By Melisa McLeod, Owner of Mcleod Home Care
Home Care is non-medical care in your home. Home Care enables aging adults to age in place safely in their own homes while professional caregivers help them with daily tasks they need to maintain the independence they desire. A home caregiver delivers services such as:
- Medication reminders
- Light household chores
- Errands/Transportation
- Bathing/Toileting/Dressing
- Meal preparation
- One-to-one personalized care
- Dementia Care/Companionship
Personal home care services provide companionship to seniors and assist them in their home with daily activities. Unlike “home health care,” you don’t need a doctor’s referral. Services can be provided as needed, for a few hours a day up to 24/7 care.
When to Seek Home Care Services
You may be acting as a sole caregiver to a family member and have been struggling with the decision to ask for professional assistance. A nursing home or retirement community may seem like logical options, but the emotional trauma an aging adult endures when leaving their cherished home can be overwhelming to everyone involved. Research has shown that seniors flourish when they are still in their homes with familiar surroundings.
Deciding upon home care is a difficult and stressful choice that involves many factors, including logistics, emotions and whether home care costs are affordable. Getting expertise and advice from a reputable source should be your first step.
Specialists in Senior Home Care
Specialists in Senior home care are experts in in-home care and have the experience to help guide you through the decision-making process. In fact, most offer a free in-home consultation to determine the type of care that makes sense and to match your loved one with a caregiver whose personality, skills, and experience are best suited to them.
Home Care agencies recognize and understand the challenges in welcoming visitors into your home or a family member’s residence. Most home care agencies provide experienced and empathetic caregivers which are compassionate and qualified and have been in thousands of homes and have dealt with many different situations, schedules, personalities, and needs. We dedicate the time to addressing all you inquires, understanding that this a new and challenging experience for both you and your family.
Emergency Home Care Needs
While most home care requests are planned, there are times when emergencies or unexpected situations occur, causing you to seek care sooner than expected. Most home care agencies are swift in responding to the needs of families requiring care. Most agencies can respond quickly to families who need care due to an emergency such as a late day discharge from a medical facility such as a hospital or rehabilitation facility. Home Care can assist clients in many different settings such as in a hospital, extra care in an assisted living/memory care community or to someone who is being discharged from the hospital or rehabilitation and is not 100% ready to be on their own yet. We can also assist with major transitions such as assisted living to a family member’s home, or into a family member’s home as part of a relocation.
Home Care can ease your burden and help you by:
- Consulting with you about scheduling, costs, and care
- Some can provide real-time online access to caregiver notes at your fingertips
- Scheduling in-home visits and care
- Creating a personalized care plan
- Adjusting care plans or routines as needed through monitoring and ongoing, consistent communication
- Providing other resources and connections you may need in the community
If you’re interested in more information about what home care is and how our senior care services can help you or a loved one, contact locally and family owned and operated McLeod Home Care at 803-233-3343.
