Free

While caregiving abilities are not something that can be accurately measured, many still feel like they’re failing because they hold themselves to unattainable standards. Your best is the best you can do. Acknowledging your own efforts and setting clear boundaries can help you avoid feelings of guilt.

Take Time Out

Everyone needs some “me time” now and then, but no one is going to schedule it for you. Its important to set aside regular time each week to do something that you enjoy. But remember, while it’s perfectly fine to want time alone, social interactions are critical in keeping depression at bay so be sure to stay in touch with friends and family as well.

The Doctor Is In

Many caregivers are so busy keeping up with the appointments of their family members they neglect their own. This can have long-term repercussions for your health. Make sure to schedule your own regular check-ups, and let your doctor know if you are experiencing feelings of isolation or depression.

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Why Should I Use Nurse Next Door Instead Of Hiring A Private Caregiver

Finding the right kind of senior home care can be difficult but at Nurse Next Door we make sure you know exactly what you will be receiving with our services. Here are some of the questions you should consider prior to making that decision:

What kind of background and screening checks can you do on your own for a caregiver?

All Nurse Next Door Caregivers are carefully screened with criminal background checks and vulnerable sector checks. We confirm our Caregivers’ educational credentials and verify upon hire and annually, that every nurse is registered and in good standing with their respective College of Nurses. If you hire a caregiver privately, you will need to perform background checks and screening yourself.

If my caregiver is unavailable, who will fill in?

At Nurse Next Door, we ensure there is a replacement when one of our Caregivers becomes unavailable. We believe in continuity of care and will contact you to inform you of a Caregiver change. If you hire a caregiver privately, it may be difficult to find a replacement caregiver depending on how much notice is given.

Check If You Qualify For Government

Your case manager will determine if you qualify.

If you dont qualify, you may be able to receive services through community agencies, which may require a co-payment.

You can arrange and pay for services through a private company. Your local Home and Community Care Support Services organization can help you find services in your community.

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It Allows The Family To Remain Involved In Their Care

Sometimes, to find an excellent care home or assisted living community, you need to travel very far, often crossing state lines. This can end up making it very difficult for you and the rest of your family to remain closely involved in the care of your loved one. You can eliminate this problem if you opt for home care.

Because your loved one will receive all the support and attention they need in their own home, you will still be able to visit them just as much as you normally would. Besides, there are no strict visiting hours at home: You can pop in and leave whenever suits you and your elderly family member.

Be A Confident But Privacy Is Key

Being a confidant means you and the older person can talk about things and laugh. You both can open up to how daunting it is to raise children if you have one. However, do not cross the line. It is vital to be like a friend with the person you are caring for. It helps you to understand each other better and ensures a good relationship.

It is vital to be like a friend with the person you are caring for. It helps you to understand each other better and ensures a good relationship.

However, sharing things that need to be kept private means you are going over the top. For example, the relatives of the senior might be having a dispute about their health. Inasmuch as this topic has something to do with you, it doesnt concern you in any way. Stay clear of family disputes and dont share your own private life that you dont want to be shared with anyone else.

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Get Help With Caregiving

Even though it might seem like finding caregiving help takes too much time and effort, remember that its an investment that will pay off in the future.

Finding help takes patience, effort, and creative thinking, but it will be worth it when youre able to decrease your workload, reduce stress, and take regular breaks.

To help you spot more opportunities for getting help, keep an open mind and be flexible.

And be sure to use the list of needs you wrote down to remind you of the types of help you need.

Ideas include:

• Enroll your older adult in an adult day program socialization and care for them, much-needed rest for you
• Hire in-home caregiving help to get regular breaks
• Find a volunteer senior companion program in your area
• Use a respite care service to get a longer break
• Sign up for a meal delivery service or Meals on Wheels to reduce the number of meals you need to make
• Ask family or close friends to help run errands, do some light housekeeping, or prepare some meals
• Buy caregiving and household supplies in bulk or better yet, order online for home delivery. Basically, eliminate as many errands as possible to save time and energy.

State Licensed Home Care Agencies

While the federal government certifies home health care agencies for Medicare, many state governments set agency licensing standards to help protect consumers. When states do not issue special licenses, the agencies only need standard business licenses for legal operation.

States that license their home care agencies may have more than one type of license available. The biggest distinction is whether a license approves medical care or non-medical care. Many home care agencies hold multiple licenses in order to offer a wide range of home care services.

Because each state sets its own standards, the laws governing home care agencies are quite different from place to place. Some states have rigorous licensing standards for home care agencies. Successful applicants provide:

• Business plans and names of investors
• Copies of criminal background checks for all intended workers
• Proof of liability insurance and property damage insurance
• Other evidence of readiness to effectively serve the community

States may also stipulate that licensed home care agencies have two administrators rather than one, and they may require that an RN be available 24/7. States also have the leeway to require that administrators have specific experience in healthcare management.

