Home care allows aging adults to remain independent by providing them with support in their own environment.
Senior home care can be an ideal choice for your loved ones in Brooklyn, whether it’s part-time assistance or live-in assistance. In this article we’ll outline various forms of home care services available there.
In-Home Medical Care
Home health care agencies provide medical services like nursing, physical therapy and occupational therapy as well as everyday tasks like meal preparation and bathing assistance. To qualify for home health care under doctor orders and work together with an agency like this one to create a treatment plan.
Home care aides provide daily assistance for seniors with daily tasks like laundry, eating, showering, cleaning and getting dressed. In addition, they run errands, take patients to doctors appointments and offer companionship. Home healthcare services may be provided from as little as an hour a week up to 24 hours per day depending on individual need.
When searching for home healthcare services for a loved one, seek referrals from family and friends first. Next, research different forms of senior home care so you can select one best suited to their individual needs.
Respite Care
Respite care is a short-term service designed to give primary caregivers a break. Depending on its length of service, respite care can range from several hours a week up to several days or weeks, and can be provided by home care agencies, nursing and assisted living facilities, adult day care centers or even individual family and friends.
Caring for someone 24/7 can be draining and interfere with work schedules, social engagements and health needs of family members. Respite care allows primary caregivers time off – they can run errands, attend important meetings or take a vacation – or simply relax at home without stressing out over full-time caregiving responsibilities.
Long-term care insurance policies often cover respite care costs, while Medicare and Medicaid also assist. When searching for respite care programs or facilities, make sure they accept your family’s current insurance as well as offer payment plans or sliding fee scales if available. Identifying their preferences will also help find an apt match for their individual needs.
Overnight Care
Overnight care is an increasingly popular home care solution, in which a caregiver stays with your loved one from bedtime until morning. This option is especially valuable to families who wish to allow their loved one to remain living at home but require additional assistance in the form of helping to use the bathroom, preventing slips and falls or reminding them to take their medications.
Elderly people are at increased risk for injury during the night due to insomnia, confusion and delusions. Waking multiple times to use the restroom also poses a danger, particularly among those suffering dementia who may forget where or how they got back home.
Touching Hearts provides sleepover care that can alleviate these worries and ensure the safety of those you care for at night. Caregivers also serve as moral support, being on hand in case any emergencies arise during the night.
Personal Care
Personal care services available for seniors vary based on their individual needs, from simple companionship through full-time home health aides who assist with bathing, cooking, laundry and turning bedridden patients to help prevent pressure sores – to providing full assistance in bathing, cooking and positioning them to avoid pressure sores – among many other tasks.
Home care agencies that excel will match you and your loved one with caretakers that are friendly, compassionate and reliable. They’ll take the time to learn about your specific caregiving goals before developing an individualized care plan with you.
Be sure to ask about background checks. Some agencies require their workers to pass state-mandated background checks; while others will perform national database searches to help you avoid caregivers who have been accused of abusing patients or committing crimes in the past. A good agency will ensure a backup worker is always on call in case their primary caregiver becomes unavailable, further relieving stress for both you and your loved one, while offering funding options such as long-term care insurance or VA Aid & Attendance benefits.