If you need in-home support for a senior loved one, home care offers many benefits. Learn more about home care here.
If a senior loved one is struggling to maintain their independence, you might be wondering what you can do to support them. Finding solutions can be challenging if you aren’t familiar with the different types of senior care available.
When adult children work full-time or live far away, being there as often as necessary isn’t possible. But an older adult might resist the idea of moving closer to family or to an assisted living community. This can put the senior at risk for a fall or other kind of emergency. Hiring a home care agency can be a solution to consider.
What is Home Care?
If you aren’t knowledgeable about home care, it’s worth taking time to learn more. These nonmedical services are designed to help an older adult maintain their independence. They bridge the gap between what a senior can do for themselves and what assistance they need to remain safe at home.
Sometimes short-term assistance is all that a senior requires. They may need help while recovering from surgery or a bad case of the flu. An aide can visit their home for a few weeks or a few months. The senior can receive help with tasks ranging from bathing and grooming to preparing healthy meals.
For other seniors, long-term support is needed to keep them safe at home. In these situations, a caregiver can visit regularly to assist with menu planning, grocery shopping, transportation, or light housekeeping.
Either way, the value and benefits of in-home care are numerous.
5 Benefits of Home Care
- Improved nutrition
Seniors, especially those who live alone, might suffer from a poor diet. Conditions like arthritis can make it tough to prepare meals. Those who no longer drive may struggle to find reliable, affordable transportation to the grocery store.
Enlisting the services of a home care agency can improve an older adult’s nutrition. A better diet reduces the risk for health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease. It can also reduce a senior’s fall risk. That’s important because falls are the leading cause of serious injury among seniors.
- Support with daily activities
Bathing, grooming, and dressing are everyday necessities. For some seniors, however, they are tough to accomplish independently. Tasks such as taking out the trash and cleaning out the refrigerator can also be challenging. Home care agencies can provide assistance with a variety of self-care needs and household chores. A caregiver can supply the exact type and amount of support the senior needs to feel independent and safe.
- Always available
When you can’t be with your senior loved one as often as you’d like, peace of mind is tough to come by. Adult children often worry about how their aging parent is really doing. A home care aide can be your eyes and ears. They can build a relationship with the older adult and get to know their needs. Becoming familiar will help them to spot changes in the senior that might indicate a problem early rather than waiting for a crisis to occur.
- Cost-effective solution
When you hire a home care agency, you pick and choose only the services the senior wants and needs. If an aging loved one already receives delivered meals from a local agency, then support with bathing and grooming may be all the service they require. The value of this personalized care is that you won’t be stuck paying for services the senior doesn’t need.
- Age in place
Finally, home care allows a senior to age in place. While some older adults might welcome the opportunity to move to a senior living community, others don’t. The support of an in-home caregiver enables a senior to stay safe in their own home.
Home Care Services from The Wesley
The Wesley is pleased to offer a variety of senior home care services in Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, and the surrounding communities. We encourage you to call us at (518) 584-1200 to learn more!