When A Loved One Needs More Than Your Care

Friday, March 1, 2013

many baby boomersare facing the challenge of caring for their parents or other family member. Assessing when someone needs more than just an occasional visit to see how heorsheis doingis not always easy. Here are some questions that may help you determine if your loved ones are in need of care. *Have they started to miss appointments? *Is their house dirty or cluttered or is laundrypiling up? *Is there spoiled food in the fridge or expired food in cabinets? *Have they lost weight or are there any other signs of a poor diet? e Are they showing a decreased ability to keep up with chores, shopping and errands? Are they forgetting to take medication or taking more than prescribed? Have they let their grooming slip? Two Types Of Home Care Once you have determined that your loved one needs moreprofessional care on a more consistent basis, the question becomes, What kind of care? Experts contend that there are basically two types of home care. There’s care provided by paid health care professionals who are state licensed, work per the orders of a physician and can deliver medical care in the home. This includes care delivered by nurses, physical therapists or social workers. The second type of care includes that delivered by aides, homemakers and companions who are there to help with nonmedical daily activities so a senior can Some homecare is provided by licensed health care professionals and someby aides and companions who help with nonmedical daily activities. stay at home, independently, for as long as possible. Many seniors can benefit from this nonmedical type of care, which is designed to make sure your loved oneis eating properly, and that the household is being taken care of. Here are a few of the services that can be provided in your loved one’s home: Companionship * Medication reminders Light housework * Meal preparation Assistance with grooming Transportation. A Range Of Services Home care can range from a few hours a weekto full-time care. Each situation is personal and an experienced provider, such as Interim HealthCare, can help you determine what level of care your parent or loved one needs. For example, you can visit IndependentLivingAssessment.com and take Interim HealthCare’s free Assessment to get a personalized report generated for your loved one.

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