Sunday, February 9, 2014

Understanding In-Home Care

Understanding In-Home Care

By Kristana Jenson


For many adults, the loss of some independence is an inevitable accompaniment to the process of aging. This might be due to illness or simply because our bodies can no longer function the way they used to. When this occurs, we all need a little bit of extra help, and at some point, it can be a good idea to think about some level of in-home care.

First of all, it is important to note that some types of care are covered by medical insurance and some are not. Generally, if you need the services of a nurse or some type of licensed therapist, then these in-home health workers might be covered or partially covered by your insurance plan. There are many ailments that might require the services of a licensed health care work. For instance, perhaps you have terminal cancer or another type of terminal disease and wish to live out your final days, weeks or months in the comfort of your home. A health care worker can handle the medical-related tasks that your family, spouse or friends are not trained to accomplish. Sometimes physical or occupational therapy is what you need, and professionals might be able to do these therapies in your home.

However, those with medical needs are not the only people who need daily in-home care. Many people simply are no longer able to accomplish tasks such as cleaning, cooking and doing laundry. While you could certainly hire a housekeeper to attend to those three tasks, there are many daily personal tasks such as dressing and grooming that also might be difficult. A home-care worker can help with that as well as bathing and toileting when needed as well as ensuring that your loved one is taking medications properly and eating balanced meals throughout the day.

In-home services can be attractive for several reasons. First, it often costs less to hire a caregiver to come in and help as opposed to moving into a nursing home or assisted living scenario. Hiring someone to help also reduces the burden of care from your spouse, your children and friends, who might be worried about you and are unable to provide constant help because of their own health or family and work obligations. They probably want to help but simply cannot provide a consistently high level of care. In addition, in-home care allows you to stay at home, which is probably your top goal.

Finding the ideal person to serve as a caregiver can be tricky. It can be helpful to work with an agency that specializes in matching people to different types of eldercare options. The staff at CarePlacement.com, for example, will take all your needs and your budget into consideration and provide you with a pre-screened list of suitable candidates for in-home care.

Eventually, you might opt for a different type of eldercare. Sometimes an assisted living community can be a good option, especially if your budget permits. Perhaps you might consider living in a nursing home, which also is called a skilled nursing facility. These are options for people who potentially need 24-hour medical care or who do not have the budget one needs to live at an assisted living facility. Board and care homes are another option for those working with a tighter budget. All of these options provide some socialization and often a variety of activities, which might be a good choice if you are feeling a bit shut-in at your private home.




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