If you have been providing someone care and home-based support, you may recognize that it’s too much of a job to be able to do on your own. In particular, when the one for whom you have been caring starts to have difficulty with everyday tasks, such as dressing and bathing. Little by little, housekeeping and errands start to fall by the wayside, and you may have noticed that responsibilities outside of the care you are providing are not getting done. Or, you may have noticed that the companionship and visits that you provide are not enough, and maybe you need to look into senior home care. At this stage, it is likely that you have considered hiring some additional help in the form of a home health aide.
Finding an in-home caregiver to support you with providing health care to someone in need can be relatively straightforward. Before picking up the phone to start interviewing candidates, it is helpful to know what you can expect from an in-home caregiver.
Consider that there are four principal types of care required, and you will need to find someone who can provide one, some, or all of these depending upon individual needs and conditions.
- Personal care providers provide assistance with day-to-day personal activities including bathing, toileting, dressing, and eating.
- Household care assistance is a second type of care that can be provided, and involves housekeeping, cooking, laundry, shopping, and an extra hand around the house.
- Health care can also be provided if required. This can be everything from physical therapy, medication management, and getting to and from the doctors’ office to having a qualified medical professional available to support or address specific health concerns or issues.
- Some seniors require, above all others, emotional care. This kind of care can involve having someone to come over to provide some company and companionship all the way up to psychological support for individuals struggling with anxiety or depression.
You will want to identify which of these types of care will be required, and what level of care will be required. Home health aides are available to address specific care requirements, and to ensure that in home health care needs are being met. The more that you are able to honestly articulate needs, the more likely that care expectations can be met through in home health care, whether this will be for senior in home care, or just for someone who needs a bit of extra help.
