Four Ways a Visiting Home Care Aide Improves Life for an Aging Senior Struggling with Everyday Activities
A home care aide is such a valuable asset for aging seniors, but too often they are overlooked. Many Americans have misconceptions about what home care is, what it offers, and what it can provide to elderly men and women. Or they simply don’t know.
Unfortunately, when some people don’t know much about a topic, like elder care, they don’t investigate it. They simply see a spouse, aging parent, or even a sibling or friend who needs help and they step up and provide it. In time, though, they may come to realize that home care would have been a better option for many reasons.
Family caregivers take on a great responsibility.
There is no doubt that family members who become caregivers to aging adults are heroes to some degree. The unfortunate part is most of them have no prior experience doing this and often miss incredible opportunities to maximize quality of life and safety for the very ones they seek to protect.
A home care aide, especially one who works for an agency, often has a great deal of experience. More agencies are now providing training and ongoing support to their home care aides so they can continue providing better and better care to the seniors who need support.
Home Care: Senior Everyday Activities in Wilmette, IL
That being said, hiring an experienced in-home care aide can help to improve quality of life for an aging senior. This doesn’t mean family caregivers can’t do that, but more often than not the more experience elder care personnel have, the more likely they are to help the senior with aspects of life they need the most support in. Let’s look at four ways that a visiting home care aide can help to improve life for somebody of advancing years who is struggling with activities of daily life.
1. They offer physical support.
An elderly person might have trouble just getting out of bed in the morning. A family member, like a spouse, can certainly do something to help, too, but the older a person is, the more it taxes their physical ability. Eventually, both spouses may need support, too.
2. They can offer reminders.
Whether it’s about an appointment coming up, a conversation they recently had with a loved one, when it’s time to take their medications, or other things that are going on, simple reminders in a calm and patient manner, not degrading and constantly telling them, “You already know this,” can do wonders to improve mental health and outlook for somebody already struggling with their memory.
3. Removing the caregiving focus from the family.
This can be a huge relief to family members who feel like they are parenting their parents now. The relationship dynamics can change in many negative ways that lead to years of regret afterward.
Hiring an in-home care aide can help reduce or even eliminate the focus of caregiving for family so they can instead be loved ones.
4. It can offer companionship.
Companionship is often underrated as an important factor of home care, but as social creatures, we crave connection. Having somebody there to support them daily, every other day, or a few days a week who can also carry on conversations, to enjoy company, this can do wonders for emotional outlook, which can be just as crucial as the physical supports.
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Wilmette, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.
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