Making the choice to hire home care for your elderly loved one may be difficult. You may feel like you’re giving up on them, or guilty for not being able to take care of them yourself. Though easier said than done, it’s time you put these feelings aside and realize that this course of action will enable you and your loved one to live your lives easier, more comfortably, and, most of all, healthier. This simple guide will help you choose the right home care for your elderly loved one. Just follow these steps.
1. Identify the Medical Care Your Loved One Needs
Having medical professionals available to your loved one with little notice is especially important. Many home care services will identify as non-medical, meaning that aide may not be trained health professionals. Your loved one deserves better than that. Having a Registered Nurse available to your loved one could make all the difference in their care plan, enabling a more successful and happier lifestyle for them. You want to be sure they’re getting the best care and quality of care for the price you’re paying to have this service available to them.
2. Identify the Daily Care Your Loved One Needs
Aside from performing the medical duties your loved one requires daily, the service you hire should be able to provide more. Be sure they check off every mark you have. Don’t settle when it comes to your loved one’s care. If your loved one needs someone to assist them in the bathroom, do meal prep, or assist in the shower, for example, be sure the service you are seeking out is able to provide that to them. Caregivers should be able to ensure your loved one is taking their medication, getting the supplies they need at the grocery store, exercising at a level in which they feel comfortable, providing companionship, and taking them to appointments. Full service means a full life for your loved one.
3. Identify Where Your Loved One Needs Care
Your loved one may not be served directly at home, but may require a caregiver to assist them at a nursing home or hospital. If this happens to be true, be sure to seek out the appropriate services that are not already provided to them at the place where they are residing. Though most seniors are more comfortable staying at home, and can safely do so with the right care, this is not always the case. Get an assessment from the care service you are seeking out before you make any decisions. Start with preliminary phone calls and interviews. The right care service will want you to feel empowered in helping your loved one.
Above all, always make sure to include your loved one in the conversation when they are able. It’s not just about making them feel like they have a say in their own life or care, but giving them a say in their life and care plan. After all, this plan is all about them, and they deserve to feel loved, cared for, and respected throughout the rest of their life.
