Why I love my job by Sherry Lowell

Is Home Care the Right Fit?

People typically reach a point in life where they either don’t know what to do or feel like they are stuck between two incredibly difficult options, when it comes to what the best choice for an aging loved one would be. Do you put them in an assisted-living facility where they have care 24/7, but risk making them unhappy as they will be living in an unfamiliar and potentially uncomfortable environment? Or do you look to see if there is a different option available that causes less stress and change?

Regardless of what decision is made, seeing a family member or loved one age can be a difficult process as there are so many different things to think about and balance. You always want what is best and safest for your loved one, but sometimes it seems like the easiest option would be to put them in a assisted-living facility so they can get around the clock care. However, there is an alternative option out there that minimizes change in one’s life and that is Home Care.

It can be difficult to enlist the help of a “stranger” when it comes to caring for a loved one, but it can take the strain off of the family; and the loved one would benefit from professional care in the comforts of their own home. Whether there is the need for special medical needs and personal care or simply homemaking and food preparation, having a personal care giver will provide numerous benefits to both the patient and the entire family involved.

Benefits of Home Care:

Allows for Maximum Amount of Freedom – Patients at home may be engaged with their daily activities as their health permits and it allows them to receive care in the least restrictive environment. It also allows them to remain in the community that they have become so familiar with.

Allows for Some Type of Control – Home care gives the patient some control over the type of care they will be receiving. This allows them to be a more active participant in their own care and give them a feeling of control, rather than being in a facility where most activities are planned through an agenda.

Personalized – The care that is received in the home is individualized to each patient according to their specific needs. Home care is tailored to the needs of each patient as they get one-on-one attention from experienced and professional personal care givers. The patients can have someone they get along with, feel comfortable with and have good chemistry with, unlike in a facility where they can get someone who’s simply checking off tasks on their list in order to leave. At home, they get a lively “companion” not just a “care giver”.

Eases the Burdens on the Family – Homecare eases the stress on a family as it allows family members time away from caring for their loved one and they will not feel guilty about uprooting them. It can be tough on a family to visit an assisted-living facility and seeing their loved one unhappy and this allows them to live as much of a normal life as possible.

Comfortable –There is familiarity and comfort of being in one’s own environment surrounded by their loved ones. It helps make even those most difficult times a little easier, as they are in their own home and can feel less stressed and more “normal” as it is a similar environment as it was before they got sick or needed assistance.

Low Risk – Moving into an assisted-living facility is a dramatic commitment that can have a huge emotional impact on the entire family. Home care takes a bit of the pressure off as you are able to see if staying at home will work and you do not have to uproot a person and completely change their world.

Flexible – There is a ton of flexibility when it comes to home care as you may need a care giver for 24-hour care, a few hours a day or even just a few hours a week. It all depends on the individual needs of your loved ones and assisted-living facilities are typically not capable of or charge extra for providing that same personalized care found in home care.

Salemi, Vicki. "Eight Reasons to Choose Home Care." - SeniorsForLiving. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2015. <http://www.seniorsforliving.com/content/article//18/.>

"Sometimes the Best Move Is to Stay Right Where You Are." Six Reasons to Choose Home Care |. Family Resource Home Care, n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2015. <http://www.familyresourcehomecare.com/the-case-for-home-care/six-reasons-to-choose-home-care>.