Signs that Your Loved One May Need Senior Home Care

in ,

“I do NOT want to move to a nursing home!” This is an often-heard sentiment expressed by many seniors, even when they’re beginning to experience some difficulty managing at home on their own. And who can blame them? Home is where older adults feel most comfortable and safe. They know where everything is and they can enjoy their own individual routine and they may have friends and family who live close by, who enhance their quality of life. But, if you have concerns about your senior loved one’s ability to remain living safely at home, it may be time to assess the best possible solution, senior home care.

Consider the following questions to determine if your loved one could benefit from senior home care:

Weight Loss

  • Has your senior loved one lost weight unintentionally over the past several months?
  • Are they able to pick up groceries and prepare meals?
  • Do they prepare meals safely, remembering to turn off the oven or stove?
  • Do they complain about how food tastes?
  • Are they drinking sufficient amounts of water and other fluids during the day to prevent dehydration, especially during the hot summer months?

Personal Hygiene

  • Is your senior loved one adequately maintaining their hygiene?
  • Can they take care of laundry, bathing, grooming, and toileting needs sufficiently?

Medications

  • Does your senior loved one take medications?
  • Do they take them exactly as prescribed?
  • Can they read the labels and understand what each medicine is for?
  • Are they physically able to swallow pills, or otherwise use them as they are intended (i.e. creams, drops, etc.)?

Safety

  • Is the home free of clutter, which could be a tripping or falling hazard?
  • Could your loved one call for help if they were to fall?
  • Are there grab bars in the shower/bath, and are banisters and handrails on stairways fastened securely?
  • Is there sufficient lighting to allow them to safely get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom or kitchen?
  • Do you notice any cuts, bruises, scrapes, or burns that could have been caused by a fall or other unexplained circumstance?
  • Is the kitchen clean enough to safely prepare food?
  • Is your loved one taking multiple medications from multiple doctors and/or does they use multiple pharmacies?

Emotional, Psychological and Cognitive

  • Does your loved one seem depressed or anxious?
  • Are they staying social as much as possible, whether in person or through the Internet or by phone?
  • If he/she is religious, are they continuing to attend services or programs available?
  • Are they still enjoying hobbies that interested them before?
  • Are they forgetful? Unusually loud or agitated?
  • Are their finances in order?

The list of questions may seem overwhelming at first, but our senior home care services team can help. Our professional home care team can evaluate your senior loved one’s situation and provide suggestions and solutions, giving you and your loved one peace of mind. Our trained home care staff can provide companionship, perform light housekeeping tasks, prepare nutritious meals, among other helpful tasks. We can even coordinate services between various healthcare providers.

Contact us at 704-333-5214 for a free in-home assessment and see how we can help your loved one.

Check out Perks of Home Care to learn how a care provider can help.

Situations When Home Care is Beneficial

in ,

Home care is especially beneficial when affordability, closeness to the family, and a high level of comfort is important. With home care, your loved one can receive the care they need while staying in a place that is comfortable and familiar.

Here are a few situations when home care is beneficial:


You are looking for a more affordable option. Home care is a more affordable alternative to a nursing home that also provides the most comfort.

You want your family to stay together. Allowing your loved one to stay close to family members is a great benefit of home care.

You want more personalized care. When you hire a Comprehensive Home Care specialist a nurse will be assigned to assist your family member. This will result in a better patient/nurse relationship. Your loved one will know that the nurse assisting them will know exactly what they need.

You only need a nurse for a few hours a day. People in nursing homes receive constant assistance, however, some only need assistance for a few hours a day. If you want your family to play a bigger role in the assistance of your loved one, then home care is the best option.

These are a few situations when home care can be very beneficial. It will give you a lot of freedom, so you can be sure you are making the best choice for your loved one.  We offer many different types of services. Consider Comprehensive Home Care when searching for the best option for your loved one. Contact us here or call us at 704-333-5214 for a free in-home assessment.

Check out Signs that Your Loved One May Need Senior Home Care to learn more.

Perks of Home Care

in ,

Home care provides equal, if not better, care for your loved one than other assisted living options. And, there are many perks of home care versus the other options. For this reason, it’s the main choice for people who need assistance but still want to feel independent.

Main perks of home care include:


Familiar environment

Your loved one may already be going through a lot emotionally. If it is possible, you should do what you can to keep them in their own house where they are comfortable. They may need to depend on a specialist for assistance, but at least they are familiar with their surroundings.

