When providing care for an older adult, family members often discover they aren’t able to provide everything their loved one requires. The good news is there are plenty of solutions available that can deliver a higher level of care and offer the primary caregiver help or a break.
If you or your family are looking for assistance so that your parent or loved one can remain living at home as independently as possible, opting for in-home care services can support this effort.
Home Care vs Home Health Care Services
Before you start evaluating your options, it’s important to understand the distinction between home care and home health care, two terms that you’re likely to hear or see frequently, and are often mistaken for one another.
Home care is non-medical care provided by trained caregivers and may include services like companionship, support with daily tasks, housekeeping and transportation to medical appointments, among others.
Home health care services are prescribed by a doctor and consist of medical care provided in the home by a nurse, nursing assistant, or qualified home health aide.
When is it Time for In-Home Care? 10 signs Services are Needed
Each family’s circumstance is as individual as the older adult needing assistance. If you’re still unsure if your parent(s) or loved one need outside assistance, here are 10 of the more common signs that additional help might be necessary:
- Is mealtime becoming more of a challenge?
Eating well is critical for a healthy lifestyle, but planning, shopping and preparing meals can become more challenging as changes in mobility or other physical abilities occur with age.
Look for these signs:
Is your parent losing weight from skipping meals or gaining weight from substituting meals with unhealthy snacks or pre-packaged food? Are the cabinets and refrigerator well-stocked with nutritious meal choices?
- Is their home well-maintained?
Home maintenance and housekeeping can be a challenge for anyone. But as older adults age, they may require assistance in carrying out these tasks.
Look for these signs:
Does the exterior and interior of the home show signs of needing repairs or upkeep? Are your parents still physically able to handle basic household chores?
- Do your parents appear bored, lonely or isolated?
Mobility and health issues may lead to older adults choosing to stay home or avoid social gatherings more frequently.
Look for these signs:
Is it difficult for them to go out or join others in activities? Do your parents share stories of engaging with friends? Are they involved in their community or neighborhood?
- Are they able to manage their medications?
Prescriptions can become a challenge to track. Assistance in ordering or daily reminders to take their medication are often needed.
Look for these signs:
Have they mentioned missing any doses of their medications or finding it difficult to remember or keep up their regimen? Does it appear that they’re refilling their prescriptions at the proper time?
- Are they still enjoying activities and social events?
Signs of isolating often include no longer participating in activities once enjoyed. Attending social events and other functions can become more difficult as changes in physical ability occur.
Look for these signs:
Are they able to arrange and coordinate the details to attend an event? Do they still drive or have access to transportation when needed?
- Are they keeping their medical appointments?
Increasing medical and dental appointments can become harder to manage. Your parents may be inclined to cancel or skip them altogether.
Look for these signs:
Are they missing their scheduled appointments? Are they starting to make excuses or put off going to the doctor?
- Could they use help with basic housekeeping?
Housekeeping often becomes more of a challenge with age. Older adults may find they need help with cleaning and laundry.
Look for these signs:
Are their clothes clean or does it seem that keeping up with the laundry is now difficult? Are they struggling to wash dishes, dust or vacuum the floors?
- Are they still able to manage their finances?
Keeping the bills organized and paid on time can sometimes become harder for older adults, and assistance might be needed.
Look for these signs:
Are you beginning to notice piles of unopened mail or those marked unpaid? Are they overdrawn at their bank or becoming nervous about money?
- Are your parents still mobile?
Changes in mobility can make handling the daily activities of life more challenging for some as they age.
Look for these signs:
Are they able to bathe safely, get dressed and keep up with hygiene? Does a lack of mobility make it harder for them to cook, clean or do laundry?
- Are your parents experiencing early signs of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia?
For older adults beginning to experience change in cognitive function like memory loss or confusion, additional care might make it possible for them to remain living at home longer.
Look for these signs:
Are they struggling with basic tasks or unable to go for a walk alone? Could companionship improve the quality of their life? Could the primary caregiver use more help or is in need of respite?
Live Well at Home by Eskaton
Live Well at Home is Eskaton’s non-medical home care partner that provides personalized services tailored to your family’s needs and preferences. Our Care Pros are available 24 hours a day to provide assistance with:
- Homemaking
- Warm companionship
- Meal preparation
- Running errands and transportation
- Personal care services
- Overnight services
- And much more!
What makes Live Well at Home different?
We take the extra steps necessary to ensure we’re helping our clients maintain the highest quality of life possible. Here are a few examples that set us apart from other in-home care providers:
- We perform rigorous background checks and require a pre-hire physical, drug screening and TB test of all our care professionals.
- We don’t rotate caregivers, but spend significant time and effort to match the right one to meet a client’s specific needs and provide continuity in care.
- We require an initial comprehensive training program as well as annual training for all of our Care Pros. We also provide additional training for those attending to care needs that require a higher level of skill.
- We have representatives available by phone 24/7 if there is ever an emergency.
- We provide rate and fee information before any services begin, including minimum hourly requirements, billing cycles and any required deposits.
- We create customized care plans to meet each client’s specific needs and preferences.
Eskaton Senior Services
The word Eskaton means “dawn of a new day” and we’ve been serving the Sacramento region and Northern California for over 50 years. Whether our services are provided in your home or in one of our communities, we see each day as an opportunity to enhance the lives of our clients and residents. If you’re wondering if it might be time to obtain in-home care for yourself or a loved one, we hope you’ll consider Live Well at Home.
For more information, or if there are any questions we might assist you with, please call 1-800-478-1209.