A minority of states lack industry-specific licenses. At last check the list included:

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Will I Have The Same Caregiver Or Nurse All The Time

At Nurse Next Door, we strive for consistency of care and provide regularly assigned Caregivers. Our goal is to find the perfect match between our clients and Caregivers based on their needs, hobbies, and interests. Caregiver consistency is essential to building strong relationships, and delivering on our philosophy of Happier Aging®.

Great Place To Work Certified

Senior Helpers is honored to be ranked one of 2020’s Best Workplaces by Great Place to Work Institute. We were the first national in-home senior care provider to achieve this certification in 2019, and are proud to have received the honor again in 2020! Providing care to our clients in their homes requires a high level of trust and confidence in the services we provide and through the relationships we build. This certification reflects Senior Helpers ongoing commitment to providing an engaging work environment that is ethical, diverse and inclusive, enabling our employees to thrive throughout their careers with Senior Helpers.

FORTUNE Magazine Best Place to Work in Aging Services

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Advantages & Benefits Of Home Care For Seniors

Researching care options for an aging loved one can be overwhelming and it might be tough to decide what will be best for your family.

Some options, like moving to a residential care facility require making big lifestyle changes.

For many families, home care is the best solution as it allows their loved one to stay in the comfort of their own home and continue living as they are used to. There are many benefits of home care below weve outlined what we think to be the top 10.

Here are 10 advantages and benefits of home care:

What Services Does Home Care Provide

Home care is normally provided when spouses, parents, grandparents, or other close relatives age or become sick and unable to adequately care for themselves.

It is very varied and ranges from skilled nursing and medical assistance to help around the home and meal preparation.

Thats why its usually provided by organizations that specialize in this area of care, like All About Seniors.

Specifically, it usually covers services such as:

• Personal Care: help with using the toilet, dressing, bathing, and grooming.

• Palliative Care: ensuring the quality of life and full support and comfort to those saying goodbye.

• Foot Care: to keep patients as active as possible.

• Medication Assistance: initial or ongoing help with managing medication.

• Dementia Care: support for the patient and the family with specialized dementia care.

• Light Housekeeping: assistance with dusting, vacuuming, laundry, etc.

• Companionship: meaningful relationships from friendly faces are important for wellbeing.

• Fall Prevention: recommended changes around the home to prevent falls.

• Stocking Assistance: support when changing compression stockings.

• Meal Preparation: eating the right foods at the right time is important.

• Occupational Therapy/Physiotherapy: connecting patients with qualified local practitioners.

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The Difference Between Home Care And Home Health Care

When you look more into home care, you’ll come across the term home health care. Home care and home health care both exist to help older adults age safely in place, but there are key differences you should know about to ensure your loved one gets the care they need.

Home care is sometimes used as an umbrella term for any care a senior receives at home. However, home care primarily means non-medical, personal care, and companionship services. That’s an important distinction to know when making decisions about the services you need.

Seniors who want to recover at home after an illness, injury, or hospital stay might need home health care services. Home health care is a type of short-term in-home care that aligns with a doctor’s care plan to help a patient prevent or recover from a medical condition or surgery. Its primary focus is addressing a senior’s medical conditions.

Home health care services include:

• Short-term nursing care
• Home health aide services

Aging In Place: Growing Older At Home

On this page:

The stairs are getting so hard to climb.

“Since my wife died, I just open a can of soup for dinner.

“I’ve lived here 40 years. No other place will seem like home.

These are common issues for older people. You may share the often-heard wish “I want to stay in my own home!” The good news is that with the right help you might be able to do just that. Staying in your own home as you get older is called “aging in place.” This article contains suggestions to help you find the help you need to continue to live independently.

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Home Is The Safest Place To Be For Your Family We Offer Loving In Home Care In The York Region To Keep Seniors Most Secure

Senior care, elder care and in home care services in York Region South! We help Ontarios seniors live happy, healthy lives in the comfort of their own homes by providing quality, compassionate care and safety technology solutions to preserve independence and contribute to a better life.

The three things that can lead to seniors losing their independence are falls that lead to hospitalization, medication mismanagement and under or malnutrition. Comfort Keepers can support seniors at home to reduce the incidents of each of these factors.

Home Care For The Elderly In Their Own Homes: Important Things To Remember

AgingInPlace.org keeps our resources free by working as an affiliate partner with some companies mentioned on our site.These partnerships or the commission we may earn do not affect our opinions or evaluations of the products we mention.Our reviews are solely based on our research methodology and from input from our AgingInPlace.org Advisory Board.Learn more about our ad policies.

Home Care For The Elderly In Their Own Homes…

When caring for the elderly, there are a number of important things you have to take into consideration. As well as the possibility of nursing home care and long-term care, there is an increase in the number of older people who have complex needs. There is also an increase in the amount of home support given to older people.

This is a great time for those giving home support services to learn one or two things about giving better care to seniors. Its general knowledge that the greater a persons disability, the greater their needs. However, some elderly people have said their needs are not met by those who take care of them.

Some seniors, however, also indicated that their needs are met. But, there is evidence that points to the fact that older people simply do not like complaining. However, deep down, most seniors do not have the ultimate care they desire or deserve. There is a huge gap which caregivers have to fill.

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