As we age, our needs change, but there are a few things we all need: comfort, independence, companionship, and family. When you and your family need extra hands caring for your elderly parent or loved one, elderly in home care will allow them to age in place while maintaining these basic needs. Here’s how you and your loved one can benefit from receiving care at home.
The Comforts of Home
There truly is no place like home. With elderly in home care services, your parent doesn’t have to go without the comforts of home. Home is usually the least restrictive environment, and receiving in home care allows seniors to maintain their senses of dignity, independence, and self-confidence. In fact, a five-month study from Johns Hopkins University’s Community Aging in Place—Advancing Better Living for Elders found that 80 percent of participants improved their self-care and independence as a result of in home care services. Whether they’re recovering from an injury or need extra assistance with daily living, they’ll be surrounded by the people, pets, photographs, and other things they love. Aging in place at home allows seniors to keep their spirits high and live their happiest lives in the place they love.
Keeping Families Together
Elderly in home care not only lets seniors stay in the place they feel most comfortable; it also lets them stay around the people they care about most. Families provide us with emotional and social support, which is crucial for the sick or elderly. A study from Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago found that elderly individuals with high levels of social activity showed 43 percent less disability than those with low levels of social engagement. In addition to cognitive benefits for the loved one, home care also benefits families, who can rest easy knowing that their loved one is safe at home, in the hands of a qualified caregiver. It also eliminates the guilt families sometimes feel after sending their loved one to a nursing home.
Safety First
Safety is the reason many seniors need caregivers; either they’re no longer able to perform activities of daily living or they risk injuring themselves alone. But a caregiver will keep a vigilant eye on your parent, watching for changes in behavior, mental clarity, appetite, and more. Caregivers are specifically trained to watch for small cues that could indicate safety issues or mental or physical health complications. They can also provide safe transportation when it’s time to go to appointments, buy groceries, or even go to the park or to social events. This extra assistance is especially important to give families who live far away and busy families peace of mind when they can’t be with their loved one 24/7.
Learn More Today
Dependable In Home Care is the only home care registry in the region nationally accredited by the Caregiver Registry Standards Board, and we hold our caregivers to the highest standards when caring for your loved one. Call us today at (504) 486-5044 or inquire to learn more.