How much do you care for your parents? Grandparents? Do you have plans for when they finally retire? Did they ever discuss a retirement plan with you or other family members? Most children like you and me leave the nest the first chance we get. Some don’t come back at all.
Well, it is normal that we live our lives while our parents live their own. Perhaps you have been too busy living that you forgot that your parents have grown old in the process. One day you come home and the black hair that use to grow thick on their heads have been replaced by grey or white ones. Oh, how time flies.
You will now observe how those strong arms that once held you up in the air tremble at simple tasks such as opening jars. Your mother’s soft touch has turned rough because of aging. But however you hope to take care of them yourself, you also have a responsibility back home. Who will take good care of them? Who can you trust?
This is where home care comes in. Why commit them to a nursing home when they can be at home where they are safest and can still be taken of? Home care providers can give companionship to your loved ones whilst taking good care of them.
Depression is a major problem with aging. The causes of depression are usually having a chronic illness, a close family member or spouse passing away, loss of independence or function, and most of all, moving to a retirement facility. Psychological problems are hard to deal with, especially when the elderly feels abandoned by his loved ones. Depression will lead to demotivation, which leads to an over-all loss of will to live life.
Diet And Medication
Home care providers can be there to make sure that your loved one is eating enough, and that what they’re eating is nutritious. Early onset Alzheimer’s and other common elderly conditions can lead to lack of nutrition because they have forgotten to eat their meals or they might overeat because they forgot that they have already eaten. Home care providers can help schedule meal times to make sure that your loved one eats the right food at the right time. This same concept applies to medication.
Conversations And Activities
Having a relatively active life can boost your loved one’s morale. With home care, the provider can provide just that in the form of companionship. Home gives your loved one someone to socialize with, help maintain schedules, keep track of nutrition, and help in the tasks of daily living. Simple activities like playing cards, chess, reading a book, etc. could invigorate your loved one, and a home care provider would be someone to do these activities with.
Personal Assistance
Personal assistance is helping your loved one with their personal needs. We use the term “help” because the older adults want to know that they can still contribute are still able to do what they normally do. Some older adults feel useless if you take all tasks and responsibilities from them. They are people who are used to taking care of you as their children. Also, having been working most of their lives, they will find it hard to break the routine. That is why we should not treat them like they have any disability, we just assist.
Routines And Errands Assistance
Home care providers can make arrangements for your loved ones to visit you. This can also be done for their check ups and medication fills. Home care providers can accompany your loved ones to their errands if they still do any, to make sure that your loved one is safe and that help is there if they need it.
Safety And Health Supervision
Having someone who is younger and well-abled to watch over your loved ones is comforting. Knowing that someone is there to help them and keep them away from harm will give you peace of mind. A simple task, like walking down the stairs, can be hazardous and home care personnel can provide assistance to prevent any accidents.
Home Maintenance
There is nothing more frustrating to an adult than not being able to keep their own home in proper order. As people grow old though, this task will seem more and more difficult because of the aging body. Home care would provide your loved one with people who can cook great meals, do the laundry, maintain cleanliness in the house, and so on.