There comes a time in the life of a senior when they will need help with certain daily activities. One of the best ways to address this is through arranging home care services for them. This is a special service, which is essentially a professional carer coming to visit the senior in their own home. It is the ideal option in case the person has a special condition like Alzheimer’s or dementia.
This sort of service, referred to as live-in care or home care, is all about meeting the needs of the individual in their own home. Based on the area, the service costs differently. The council may or may not be able to contribute to the cost. It comes with a great deal of flexibility. The care plan can be changed and switched to make for the best possible comfort for the person and their changing needs. The service may be permanent, 24/7, or perhaps be arranged for a few days a week.
There are many benefits to home care:
Getting help from the local council in the arrangement of the service
Before the council can help out, those that need the aid should prepare a needs assessment. This is a document needed to assure the council that the person is eligible for getting help in the form of home care. When that eligibility is confirmed, the council can then recommend a provider of care services, and will also help pay for them. If the person is not eligible for getting help, the council will recommend help sources from the community. Families that want to arrange private care can also benefit from the needs assessment. This is useful to the agency and the carer because it presents essential information on what kind of service they need to focus on.
Paying the cost of home care
Based on the circumstances of the person in need of care, the council may or may not contribute to paying the cost of home care service. With a needs assessment showing the need for care, the council will help. They take into consideration the income and savings of the person, all of which go into a financial assessment for the council. They will then move to determine a care plan for the person, after having established the needs and how they can meet those needs through home care. There is the option to get the personal budget through direct payment. In this case, the person can arrange the care however they like.
How to find a local care agency?
We all have senior parents or other family members, who are growing old and finding that the daily tasks that were once trivial to them, are now becoming more and more challenging. Thankfully, there is often a way to assist them and that option comes in the form of home care.
Home care is a service that revolves around having a professional caregiver visit an elderly individual in their home and assist them with what they need. The service is highly versatile and customisable, making it very convenient to have. The following are a few of the most likely ways that a home care service can benefit you and your ageing parents or loved ones.
These are just a few of the things that home care can be used for in regards to aid for seniors. There is a lot more to this useful service for sure!
There are many challenges that you will face when you care for a loved one with dementia. It is one of the toughest things you can do. As the disease progresses, your loved one will go through changes, some of which are rather unpleasant. They will not remember things as before, and might develop feelings like paranoia, confusion and anxiety. Being there with them, supporting them during these trying times is perhaps the most useful thing you can do. That, and perhaps arranging live-in care service for them.
Live-in allows old people, as well as those suffering from conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, to get the help they require at their own home. There is an experienced live-in care professional, who will attend to their needs. As you opt for this kind of service, you want to make sure the care provider is the right one for you and your loved one with dementia. And there are a few tips that can help you in that regard:
These are the essential aspects of a live-in dementia caregiver. A person needs to possess all of them, for them to be eligible for the job.
Seniors nowadays have access to services and technologies, which can make their lives longer and fuller in every way. As such, more of them prefer to age in the comfort of their own home, without having to move to a care facility. One of the things that makes this possible is home health care. It enables better independence by introducing caregivers, who visit the seniors in their own home according to a predetermined schedule. If you are currently considering home care for an elderly loved one, you need to better informed of the benefits that it provides:
As you can see, the advantages of home health care are many and you will do well to consider them all. Instead of moving the senior to a care facility, they can easily stay at home and receive the care they need professionally.
Live-in care is among the best long-term solutions for people who have an elderly loved one in need of assistance. Normally, the most popular solution would be to move the person to a care home, but live-in care presents a viable alternative, which more and more families resort to.
If you are among the people who need to consider it, you want to make sure that you end up with the right service. You cannot just find a company online and go with it. There are a few more steps to take, to ensure that the one you sign a contract with works for you. Here are a few pointers to consider in that regard:
Without a doubt, finding a live-in caregiver will be easier when you follow all of these tips. Do consider them when you are on the lookout for such service.
If you have an ageing parent or another family member of old age, you know just how much help they need. The day-to-day tasks that they once deemed trivial will become more and more demanding. If you are not able to provide the care these people need, then you need to consider some alternatives. Home care is one of the best services that can help in this situation.
If you are not able to provide the required care for them, then your best option is to get professional help. For many people, this means moving the ageing person to a care facility. But that is not the best scenario, because moving out of their home brings stress and a feeling of loss of security, which no ageing person likes.
Home care is a great way to introduce the help that an ageing person needs, without the need for them to leave their home. Home care service means that a professional caregiver can visit certain times of the day, and provide some help to the person. The benefits of such service are many, and it is important to consider them, to see why it is the best option for any ageing person:
Home care is becoming more and more popular for a good reason. It is a convenient service, which you can always consider if you have an ageing parent or relative in need of help.
Many people believe ageing is a tough period of our life, full of challenges that no one can help us overcome. While it is true that it is not an easy thing being an elder, there are more than a few ways out there that ensure one can remain positive about this stage of life.
