Elder Care Home Care Helps Seniors Age in Place

If we aren’t dreaming of retiring on a tropical island, most of us just want to live out our lives where we are most happy, in our own homes. In fact, 90% of people over 65 want to live in their home for as long as possible, and 80% believe they will always continue to live in their own home. Until recently, this was not a feasible option for those individuals whose family must work or live far away, or in places where there are limited services to provide the necessary support. Fortunately, with today’s superior options in affordable elder care home care, aging in place can be a reality for many seniors.

elder care home care.

With today’s superior options in affordable elder home care, aging in place can be a reality for many seniors.

What is Aging in Place

Aging in place is the ability to spend as much of your life as possible where you are most comfortable– your own home. While the concept seems simple, it has not been a possibility for many Americans until very recently. Multiple factors made it difficult for seniors to remain in their homes, particularly once they need additional care and support. One of the biggest problems was a simple gap in service. Those who did not need full-time or on-going medical care but did need supportive care in medication management or daily living tasks were left with few options. For most, choices included moving to an assisted living facility or staying in the home without adequate help. Today, many industries have become more responsive to the needs of the senior community and together make at home care a possibility.

When is Eldercare Home Care the Optimum Choice?

Home health care options are for individuals wanting to stay in the home but need additional help in managing certain tasks, such as medication management, meal preparation, light housekeeping, bathing, grooming, and dressing.

Home health care solves common challenges such as:

  • Family that lives too far away to provide care
  • Family that must work to provide for the senior’s care and living expenses which takes them away from physical care
  • Family concerned about their loved one living alone
  • Seniors whose financial situation is such that staying in the home is most affordable
  • Seniors in good health but need support to maintain health and safety
  • Seniors that want to retain autonomy
  • Seniors that prefer care provided by others and who fear being a burden to family
  • Seniors that want to stay in the home and community where they have lived for some time

Society as a whole is becoming more aware of the needs of seniors and responding to those needs positively. If you have questions about eldercare home care, or how we can help your loved one age in place, please contact us today!

From Hospital to Home Care in 3 Simple Steps

homecare

If you hire outside help to care for your loved one, the information you relay from the doctor will make the difference in how the home care service provider understands their needs.

The time has come when your elderly loved one is going to be discharged.  Sometimes the announcement comes with enough advanced notice so that you can prepare for your loved one’s return to his residence or yours.  If you are one of those lucky ones whose parent is discharged early during the week, you might be able to call a long list of numbers given to you by the hospital staff if you have any questions about your parent’s post-acute care.  However, if your loved one is discharged on a Friday, your chances of talking to a live operator for post-acute care advice over the weekend are slim to none.

As the family caregiver or point-of-contact, you will be the one receiving any kind of information about your parent or spouse’s prognosis.  Unfortunately, at the present time there is no universal system set in place when it comes to hospital discharge, and the information you relay to your caregiver (if you hire outside help) from the doctor will make the difference in how the home care service provider will understand your loved one’s needs.

Hospital discharges don’t have to be complicated.  To make life easier for yourself and the caregiver you hire, follow these simple steps:

Ask your loved one’s physician for a written, detailed report that an average person can understand. 

Your certified nurse assistant may understand medical jargon, but you as the family caregiver might not.  To be as engaged as possible, ask for clear language so you know the medications, prognosis, type of daily living assistance and any specialized care your loved one needs upon returning home.

If your loved one requires specialized care, ask your doctor to be specific if the report contains inadequate details.

Specialized care means going beyond the normal scope of assistance with daily living (e.g., light housekeeping, meal preparation, laundry, etc.).  If a patient’s condition calls for usage of a nebulizer, colostomy bag, G-tube, or other equipment, a regular family caregiver without the knowledge, training and experience of such care may do more harm than good.  You can avoid hospital readmission if you get the right type of care for your loved one.  Understand your limitations – what you can or cannot do for your elderly loved one.

Make sure you hire a caregiver from a 24-hour home care agency.

Knowing that you have support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, gives you an incredible peace of mind.  Not every home care agency offers 24 hour support, and you might find yourself in a bind if you can’t reach anyone for immediate answers.  Whether you hire a caregiver for a few hours a day or for 24 hours round-the clock, it’s always good to know in the back of your mind that you could call a hotline at any hour, day or night.

