Three Types of In-Home Health Care Services for Your Aging Parents
According to the CDC, 4.9 million seniors require some form of in-home care on a regular basis. If your Mom and/or Dad are among them you’ve got some tough decisions ahead.
Understanding your options is vital if you’re going to choose the care strategy best suited to your parent’s needs.
Your first option is to care for your elderly loved one or loved ones yourself. Millions do; taking on domestic tasks, medication management and personal care tasks without the benefit of either training or pay. Many adult children find the physical, mental, and emotional toll these tasks take to be too much. According to Kaiser Health News you’re statistically likely to start neglecting your own needs, and may put yourself at risk for depression among other issues, should you make this attempt.
After all, taking on these tasks yourself could make demands you never expected. Few adult children are comfortable with the idea of bathing their mother or father, for example, or helping mom or dad use the toilet.
The challenges grow even greater if you are a member of the “sandwich generation,” an adult with elderly parents and children of your own to care for.
The other two options mean taking advantage of one of two types of in-home services.
The first type is home health care. Home health care is best suited for seniors who have serious medical issues. This level of care would usually involve help from a skilled, licensed RN. It may cover wound care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and more.
Home health care is sometimes only necessary in the short term. Insurance or medicare will usually cover these services should your parents require it.
Private duty home care is the second type. Private duty home care tackles a variety of services seniors need to manage day-to-day living. These can include help with housekeeping, meal preparation, bath assistance and even help with errands. Home care agencies can also help seniors manage loneliness by playing games with them or driving them to social events.
Long-term private duty home care can help seniors maintain some level of independence. It can also give you peace of mind without draining your personal resources. The right set-up can even be affordable, allowing you to pay only for the time and services your Mom or Dad might need.
Got questions? Call us about our private duty home care services today.
References
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/home-health-care.htmhttp://khn.org/news/parent-trap/
