subject: The Basics Of Senior Home Care [print this page] As a senior adult ages, he or she may have difficulty taking care of the activities of daily living. At this point, they may become eligible for senior home care. This type of professional care takes care of the medical services and day to day living activities senior adults may need, and can encompass a variety of activities, ranging from skilled nursing care to simple companionship.
It can be complicated to choose a provider for senior home care. Some home care providers are able to administer various medical treatment, but others may not have actual medical training and are more able to help an elderly person with other activities, such bathing, preparing meals, and cleaning.
Paid caregivers help clients with basic daily tasks, but also assist with keeping their patient entertained. Caregivers can take the client to the store, for example, or drive them to visit their family, take them for short walks around their area, or help them with other day to day activities.
Private insurance or Medicare can assist patients with the cost of private in home care, but the amount paid will depend on the individual diagnosis of each patient. The diagnosis code provided by the patient's doctor will help insurance to decide the type of care that can be provided, and how many hours of in home care the company will pay for. The agency or private caregiver you've chosen to provide elder care will be able to give you the details of your individual situation.
Depending on the individual situation and diagnosis of your patient, senior home care may cost less than full time skilled nursing home care. If your family member's condition doesn't require long term care or skilled nursing care, you may not have to relocate them to a private nursing home. Instead, they may be able to stay at home.
In general, seniors prefer to remain in their homes for as long as they possibly can. This ensures the degree of independence that they've been used to throughout their life, which may make the prospect of receiving elder care more easy for them to accept. Most seniors can be easily maintained at home with the help of a skilled home care provider, and this allows them to maintain their dignity and independence.
Customized in home care also allows you to rest assured that your loved one is maintaining enough social interaction as they age. Many seniors live too far from their family members to maintain regular, in-person, interactions, and can quickly become lonely and isolated, which can lead to depression. Regular visits from a caregiver can also help keep the senior's doctors and nurses aware of any medical issues that they develop.
Senior home care is an excellent option for older adults and their loved ones. The type of care they provide allows aging adults to remain in their own homes, and is often less inexpensive than a full time skilled nursing facility. Each patient's family needs to make an individualized choice about the type of senior care that works best for them. However, an in home caregiver is an excellent choice for many.