Dedicated attention

Comprehensive home care provides dedicated specialists who will take the time to learn exactly what your loved one needs. This type of one-on-one attention will help build a relationship between your loved one and the specialist.

Surrounded by family and friends

Home care gives your loved one the opportunity to be surrounded by family and friends while receiving the care they need. Other assisted care options require loved ones to depend entirely on strangers which can be scary for both you and your loved one.

Cost efficient

Home care is the best, most cost-efficient option for assisted living. Other options can get very pricey and may not be as effective for treating your loved one’s health.

Consider Comprehensive Home Care to provide these benefits and more. We offer many different home care services and will be willing to accommodate your loved one’s needs. Contact us here or call us at 704.333.5214.

Check out How Do I Know if My Loved One Might Benefit from Home Care? to learn more.

How Do I Know if My Loved One Might Benefit from Home Care?

in

As time goes on, you may notice your loved one is not quite what they used to be. There are countless reasons why there may begin going through changes. These changes can seriously affect your loved one’s ability to live alone. In this case, they may truly benefit from home care.

Here are some things to consider when deciding if home care is the right move to make for your loved one:

When they are becoming more forgetful.

While forgetting something every now and then can be okay, when your loved one is constantly forgetting, it is a rise for concern. Even if it is small things like checking the mail, you may want to start paying more attention. When they are forgetting to throw out old food, forgetting appointments, and other similar things they should not continue living by themselves.

If they seem to not be taking care of themselves.

When a loved one seems to not be properly taking care of themselves, this is another rise for concern. This may mean that they are either struggling to do or just forgetting to do simple tasks.  By turning to a home care specialist you will have peace of mind.

If they can no longer drive safely.

When you start to notice their car getting more dents and scratches, it may be a sign that they are struggling behind the wheel. This is not only putting themselves at risk but other people as well.

When you are starting to get worried about your loved one’s well being have a conversation with them or their doctor and see what the cause could be. Comprehensive Home Care can also ensure they are getting the proper care from professionals who know what to do. Contact Comprehensive Home Care to get a free home assessment and learn more about the services we offer.

Check out Is It Just a Case of the Blues? Mental Illness in Seniors Is More Common Than You May Think to read about a condition that would benefit from the use of a home care specialist.

Senior Living Options

in ,

One of the hardest decisions a family member has to make is to place a loved one in an assisted living or use a home care specialist. Many families just want to know that they are making the best decision for their loved one. Many people put off the decision for far too long.

The term “senior living” always seems to be thrown around but it is a term that is often misunderstood and misused. This term covers many aspects of caring for the elderly. There are many senior living options available for those wanting to find a place for a loved one, as well as someone who wants to find a rewarding career in this field. When it comes to finding the best options, there are two main divisions in senior living.

Two main senior living options are:

Assisted Living Facility

Assisted living facilities offer a wide range of benefits and they generally provide a good selection of services and amenities designed for elderly patients. The services are designed specifically to help the residents live a happy, healthy, and semi-independent life. Assisted living facilities are ideal for individuals who can still take care of themselves and are able to perform day to day tasks without much help. This option helps the patient and the family by providing peace of mind that residents can enjoy life without the fear of things like falling and being alone for days or weeks at a time. Those who work in this area of nursing care, need to be kind, patient, understanding, supportive, easy-going, soft-spoken, and outgoing.

Home Care Facilities

Home care facilities are another variation of assisted living that provides a higher level of help and assistance. It is an ideal choice for those who need more care and attention in their day to day living and activities.  Board and home care facilities offer more assistance and help than the traditional assisted living facility.  They are a better choice than a nursing home or an assisted living facility because there are far more staff members and far fewer residents.

Ways to know when a move is necessary are:

 

  • The inability to dress, change, bathe, use the bathroom, and take care of themselves.
  • Vision issues that cause injuries.
  • Frequent falling.
  • Gaining weight or losing weight in an unhealthy manner.
  • If their memory is affecting important things such as remembering medications or taking the wrong doses.

If you see any of these in your loved one reach out to us! Comprehensive Home Care can help families make decisions on senior living options. Contact us here or call us at 704.333.5214 for more information.

Check out Types of Illnesses that Require Home Care to learn more.