What are the Top Benefits of Home Care?

If you or your loved one enjoys living at home but needs some help with daily tasks, Home Care is usually the first solution you’ll consider. It enables you to stay at home with the help of a trained caregiver that can provide support on a regular basis. Home Care isn’t always the best solution, and it might only be temporary if an Assisted Living or Memory Care Community would provide a better quality of life. However, Home Care can ease some of the physical and emotional burdens of living alone in your current residence.

Advantages of Home Care

While Assisted Living Communities provide the peace of mind and security that comes with living in a specialized location, with Home Care, you’ll receive support for between three and eight hours a day. Here, we explore the top 10 benefits of Home Care.

A Renewed Feeling of Independence

Nobody wants to lose their independence, but the realities of life tell us we’re all going to need help—now or in the future. One of the key benefits of Home Care is the ability to live independently in your own home while receiving help with everyday tasks such as walking, bathing, and dressing.

Personalized Care

With Home Care you receive one-on-one attention, from a caregiver who will address your specific needs and concerns. Over time, you’ll establish a personal bond with your caregiver and feel more and more comfortable in this relationship.

Faster Recovery

If you’re recovering from an accident, surgery, illness or injury, Home Care can promote healing. For specific medical support while recovering, it’s best to consider a Home Health Care professional who is trained to provide medical assistance. Another alternative is skilled rehab if you are open to a short-term stay away from home. Even at the best hospitals, anyone who is recovering from a setback is always asking the same question: “When can I go home?” With the help of a caregiver who can offer personalized services, the transition from hospital to home can be smooth and beneficial—physically and emotionally.

Home Therapy

Depending on the level of training, caregivers can assist with physical, occupational, and speech therapy, or implement exercise programs to make sure you remain active and engaged. (No matter your age, let’s be honest; it’s a lot easier to stick to an exercise program if someone is helping and encouraging you along the way!)

Nutritional Guidance and Help with Cooking Meals

A home caregiver can prepare healthy and nutritional meals that are tailored to an individual’s tastes and dietary restrictions. They can also make sure you’re eating on a regular basis.

Safety, Comfort, and Convenience

Your Home Health caregiver can make sure you’re taking the proper dose of your medications and look out for harmful drug interactions. A Home Care provider can help you with getting around the house and performing daily tasks, which greatly reduces the chance of injury. Also, when you know your caregiver will be there on a regular basis, you will feel safer and more comfortable in your home.

Transportation

If you or your loved one has reached the point where you don’t always feel comfortable driving, a caregiver can give you a ride or run errands for you. Conversely, you might actually save on some transportation time and costs.

Additionally, Home Health Care providers monitor your health, so you won’t always have to rush to the hospital unless it is necessary. (Of course, you should never hesitate to go to the hospital or call 911 if the situation calls for it.)

Companionship

Even if someone has a wonderful support system of family and friends, if you’re living alone, there are times when you might feel isolated and lonely. With Home Care, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with your caregiver who visits on a regular basis. Also, there’s greater flexibility for friends and family members to visit, as there are no official visiting hours or restrictions on guests when you are at home, as opposed to in the hospital.

Relief for Family Members

In that same vein, when family members and friends do come to visit you, they don’t have to worry about shifting into amateur caregiver mode. Of course, they can assist you with various tasks, if necessary, but when you’re receiving regular visits from a caregiver, they can breathe a sigh of relief.

Help with a Pet

Many older adults living at home have a beloved pet who provides companionship, comfort and unconditional love. However, pets also require a lot of attention and care, and if you need help with walking them, feeding them or making sure they’re living healthy and complete lives, a caregiver can alleviate your concerns.

Disadvantages of Home Care

While Home Care and Home Health Care are sought after by many who want to remain in the comfort of their own home, it is really only a short-term solution. For example, as a person progresses and needs additional medical care, the costs associated with Home Care may not be manageable. Assisted Living Communities offer 24/7 care, but a Home Care or Home Health Care professional may only visit for a few hours per day. You can learn more about the financial implications of Home Care in our article “What Does Home Care Cost?”

Additionally, people who choose Home Care do not receive the same sense of community that is found with Independent Living or Assisted Living. These types of communities also remove the burdens of home maintenance, cleaning and other household chores.

Learn More About Senior Living Options

As we’ve seen, Home Care and Home Health Care promote healing, companionship, safety, recovery, better dietary habits, relief for family members, and offer help with transportation, personalized services and much more. However, if you require more than just a few hours of attention per day, you might want to consider the more comprehensive services offered by an Assisted Living or Memory Care Community. Talk with the team at Referah. We look forward to helping you or your loved one find the right type of care for a more fulfilling lifestyle.