Live-in care services are one of the tools that make it possible. In essence, live-in care is a kind of service, which provides professional care to aid the elder person in their day-to-day activities. Finding out more about what makes live-in care such a good service is important in ensuring that it is put to good use. In this guide, we will take a look at the most important aspects of live-in care to see what makes it such a good service:
Knowing more about live-in care enables people to make better decisions about their older family members.
Many people are not happy with the prospect of going into a care home, no matter how well presented it is and how good of a service they offer. There is some negativity surrounding the concept of care homes, and while for the most part unfounded, admittedly a lot of elderly people are not fond of it.
The good news is that there are several alternatives, all of which should be up for consideration by the family members of that person. If they are hesitant to do a care home, then all of the following are viable options.
Move-in with family - many families, decide to amalgamate two households into one. More often, it is the elder who moves in with their children and families. Now, while it is a viable option, it is not for everyone. Without some strict guidelines on things like privacy, mealtimes and various other house rules, it will be quite a struggle. Parties should be comfortable with the idea of sharing a home together, or else it is not going to work. It is a good idea to try this arrangement for at least a month or two, before finally committing to the prospect of sharing a home.
Sheltered housing - sheltered housing means that the elderly person will live in an apartment in a dedicated block, which usually includes an on-site warden. All of the residents can turn to the warden if they need help. Thanks to this, the elderly know there is someone they can rely on, all the while retaining the advantages of independent living. With a communal garden/lounge, the elderly also get a chance to socialize.
Home-sharing - the rising property prices have made home sharing a good option for many people. In essence, home-sharing means the elderly person will offer part of their home to a live-in carer, who will address basic tasks around the place. The carer benefits from the nominal rent, whereas the elderly person gets some help around the house, as well as companionship.
Retirement village - retirement villages are developments that allow people to downsize their large homes. These developments are usually just within reach from the town, and they offer local amenities, like shops. In case of emergency, there should be a local warden to assist the elderly. The concept of retirement villages originated in the USA, though it is quickly taking off and expanding to other continents.
Home care - home care services come as a great alternative to care homes. A caregiver can drop by the house of an elderly person on a weekly basis, to assist with things like shopping and some other household tasks. Private home care comes with a great variety of options on tasks and what hours the carer will invest. This option allows the elderly to remain in their home, which is one of the best things about it.
Live-in care - this is a more involved version of home care, which features 24/7 care for the elderly person. The carer is there to assist them with household tasks and look after them. Not only does the caregiver provides support and companionship, but they can also offer specialized care, in case the elderly person requires that. Live-in care provides the same benefits as home care, and is an excellent option for the elderly people who would rather not leave their home, but need someone to look after them.
Evidently, there are quite a few alternatives to care homes, which elderly people should consider.
Have you ever noticed that as people get older, they become more depressed and often feel like a burden to their loved ones? Helping them overcome these feelings is often times a deciding factor for their wellbeing. This boils down to the people who surround them and the steps they can take to ensure their elderly loved ones receive the best quality of life. Here are few recommendations in that regard:
Address the depression problem
Depression is a major problem for people over the age of 65. It affects a few million and it is usually the stressful life circumstances that precede it – losing a spouse, clinical symptoms, retirement, or not being able to live at home. It is important to remember that depression is a major cause of heart attacks, suicide and heart conditions, which can be severe in the elderly part of the population. The best way to address depression is to recognise it and see to getting some help from a psychologist or a therapist.
Regular exercise and time spent outdoors
The elderly should engage in regular physical exercise, because it severely minimises the risk of stroke and heart diseases. There are many more benefits to regular exercise, including better sleep, lower blood pressure and immune system boost, which are all essential aspects of the wellbeing for the elderly. The results of many researches show that regular exercise boosts vitality and social functioning. Spending time outdoors also plays a crucial role, especially if it involves natural activities, which help the person exercise. Do note that all exercise should be moderate and light, so nothing excessive is recommended.
Improving social interaction
One of the biggest challenges that elderly people in need of extra care face is social isolation. That is often the case with individuals with limited mobility. Because of these circumstances, they are at greater risk for dementia. In order to decrease isolationism, you have to improve the frequency of family outings and visits. It doesn’t need to be anything complex; just a simple walk in the park or a lunch together provide great opportunities for companionship.
Mental exercises are important too
There are different things that can improve cognitive functions, like Sudoku, crosswords, trivia and other exercises that boost cognitive functions. There are also other ways to prevent the cognitive impairments that come with dementia from Alzheimer’s disease and others. Asking for their wisdom is also a good thing to do, because it helps them feel more valued and appreciated.
Make them feel more useful
A common thing among older adults is that they sometimes feel like a burden, or that nobody wants them to be around. You could easily reverse this by asking small things of them. It could be something trivial, such as folding laundry, running small errands and preparing dinner. This will easily restore their worth. It is important to match their abilities with the tasks you are asking of them. After all, you cannot demand more than their abilities allow, or the effect you achieve will be the opposite. The goal is to make them feel more valued and appreciated and the only way to do so is to engage them in activities that serve that end. It bears mention that many of the abilities that elderly people possess do not wane that severely. It is safe to say that you can even learn something from them.
By taking all of these steps to improve the wellbeing of elderly people in your life, you can truly help them a big deal.