Many older adults say they would prefer to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. But eventually, there comes a time when most seniors will need some help managing daily tasks to uphold their independence and quality of life. As a caring family member, you may have concerns about an aging loved one living alone. Who will help them cook, clean, and run errands? What if they need help with their daily routine? What happens if they begin to feel lonely or isolated? This is where at-home personal care comes in.
Benefits of At-Home Personal Care for Seniors
Personal care is designed to help seniors age in place safely and maximize their independence by providing meaningful social connection and friendship, along with practical assistance with daily activities of living such as medication management, light housekeeping and cooking, transportation to appointments and errands, and more.
How can personal care help your loved one? Here’s a look at four amazing benefits of at-home senior personal care:
Social & Emotional Support
Personal care provides invaluable companionship and social interaction for older adults living alone. Far too many seniors experience social isolation and loneliness, leading to serious health concerns such as a weakened immune system, depression and anxiety, cognitive decline, and higher risks for high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and premature death. Researchers have even found that loneliness can be as damaging to a senior’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day!
However, with the help of a personal care assistant, these feelings of isolation and loneliness can subside. At-home personal care assistants take the time to get to know the seniors they care for, learning about their interests and concerns through conversations over coffee, outings to doctor’s appointments or errands, or playing a game at home. Simply having a friendly visit to look forward to can have a wonderful effect on your loved one’s overall wellbeing and outlook on life.
Enhanced Independence
By providing help with daily activities and alleviating the stress of household chores, personal care supports seniors’ independence and allows them to make the most of their time at home. Instead of worrying about being able to do things like prepare meals and fold laundry, your loved one can focus on enjoying life at home on their terms — doing whatever makes them happy.
Relief for Family Caregivers
Millions of family caregivers provide unpaid care and support to an aging loved one, in addition to juggling full-time jobs and other family responsibilities. If you’re one of them, you know that caregiving can be as stressful as it is rewarding. Without regular breaks to care for yourself, you may be at risk for caregiver burnout, a state of extreme physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion.
Thankfully, at-home senior personal care can also serve as respite care, giving family caregivers a chance to rest, travel, or refocus on their own needs. Whether you need a few hours of help each day or all-day support, personal caregivers can arrange to meet your loved one’s needs when you can’t be there yourself.
Early Signs of Changing Needs
It’s often difficult to tell when our older loved ones need an increased level of care. We may not know what exactly to look for, or when to seek help. Another valuable benefit of at-home personal assistants is that they’re attentive and educated on the subtle signs of changing physical, mental, and emotional health needs in the seniors they care for.
Recognizing these signs early on allows seniors and their families to seek help and support right away. In this way, using the services of an at-home personal assistant can also make it easier for seniors to transition to other types of at-home care services when needed, including skilled nursing support, therapies, and post-surgery care.
Is It Time for At-Home Personal Care?
When your loved one needs personal care in the comfort of their home, consider the professional at-home senior care services offered by Home Care Assistance.
Home Care Assistance provides non-medical in-home care services in the community and on-campus at Bethany Village. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that your loved one will be served with the dignity, respect, and kindness they deserve.
In addition to companionship, your loved one will benefit from a combination of other non-medical personal care services based on their needs, including:
- Medication reminders
- Respite and family support
- Meal preparation and clean up
- Light housekeeping and linen change
- Laundry
- Help with bathing, grooming, dressing, and other daily tasks
- Transportation to doctor appointments, errands, and shopping
For seniors needing at-home medical services after a change of health, surgery, or recent hospitalization, Bethany Village Home Health Care offers skilled nursing support, post-surgery care, therapies, and social work support.
Are you ready to learn more about the at-home senior care services? Please contact us today. We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have about arranging at-home care for yourself or a senior loved one.
