Are there alternatives to home
care?
For the senior living alone who
is self-sufficient, an in-home alert system, which allows the
senior to easily call for assistance, is an excellent choice.
If the senior is having difficulty with taking medications on
time, automated medication dispensers might help. (We can
help answer your questions about these systems.)
For some people, a phone call
or a visit to the home from a friend, neighbor, or family
member may be sufficient to help. If you require more
assistance, family caregivers (family members providing
caregiver services to a family member) might be able to spend
some time helping, though, as they balance the multiple
responsibilities of their own lives, family caregivers often
are subject to stress and burn-out themselves. If a family
caregiver is unable to completely provide care herself, a
professional home care provider can assist some of the time
to provide relief for the family caregiver. This type of
assistance is usually called Respite Care.
My family member needs in-home
care but doesn’t want it. What should I do?
There seldom comes “A Day” when home care
suddenly becomes necessary – usually there is a gradual
decline in the senior’s ability to take care of him/herself.
Understanding and addressing the resistance to home care
should be the first priority. Frequently it is a sense of
loss of independence and it might
be useful to show the senior how he or she will be able to do
things that he or she hasn’t done in a long time – perhaps
dressing well and going to religious services or
a favourite restaurant. Another effective
strategy is to suggest that the initial period of home care
service is a “trial period” (which it truly is) and
that no permanent decisions are being made.
Having a family member present during the caregiver’s first
visit might make things go smoother. Often the senior's
resistance will abate as he or she comes to enjoy the companionship and the assistance
with chores that had previously been stressful and
difficult.
My mom has Alzheimer’s disease
and is frequently disoriented. How could home care help her?
Home care services can help to
keep a person with Alzheimer’s disease safe and more
satisfied with their quality of life. Friendly social
engagement, assistance with life’s daily activities, as
required, and supervision of activities are central to
providing care to a person with Alzheimer’s disease. Engaging
the senior in mentally challenging activities is helpful and,
for some seniors, skilfully and compassionately modifying
maladaptive behaviours can be important. Assuring that the
senior’s environment is safe and providing orienting cues are
also an important part of the benefits of home care for a
person with Alzheimer’s disease.
Why is Care Management
important?
Most seniors who require home care have
health problems that require close attention and that have
implications for the senior’s ability to take part in life’s
daily activities. A Care Manager who is familiar with a
senior’s family circumstance,
social needs and health
considerations is able to make a
thorough assessment and create a relevant, desirable care
plan. She will use the day-to-day
observations of family and a qualified caregiver to make the
home safer, to anticipate and avoid problems, and to improve
the senior’s enjoyment of life.
What are the benefits of Caring Solutions compared with a
registry or a privately hired caregiver?
| |
Caring Solutions |
Registries |
Privately-Hired
Caregivers |
|
Background Checks |
Thorough |
Variable |
Must
be done by family |
|
Training |
Initial training, client-specific training, ongoing
education and training |
Variable. Often depend on prior experience only. |
Variable. Most private caregivers do not pursue ongoing
professional education. |
|
Supervision, Thorough
Assessment, Carefully Monitored Care Plan |
By
an RN with scheduled and unscheduled on-site visits,
regular meeting with caregiver and client, care
documented and reviewed. |
Typically none. |
None. |
|
Coverage for
Absence/Illness |
Arranged by Caring Solutions |
Typically none. |
Family or caregiver must arrange. |
|
Payroll Taxes |
Caring Solutions manages and reports payroll taxes |
Family is responsible. |
Family is responsible. |
|
If the caregiver has a
work-related injury |
Covered by Caring Solutions' Workers Compensation |
Family or homeowner is liable. |
Family or homeowner is liable. |
Do you have a different
question? We would like to help. Call us at (925) 935-9500 or
email us at:
lydee@CaringSolutionsHomecare.com
|
