One of the best ways to promote your senior loved one’s health and wellbeing is by connecting them with appropriate care. A person-centered home care plan can give them the tools necessary for success while giving you a closer role in their care.
Senior home care is both affordable and provides a necessary respite for family caregivers. Read on to discover more about this beneficial option for seniors and their families!
Affordability
For seniors and their families, the cost of home care varies based on individual requirements. For some, it may just mean hiring someone to come help with baths and dressing; for others, an all-day caregiver could provide assistance with daily living tasks.
Seniors have access to a range of financial assistance options to cover the costs of senior home care. These include long-term care insurance, Medicare and Medicaid.
Additionally, older adults can take out reverse mortgages if they have enough equity in their homes to cover the value of the residence. These loans convert part of that equity into cash and are tax-deductible.
These financing strategies can be advantageous when the costs of senior home care exceed available income and assets to cover them. However, be wary when using them to finance senior home care as many seniors and their families have become victims to scams involving reverse mortgages.
Independence
Senior home care can help you maintain your independence and quality of life as you age. Rather than moving into a nursing home, you can remain living at home with support a few hours each week from a caregiver.
Age in place is an affordable option that many seniors prefer. Caregivers provide assistance with tasks such as meal preparation, bathing, and shopping.
They may provide transportation solutions such as buses, rideshare apps and reduced-fare taxis to keep you independent.
Before hiring a caregiver, be sure to meet the tax and background requirements. Full-service agencies usually charge more for their services but can quickly locate an ideal replacement if your current caregiver quits or doesn’t work out.
Additionally, it can give you the comfort of knowing your loved one is safe and well taken care of. This type of assurance is invaluable to any family member or friend.
Personality
Personality plays an integral role in senior home care. Caregivers who demonstrate compassion and an empathetic understanding of their clients’ needs will have greater chances for success in this profession.
It’s essential that the caregiver have patience, as some things cannot be planned ahead of time. For instance, seniors may require more assistance than anticipated or struggle to complete tasks previously completed without issue.
Previous studies have suggested personality traits are linked to caregivers’ mental and physical health. However, these results were limited due to a lack of research, sampling issues, measurement concerns, and inadequate exploration of relevant mediators (Duberstein et al., 2003; Quinn et al., 1999).
Safety
Seniors often desire to remain in their own homes as they age, yet falls and injury risks are real. By following safety tips and creating a home care checklist, families can make their loved ones safer at home.
A home care specialist can help prioritize safety measures and conduct a professional assessment, so you and your loved one can identify and address any potential hazards. These may include rearranging furniture to create clear walking paths, bundling cords that could trip someone up, as well as making sure smoke alarms are working properly.
When it comes to the safety of your loved one, you may want to consider hiring a trained and certified home health aide or personal assistant for in-home care. These caregivers can assist with various tasks as well as provide transportation to medical appointments and social events.