subject: Senior Home Care: Great Potential [print this page] Hiring a senior home care agency for your elderly loved one is a great alternative to sending him or her off to a nursing home or hospital. And just think, they will be getting equivalent care, but in the safety of their own homes, where they can continue to be happy in peace outside of a clinical environment.
Just imagine after you hire the correct agency - you will get to keep the best parts of the relationship with your senior, but the difficult, uncomfortable, or specialized work will be left to highly trained professional who sole purpose it is to make your life as comfortable as possible.
Senior home care also depends on the situation. Treatments vary, from physical therapy, to patient and caregiver education, to nutrition therapy, injections, and the monitoring of health status one way or another. Aids can also help with daily activities like getting into and out of bed, bathing, hygiene, using the bathroom, and dressing, in addition to light work like housekeeping, laundry, specialty cooking, and shopping trips.
To find out which agency is right for you, either contact your local hospital for their suggestions, or search the internet for what looks to be the ideal company. Be aware that some insurers only pay for agencies that they have certified, so check the right connections before making a commitment. Look at peer and customer reviews as well for additional information.
Once you hire an agency, there are several things that you can expect. You can expect that the staff will check standard vitals - blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature - as well as looking for breathing difficulties, and seeing if the patient is ever in too much pain. They'll also make sure that medications are being taken correctly, and that seniors stay in the appropriate mental and physical conditions. They have the knowledge are experience to do this effortlessly and professionally.
It's also good to be aware of something called a plan of care.' Essentially, it's a list of personnel, equipment, treatments, and sets of results that are a part of the patients long-term holistic care plan. This plan is at the heart of any senior treatment, and it is regularly revised with the patients themselves, their primary caregivers, any doctors involved, and all other interested parties.
After starting the service, check in with the situation every day. Are all parties being treated respectfully, and are all questions being answered promptly and efficiently? Is the agency constantly looking to improve their service for you and your senior?
Knowing this information, you should be able to find a good senior home care agency that suits your needs.
