Is Senior Home Care Right for my Parent?

It can be challenging to know where to begin with senior home care. How do you know if senior home care is the right choice for your loved one as they age?

 

What does senior home care cover?

There are many different things that senior home care can do for your aging loved one. The services that private caregivers and agencies provide range from companionship and cleaning all the way to more intense care like bathing, changing, and medication management.  Home care is typically the first step on the senior care journey. Senior home care is also typically the longest segment of the senior care journey and can last several years if your family is committed to keeping your aging loved one at home.

 

Is it the right time for senior home care?

Knowing if it is the right time for your senior loved one to find care depends on what your goals are. It is a good idea to evaluate your aging loved one constantly once they reach the age of 75. Senior home care can be a preventative measure. Senior home care can keep falling incidents or illnesses brought on by isolation from occurring. Can you manage all the care need of your aging loved one yourself? If not, it is time to consider senior home care.

 

What do I want for my aging loved one?

Before you approach a senior home care agency or an independent caregiver you should have a plan in place. This plan will include what time you want care, what services you need, and what the ultimate goal of the home care is. We have a guide to help you assess your loved one and create a plan if you need assistance.

 

What are my options?

There are options beyond senior home care depending on the goals of your aging loved one. These options can help foster independence and help your aging loved one remain in their home.

 

Senior Day Care – A senior day care will keep your aging loved one in a safe, supervised environment with other seniors during the day.

Senior Centers – If social isolation is a major concern consider visiting a senior center. These centers are for independent aging adults who want to get together and stay social.

Private cleaning service – Hire a cleaning company to help alleviate the burden of housekeeping from your aging loved one.

 

What comes next?

If there should come a time when home care is no longer a valid option for your aging loved one there are several alternatives to consider. There are several indicators you can use to determine if home is right for your loved one. If your loved one requires more than 60 hours a week of care and your care team is struggling to find care a facility might be your next best option. Additionally if your loved one has had more than 3 major falls in the past 6 months that have resulted in hospitalization, the supervision that comes with facility care could benefit your loved one. However, if your parent has expressed vehemently that they want to remain at home as they age, work with them to find the best solution.

 

Senior Home Care is different for everyone.

There are as many ways to plan senior home care as there are seniors. Different people will be more receptive to home care, while others may not. It is important to create an open channel of communication between yourself and your aging loved one to ensure they are receiving the best care possible for their situation.

If you need help finding the right senior caregiver for your specific needs, try Caregogi. Our algorithm will match your aging loved one to the perfect senior caregiver in their area.

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