When to Choose Home Care

Ask any senior and they will probably overwhelmingly vote for home care over a residential facility. But family members have to weigh the pros and cons of each type of care. When is home care a viable solution for a senior's need?

Temporary Condition

With insurance restrictions, hospital stays are becoming briefer and briefer each year. Patients are released from the hospital but may not be capable of life on their own. Home care can offer seniors physical therapy, nursing, and other care while their condition improves in their own home.

Chronic Condition

For years a senior may have capably managed a chronic condition such as diabetes or kidney disease. With aging that care and oversight of medication and treatment may become more difficult. Home care can check in with a senior to ensure that their condition is kept under control and they avoid complications.

Terminal Conditions

With some conditions and illnesses, there comes a time when treatment is no longer a viable avenue. The most important thing is to keep a patient comfortable and happy in their final days. Many patients can receive pain management and other support while living in their own home and find that it is a preferable alternative to hospitalization.

Help with One Aspect of Your Life

Sometimes just one thing is a stumbling block for a senior: for instance cooking, cleaning, or medication regime. Maybe they just need company to ward off depression or assistance to relieve them of the pressure of paying bills or worrying about who will cut the grass. Try to determine if, relieved of certain responsibilities, your senior can continue to live happily in their own home.

Partner Care

Often times, one partner becomes the caregiver for another and friends and family are relieved because the ill senior improves under the care of their well partner. Then, suddenly the well partner, worn down by the physical and mental demands of being a constant caregiver, suffers problems themself. Everyone finds it difficult to be a 24-7 caregiver. Sometimes home care is only needed on a brief regular basis in order to give the well partner a respite to "recharge their batteries".