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Many people spend their adult years working, raising a family, and buying and maintaining a home. As people retire and reach their golden years, they may be reluctant to give up what they have spent their lives working for, including their homes. In fact, more senior citizens of the current generation are choosing to age in place and receive care in their homes instead of giving up their homes for a nursing home or assisted living facility.
Remaining at home past retirement has several benefits as seniors can stay in a comfortable and familiar environment and retain more independence in their daily lives than they would get at a nursing home or assisted living facility. However, there will come a time when seniors will need some assistance at home to continue to live safely and comfortably. Family members may step in to provide care for their senior relatives in some instances, but the care needs of their loved ones may become too much to handle. In these cases, families should look into in-home care options for their elderly loved ones.
Home care is an excellent option to ensure that your senior loved ones get the care they need from a trusted, professional caregiver. Whether your loved ones need help around the home during the day or round the clock care due to a disability or chronic condition, there are professional caregivers who can help. In this guide, we will discuss what elderly home care is as well as the different types of home care available. No matter the care needs of your senior loved ones, you can ensure that they get the help they need with professional home care services.
What is Home Care?
In-home care refers to the care and support individuals receive in their home from a professional caregiver. People who receive home care include seniors who need help to live at home safely, seniors and adults with chronic conditions, those returning home from surgery, and those who have a disability or special needs. Home care plans are based on the specific needs of those who need care.
Home caregivers can cover a range of needs for seniors and adults to ensure their safety, comfort, and well-being. Having a caregiver present will make the lives of those receiving care easier, and also help protect them from injuries and hospitalization and aid them in recovering from or managing an illness. Relatives will also be put at ease knowing that a professional caregiver is at the home to care for their senior loved ones and respond to emergencies.
In-home care services tend to include the following:
- Assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) like personal hygiene, dressing, eating, and transferring
- Social companionship
- Help with certain household tasks
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Care for illnesses, chronic conditions, and disabilities
List of Home Care Services
As discussed above, the type of home care provided will depend on the specific needs of the person receiving care. A home care agency like Assisting Hands Home Care will work with you and your loved ones to evaluate their care needs and suggest a home care plan based on their needs.
The following are the different types of home care services that may benefit you or your loved ones:
1.24-Hour Home Care
It can be stressful for a family when they have a relative that needs care and assistance 24 hours a day due to a disability or illness. With 24-hour care, a caregiver will be assigned to live in the home with your loved one where they can provide care and assistance throughout the day and night. You will not have to worry about your loved one being alone as there will always be an attentive caregiver ready to provide help and respond to emergencies.
Typically, multiple caregivers will be assigned to provide care for 8-12 hours at a time and switch with another caregiver. This ensures that there will always be a caregiver awake and alert in the home to help in any way needed, 24 hours a day.
2.After Surgery Home Care
When seniors and adults return home from surgery, they still have a way to go to make a full recovery. Those returning home may still experience pain and discomfort and if they do not follow their discharge instructions and get proper rest, they may suffer a setback. It is important for seniors and adults to take their medications, get enough rest, and avoid overexerting themselves so they don’t end up back in the hospital.
With after-surgery care services, a caregiver will ensure that your loved ones follow their discharge instructions and get enough rest to make a full recovery. These caregivers are informed of the discharge instructions and will monitor their conditions to make sure they are on the right track. If the caregiver notices a change in conditions, they will inform the family and the doctor. Caregivers can also take care of household tasks while your loved one recovers.
3.Companion Care
It is very common for seniors to get lonely, especially those who live alone, and this loneliness can lead to depression. In-home caregivers provide your loved ones with more than basic care as they will also be a social companion for them. Caregivers will get to know their clients and build a personal relationship with them through conversation and fun activities. In many cases, a caregiver becomes a welcome addition to the family.
4.Alzheimer’s and Dementia Home Care
There are many seniors who are affected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia who need daily care. It is best for those suffering from dementia to receive care in their own homes because the familiar environment brings them comfort. While family members can help provide care and assistance for their loved ones suffering from dementia, it is best for them to receive memory care from a licensed caregiver.
Home caregivers are specially trained to help care for those suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. They can recognize and respond to the most common behaviors such as wandering, and agitation and they can also engage those affected in memory exercises that help slow the effects of memory loss.
5.Senior/ Elderly Home Care
Many senior citizens, whether or not they have an illness or disability, will eventually reach a time when they will need some help in their homes. Physical limitations may make it more difficult for them to handle tasks around the house or personal activities like bathing and getting dressed. For seniors who need additional help in their homes, there is elderly home care available.
Senior home care is centered on taking care of seniors’ basic needs including help with activities of daily living (ADLs) like bathing and getting dressed, household chores, meal preparation, medication reminders, and transportation. Home caregivers will take care of your elderly loved one’s needs to ensure their comfort and well-being.
6.Live-In Care
If you are not comfortable with your loved ones spending any time home alone, live-in care may be a great option. With live-in care services, a caregiver will be assigned to live in the home with your loved ones and provide them with the care and assistance they need throughout the day and night. The live-in caregiver can help with ADLs, housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation, and more.
Typically, a live-in caregiver lives in the home for 3-4 days at a time and then switches with another caregiver to cover the rest of the week. Because the caregiver lives in the home, they should be provided with a private space to sleep and keep their belongings. Live-in care is ideal for those with chronic conditions and disabilities as well as seniors who have recently lost their spouse.
7.Overnight Home Care
It is common for families to be concerned about their loved ones at night, especially if there is no one home with them to respond to emergencies. With overnight care services, families who can take care of their loved ones during the day can ensure that they are also cared for through the night.
With these services, the caregiver arrives in the evening to help your loved ones get ready for bed. During the night, the caregiver will stay awake to respond to care needs throughout the night as well as emergencies. You can choose to have the caregiver remain in the room of your loved ones or somewhere nearby where they can react quickly if there is a problem. The caregiver will then help your loved ones out of bed in the morning and get ready for the day.
8.Respite Care
In some cases, a family member is able to dedicate their time to being an informal caregiver for their loved ones who need care. This can be beneficial as there is already familiarity and family caregivers tend to have a deep understanding of their loved one’s care needs. However, being a family caregiver is often demanding and requires the caregiver to devote long hours to providing care. This can prevent the caregiver from tending to their personal lives and cause them to ignore their own health and well-being, leading to burnout.
If your loved ones are cared for by a family caregiver, respite care services are a good option to give them some time off. With respite care services, a caregiver will provide care at scheduled times to relieve the family caregiver. The respite caregiver will provide the same type of care as the family caregiver for a seamless transition of care.
Home Care Services from Assisting Hands
If your loved ones have chosen to age in place, there are plenty of options for home care available to ensure that their care needs are met. Professional caregivers will not only assist them with personal care, medication reminders, and various tasks, but also be a friend and trusted companion for them.
Assisting Hands Home Care is a home care agency that provides these care services for seniors and adults with disabilities in Batavia, IL and the surrounding western Chicago suburbs. Our professionals will first meet with you and your loved ones to understand their care needs and form a care plan to ensure their needs are met. A licensed caregiver is then assigned who will provide effective care and companionship for your loved one.
You can reach Assisting Hands Home Care at (630) 454-4880 for more about our home care services in Batavia, IL and the surrounding areas in Fox Valley.
