Senior Snippets – Receiving Care at Home: What are your options?

It takes a lot to accept that our parents need care. Naturally, you think about the path that lies ahead. We know we’ll do the best we can to help, but with commitments such as work and parental responsibilities, there’s no escaping the potential need for professionals to help out…

Coupled with this could be the sadness around seeing a parent have to leave the home they love. But the truth is that care needs can be supported at home. Opting for home care is the first step. But it’s key to look at what forms of home care exist and what suits the needs of your loved one. Here are three options if you decide that home care is right for you:

Home care by the hour

Maybe your loved one is still quite capable and can live independently. But perhaps they have become too frail to keep up with the housework, and some extra help around the house will benefit them. Or maybe you’re not comfortable at the thought of them struggling when it comes to shopping, attending appointments and taking medication.

A Care Professional can support with that. But just as importantly, a Care Professional provides companionship. Social interaction
is vital, and with the right home care company, your loved one will bond with their Care Professional and simply feel like a friend popping in.

Live-in Care at home

You can take home care a step further and have a Care Professional move in with your loved one. That doesn’t mean they receive 24-hour care—it means that someone is available in the home throughout the day and will provide the care you need as you require it. Having company is important, and Live-in Care helps older people stay socially stimulated. From the family’s perspective, they can rest assured that the Care Professional can act if there is an emergency, such as a fall.

A Live-in Care package offers the ultimate flexibility. It fits around the client’s daily routine. Perhaps your loved one wants to eat at 1 p.m. on the dot? The Care Professional can make it happen. Whether they want to eat alone or with the Care Professional, their wishes can be fulfilled.

 

Specialist care

Even when care needs grow significantly, staying home can be an option. Home care companies rated highly, such as Home Instead, provide Care Professionals specially trained to care for people with conditions like dementia and Parkinson’s. They have the skills and knowledge to respond to the symptoms gently and give someone a happy and safe life at home.

Even people faced with a life-limiting disease or illness have the option to stay at home. A high-quality care company’s palliative care will ensure your loved one’s final months or years are as comfortable and dignified as possible.

Addressing the challenges of your parents’ getting older is much simpler if you’re already clued up on the care options available and know that staying at home is an option. The ageing process is different for everyone, and that’s why there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to care. Whatever situation you’re facing, there is a care package and a supportive team that can help.

For more information, email enquiries.burnley@homeinstead.co.uk, call 01282 911300, or write to Home Instead Burnley, Northbridge House, Elm Street, Burnley, BB10 1PD