Aging makes us prone to various chronic health problems. Sometimes, these problems can limit our daily living activities such as walking, eating, cooking, dressing, shopping or using the toilet. Although assisted living or nursing homes can provide such services for the elderly, we prefer to age-in-place, i.e., our homes. Home care assistance can help us by giving specialized elderly care at home.
This article will discuss why we need in-home care and the different aspects of it.
Why would we need it in old age?
We are prone to falls, injuries, and many chronic health-related issues in our old age. These problems may include but are not limited to,
- Cardiac diseases
- Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Muscular atrophy in old age
- Hearing and eyesight problems
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
These health issues can make it difficult for us to perform activities of daily living. Unified Caring Association has endorsed “TheKey” (formerly known as Home Care Assistance) on its website, which can provide us with specialized care at home as we age.
Types of in-home care
Depending upon the coverage, in-home care is mainly classified into three types.
- Generalized Home Care
In this type, generalized care is provided to the elderly at home. This includes 24/7 care at home, live-in care, and respite care. Moreover, it also provides companionship care if an older adult feels alone or isolated.
- Memory Care at Home
It provides professional care and support to cope with memory and cognitive issues at home. Usually, this type of support focuses on assisting the elderly with personal care, social engagement, and daily living activities.
- Specialized Home Care
As the name indicates, this type of care is specialized for those elderly struggling with different medical issues requiring special needs. These conditions may include Parkinson’s disease, heart problems, post-stroke disabilities, cancer, and other chronic medical problems.
Benefits of Home Care Assistance
In-home care of the elderly provides certain benefits that make it preferred to nursing homes or assisted living centers. Let’s discuss some of these benefits,
- Independence and autonomy
We are often reluctant to lose our independence in old age, so we have difficulty adjusting to a nursing home. However, in-home care provides a sense of autonomy and control over health-related decisions.
- Regular checks on well being
In-home care ensures a regular and focused check on the physical and mental well-being. It may include nutritional support, medication reminders, appointment needs for a physician’s check-up, and monitoring of daily routines.
- Family support and socialization
Older adults may feel isolated or away from family in assisted living or nursing homes. In-home care provides specialized elderly care with an opportunity to keep our social circle intact. Being at home allows us to keep socializing regularly with our family, friends, and neighbors.
- Lesser need for transportation
In-home care lessens the need for regular transportation to home or a caring center. While providing elderly care at home, the caring staff would need transportation instead of us.
Take Home
According to the AARP’s National Survey 2018, about half of American older adults want to stay in their current residence as they age. However, old age is usually associated with different medical conditions that can limit us from performing daily living activities. In-home care provides viable caring solutions at home while we get older. Home care for the elderly includes generalized in-home care, memory care at home, and specialized home care. What distinguishes in-home care from nursing homes is increased autonomy, socialization, continuous checks on well-being, and a lesser need for transportation.