subject: What Exactly Is Senior Home Care Anyway? [print this page] Pretend for a moment that you are elderly, need help with your medical needs. Would you rather stay in an unfamiliar location with strange smells and multiple attendants or in the safety of your own home? Senior home care is so important for a loved one's moral by allowing the individual to stay where they feel most comfortable.
We all like the idea of "being there" for our parents when they need us the most, but it is nearly impossible to accommodate them 24/7. Besides, do any of us really have the medical knowledge needed for such a task?
Home care companies provide a wide range of medical services including nursing, physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and more. Some even provide for special need clients with specific therapies including behavior health, cardiac specialty, diabetes management, low vision, orthopedic rehabilitation, transitional care and wound management.
Of course, trust is a big issue when you decide to let in a stranger to care for your family member. A reputable home health care company knows this and will work with you and the patient to creating a smooth road of communication between the three of you. This helps prevent any unpleasant surprises for either of you.
Once a senior home care provider enters your parent's home, it is quite common that a new and unique bond will occur between the three of you. You shouldn't expect a life-long friendship, as each caregiver has a number of patients to deal with. However, only the best caregivers continue this tough and demanding job. They only stick with it if they truly care for the patients.
A home health care service worth their salt will have a good reputation within the community that they serve. They will provide you with only the best, most trusted and most qualified medical staff to care for your loved one. They will continually keep their technicians up to date on the ever-changing medical landscape. This requires more training and money, but good patient care is worth it.
Some things to keep in mind: a home care professional is there to do a specific job and that job only. Don't expect them to run errands for you, make meals or clean the carpet. Also, no one should expect the caregiver to stay on the premises full time. However you shouldn't feel that you are "stuck" with a poor caregiver if they are not giving their best. Just know that they are not mind readers. You will need to communicate the needs of the patient to the caregiver. If ever you feel that your parent is in danger or not being treated with the utmost respect, you should let the management know immediately.
The demand for more senior home care providers is greater now than ever, so finding the best-qualified help for your family should be easier than ever.
