Seniors who are strong enough to live on their own but not enough to perform certain household chores may be in need of in home senior care services. Most elderly individuals prefer to stay in a familiar environment for as long as they can because like most of us, they treasure their independence. This is why it is much easier for them to accept the idea of senior home care than nursing homes. Through some help from a home care provider, seniors can be easily kept in good condition making it possible for them to preserve their dignity and independence.
The cost of in home senior care services is also often less than that of full time nursing homes. This is why it may not be necessary to relocate your senior parents to a nursing home, especially if their condition isn’t serious enough.
There are at least two main types of in home senior care services, namely skilled or custodial care and supportive or unskilled care.
Skilled services are those provided by medical professionals, and these include nursing care, occupational, physical, speech and respiratory therapy, hospice care, social services. A qualified home health aide may also provide personal care to seniors during a limited period of time, provided that he follows a certain care plan and he works under the direct supervision of a skilled professional such as a nurse or a therapist. Skilled services are often not provided on a regular basis. The skilled providers have a programmed home visits to their clients based on a treatment plan prescribed by a doctor. Some of the reasons for hiring skilled services are to speed up hospital discharges, prevent unwanted hospitalizations, and allow an elder to remain in his home while he’s recovering from a sickness or during an acute illness.
Meanwhile, supportive services are those provided by non-medical home caregivers. These home care providers offer help to seniors through such personal care as bathing, dressing, grooming, housekeeping, meal preparation, and shopping. Depending on the client or his family’s request, a home care provider can also provide assistance in ambulation and exercises, self-administered medications, and transportation to medical appointments. Custodial or supportive services can be scheduled depending on the need of the client. The services provided often differ in amount and frequency with some lasting from a few hours a week to twenty four hours, seven days a week. Supportive services are aimed at helping an aging person deal with his deteriorating abilities, preserve his independence, and prevent relocation.
Aside from ensuring that your senior loved one is properly cared for, in home senior care services ensure that he maintains enough interaction with the outside world as he grows old. This is important because many seniors who live very far from their family and friends who are not able to maintain regular interactions with other people tend to be isolated and lonely, which can sometimes lead to depression.
Both skilled and unskilled services are intended to provide care assistance to an elderly person right at his own home and often this is better option than institutional care. You can either obtain in home senior care services from a home care agency or hire a private caregiver directly, which is often the less expensive option and allow more possibilities for your participation in the decision making process. This can be the best choice provided that you exercise much persistence and put in more effort in the hiring process.
Although you have to pay for most of the senior home care services, there are some types of senior care and community services that are given for free or donated. If you’re a member of a particular church, for instance, some of your members may voluntarily offer their time to provide some amount of care to your senior parents. There are also government programs or health insurance that can provide assistance in paying for some particular home care services.
In home senior care services can be the best bet not only for elderly people but also for their loved ones. Senior home care is the less expensive choice than a full-time nursing facility. Although every family is unique and should decide on the best type of senior care for their elderly loved one, in home senior care services is usually the most affordable and effective option for many families.