Contact us at Endeavor Home Care!  Our hotline (480) 535-6800 is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Our exceptional team of medical professionals is ready to answer any questions you may have about in-home respite care in Gilbert and the surrounding areas.

In Home Care: How do You Know When it is Needed?

Many of us have elderly parents or loved ones who live independently and seem to be doing well. At some point, however, you may have a nagging feeling that they aren’t faring as well as they seem to be. Something is wrong. Perhaps your loved one doesn’t need to be in a long-term care facility or even assisted living, but what are the signs they may need in home care ?

in home care

Your loved one may not need long-term care in a facility, but in home care may be a helpful option for many.

First, it might be something as small as a pile of unopened mail that grows daily. A review of the mail might reveal overdue bill notices. Consistently missing important appointments may signal that your loved one needs help. Another sign is a change in personal habits. Someone who has always been clean and neat may become disheveled and have body odor. This may mean she forgets to shower or is afraid to get into a tub. She may lose interest in activities or hobbies she has always enjoyed. You may notice that the home, which formerly was kept spotlessly, now is dirty and there might even be a smell of urine. Your loved one may show hesitation when doing familiar tasks, or even forget how to do them entirely.

Sometimes you will notice spoiled food in the refrigerator. That happens to all of us, but when it happens again and again, or when the loved one prepares and ingests the spoiled food anyway, there is a danger in not addressing the problem. Older people who live on a budget and who subscribe to “Meals-on-Wheels”-type programs may hoard leftover food, sometimes forgetting to refrigerate it.

A check of medications may show you a discrepancy. There might be more tablets than there should be ( forgetting to take the medication) or too few (taking too many). The medications may be out-dated. Another thing you might notice is unexplained bruises or scrapes (and dents on the car).

When you begin to notice these signs you may be frightened, but you needn’t be. Few people develop them all at once. Usually people who are experiencing some trouble that makes it difficult or dangerous for them to live unassisted can still function more-or-less independently with some help. For ideas on how to help your loved one deal with lessened abilities or for information on caring and dependable assistance at home, contact us.

The Benefits of Senior Home Healthcare Services

Senior citizens face many challenges that often include needing assistance with the things they once took for granted. Simple tasks become difficult to perform and even preparing meals can become a challenge as you age. If you have a loved one who needs help with daily activities but who values their independence, home healthcare may be the answer you’ve been looking for.

home healthcare services

Home healthcare services can help your senior loved one with a variety of daily activities, from cooking meals to taking medication.

Many seniors don’t want to leave the home they spent years working for to live in an assisted care facility, which is understandable. You work hard all of your life to make your house a home and it’s difficult to leave. However, as we age, many people have disabilities that prevent you from doing everyday tasks like cooking or cleaning, which is necessary for your health and well-being. Home care services can help.

Home Healthcare Provides a Variety of Services

One of the great things about home healthcare services is that you can choose from a wide variety of options, which allow you to cater to the specific needs of the elderly person. For example, some elders need help preparing meals and taking medication correctly. Skipping doses or doubling up could have serious health complications, so it’s vital someone is there to help.

Some seniors need medical aide administered by a professional and there are qualified nurses available to provide this type of service. Checking vital signs and monitoring patients are part of the job and these professionals also have CPR and first aid training.

Home care services also offers personal care that includes helping the patient bathe, get dressed and move from one room to another along with transportation to doctor’s appointments and other places they need to go. Some seniors have disabilities that prevent them from doing housework or cooking meals and these services are also available.

Regardless of what your specific situation is, home care can provide the services needed for your loved ones to maintain a certain amount of independence, so they can continue to live in their own home.

Home Healthcare Offers Companionship

Some seniors may not say much but they need companionship just like everyone else and that is another benefit home healthcare provides. While these professionals are taking care of their needs, they are also giving them someone to talk to throughout the day.

Even if you have an elderly parent or other relative living with you, home healthcare can still be beneficial. You can’t always be there to provide the care they need but with these services, you don’t have to worry about your loved one because you know they will be well cared for when you’re away.

Here at Endeavor Home Care, we offer quality care for your loved ones and we provide service to the Scottsdale, Arizona, Phoenix and surrounding cities. Contact us to learn more about the services we offer and our mission to provide the best in home care for seniors in the area.