Helping Seniors Stay At Home

Home care services are available to seniors disabled with ailments such as dementia, chronic disorders and other terminal disabilities. Simple tasks such as cooking, washing, grooming and housekeeping becomes difficult for the disabled. Caregivers are sought in such demanding situations to enable them perform their daily chores. Agencies offering senior home care have risen rapidly in recent years. A major cause of this rise for home care services is that elderly people do not wish to leave their familiar community and home in times of physically stressful situations. The caregivers are supervised and trained by home care agencies. They work as a team on a part-time, shift or full time basis and are available all seven days in a week. Home care services are economical compared to nursing homes and other care centers.

A variety of services are available with home care service agencies. Homemaker services include help in cooking, laundry, cleaning, shopping and other daily chores. Companionship service includes paid companions who either make phone calls or make a friendly visit. Personal care provides assistance in eating, bathing, grooming, dressing etc. Home health care services are skilled and include nursing; occupational, physical, and respiratory and speech therapy. Activity group services include games, shopping outings, trips and other activities. Live-in help services are ideal when the senior needs round the clock help and support. Salary, boarding and food are provided to such caregivers and their help is sought for food preparation, housekeeping and other services. Hospice care services provide medical, emotional and social services to the terminally weak seniors.

Senior home care agencies can be located through resources like Yellow Pages, doctor referrals, religious institutions, newspaper ads and through reliable friends and relatives. Keep a few tips in your mind before hiring any home care agency. Firstly, check whether the agency is licensed and whether they provide proper coverage for absent and sick caregivers. Secondly, meet the caregiver personally and check whether you are satisfied. Thirdly, be specific of the tasks to be undertaken and discuss the wages. Fourthly, request personal details and ask references for their punctuality, trustworthiness and ability to handle stressful situations. Lastly, make a personal check on their background. Do not be in a hurry to make any commitment because the lives of these seniors are precious to you.

Factors affecting health care cost depend on competition, location and requirement of skill services. Another important sector where a senior needs help is managing of finances, especially when mental and physical disabilities, and failing eyesight and diminishing memory, confront a senior. If your parent trusts you, you can seek permission and check for inappropriate medical payments. Look for failures to list important bank documents and income. Check for vast donations to religious and charitable organizations. Check for consistent payment to a person, which is possibly a vivid sign that the parent is financially exploited. You can also seek help of supervised and trained volunteers providing assistance in bill payment and budgeting, claiming medical insurance, legal and financial planning, preparation of income tax etc.

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