IS IN-HOME CARE THE RIGHT CHOICE?
How to know if in-home care can help you and your loved ones find peace of mind.
There comes a time in each family’s life, where deciding the next step for an elderly loved one is looming.
Making the decision for how our loved ones are cared for can be an exhausting and emotional time. While there isn’t one right solution for everyone, we believe in-home care allows individuals to have the freedom and privacy they have known and enjoyed their whole lives. Remaining in-home can reduce anxiety and improve the quality of life of many elderly individuals. We take pride in empowering our clients’ ability to live like they have their whole life, just with an extra companion to help with the increasingly difficult day-to-day tasks.
IN HOME CARE VS. ASSISTED LIVING
The field of senior care can be quite daunting to navigate, especially with little help from vague phrases like “assisted living” or “ALFs”. Like most things, once you learn the lingo, it starts to become more familiar.
In-home care
In-home care provides seniors with the ability to live at home while receiving top-notch care from expertly trained staff up to 24 hours a day. From simple tasks like cooking and hygiene to mobility assistance and hospice care, individuals are able to maintain their lifestyle in the comfort of their home.
Assisted living or “alfs”
Assisted Living Facilities, or ALFs, are centralized care facilities where seniors can go to receive the similar services as in-home care. The biggest differences is that ALFs require seniors to move into the facility and live there full-time. While this allows care staff to supervise individuals in a group atmosphere, generally speaking they do not receive one to one care as they would with in-home care services. Many facilities offer the option to choose from shared rooms or private rooms.
Give some time to considering whether in-home care or assisted living is right for you or your loved one. Both have similar goals: helping seniors age while staying as independent as possible. The most important thing is that you choose what will keep everyone happy, healthy, and safe without breaking the bank.
WHAT ARE YOU ABLE TO PROVIDE?
When choosing whether in-home care is right for your family, it is important to consider what kinds of care your family is already able to provide. For many seniors, a few hours a day is all that is needed from a caregiver. In situations like this, it’s important to have family members who can consistently provide support and ensure that their loved one’s needs are being met. If your family is unable to provide a time commitment like this, that’s okay! It just means that a caregiver will need to be present more frequently throughout the day.
Having a conversation about what the family wants and is able to provide is a crucial discussion that will help when it comes to finding an in-home care provider that is right for you. Whether it’s around the dinner table or with an expert, facilitating this conversation will help everyone know that the type of care being chosen is best for everyone.
Things to consider:
Is the proximity to your loved one a concern? Can you be there in 30 minutes or less if needed?
Does your family’s jobs allow for flexibility? Are there multiple people who are able to provide care without jeopardizing their own well-being?
Are you knowledgeable in the senior care space? Will you be able to provide the best care, or would an EPAGA Accredited Caregiver be a better solution?
DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMERS
Loved ones who suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s can create a unique challenge for families seeking senior care. Loved ones with these diseases require expertly trained staff to provide support to ensure the best quality of life. Individuals with dementia and Alzheimer's who receive in-home care take nearly 50% less trips to the doctor. Living at home eases their stresses and anxieties, as familiar sights, sounds, and smells often help loved ones avoid agitation and confusion. In-home care might be the best option for your loved one living with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Making a decision about what is best for your loved one is something only you and your family can decide.
Each family has different circumstances that need to be taken into account.
It’s important that, as a group, everyone is able to voice their thoughts and that all questions are answered. This is a stressful time in every family’s journey, but just because it’s a tough decision doesn’t mean that it has create issues outside of the decision. The worst thing is wondering if something different would have extended a loved one’s life; taking the time to make an educated decision will allow for the most love and affection to be given now while avoiding regret and sorrow later. Whatever option you chose, we hope it provides care to your love one and brings joy to all involved.