Senior care has advanced and evolved over the years; and quite a bit over the last decade or so. A lot of this innovation has come in the form of home care. Decades ago, when an elderly family member required care to live a safe and healthy life, families immediately began looking at brochures for nursing homes and the like. With in-home care, that is no longer necessary. But there are limits to home care, right? How much care can one receive in-home? Will looking for a live-in caregiver be a worthwhile endeavour?
In-Home Care
In-home care has become available so widely and has become so diversified that it’s almost rare now that anybody who does not want to leave their home has to in order to get the care and assistance they require. There are certain things for which we recognize in-home care being perfect. If a senior mostly just needs help taking care of their homes, running errands, and doing chores, we can all readily see how having a caregiver come twice a week to help with such tasks would be an easy fix.
But what about seniors who need more than just a little help. Some seniors require a great deal of care and assistance. They might still want to live in their homes. Can they? Sure, a caregiver could come by twice a day to help them in and out of bed. A caregiver could come and help prepare meals and remind them to take medication. But what if they might need care at any time? What if they need assistance 24/7?
Live-in Care
With live-in care, a senior can have access to care and assistance around the clock. But not all healthcare agencies offer live-in care. And of course, live-in care does cost more than simply having a caregiver come by twice a week. But it does mean that your elderly loved one is never far from care and you can work out a customized plan of care suited specifically to them.
Looking for a Live-in Caregiver
When looking for a live-in caregiver you have to keep a few things in mind. First, remember that this person will be living in the same home as your elderly loved one(s). You have to be able to trust them. You want to work with a healthcare agency that has an intensive pre-employment screening process, which includes a criminal background investigation, verification of references, and employment history. The live-in caregiver must be free of communicable diseases and must be physically able to fulfill their in-home job requirements.
Furthermore, when looking for a live-in caregiver look for one that is bonded and insured, experienced, skills tested, and who has undergone continuing education and training in senior home care. Also, if looking for a live-in caregiver for somebody with a condition –Alzheimer’s Disease, ALS, MS, Parkinson’s Disease etc.– it’s important to make sure the live-in caregiver can cope with said condition. The best healthcare agencies have staff who are specially trained in and skilled at helping seniors with conditions such as these.
Get in Touch
If you would like some more advice on looking for a live-in caregiver, please contact us today.