Home care is an umbrella term that describes several types of caregiving. There are variations such as medical care or personal care, and the type of services a home care assistance company provides varies from agency to agency.
When it comes to in home care in West Hollywood, finding the right caregiving agency can make all the difference in your senior loved one’s life. Caregiving is a demanding and a challenging task, but with the right caregiver, it is the most rewarding experience in a senior’s life.
In order to find the right caregiving agency for your senior loved one, you need to know what services their caregivers offer.
In most cases, the services a home care assistance company offers can be divided into:
- Personal Care: Taking care of your senior loved one and helping with tasks such as bathing, transportation, and
- Homemaking: Taking care of your senior loved one’s home through tasks such as housekeeping, doing laundry, washing the dishes, etc.
- Companionship: Keeping your senior loved one company and taking them shopping, to a movie or spending time with them indoors or outdoors.
Various home care assistance jobs are grouped accordingly. When looking for a good caregiving agency to help your senior loved one and improve their quality of life, make sure the agency offers the five services listed below.
Personal Care
Some seniors need help with mundane tasks such as bathing, cleaning, getting dressed or going to the bathroom. They might also need someone to remind them to take their medication and help with the dosage. In these instances, having a caregiver who provides these services is mandatory.
A caregiver is supposed to help seniors with these tasks, but at the same time not treat them demandingly or like a child.
Caregivers should treat seniors with respect and not make them feel insecure. They should let seniors be as independent as possible so they can regain self-confidence.
Companionship
A life of a senior can be very lonely, especially if their family lives far away. Sure, there are plenty of apps that let seniors communicate with their loved ones, but nothing beats some quality face-to-face time.
Caregivers should be comfortable socializing with seniors, keeping them company, talking to them and enjoying activities such as walking, exercising or reading.
Housekeeping
A clean home is essential to a senior’s health. A messy home tends to attract a lot of bacteria and other germs that could pose a serious health risk to seniors.
While the level of housekeeping varies from company to company, a reputable home care agency should at least provide light housekeeping services to help seniors maintain a healthy living environment.
This includes tasks such as dusting, vacuuming and mopping, cleaning the bathroom, replacing their bedsheets, decluttering their home and taking out the garbage.
Meal Preparation
A healthy diet can make all the difference in a senior’s life. By eating the right nutrients seniors can feel stronger, healthier and more energized. But for seniors living alone, cooking a quality meal can pose a challenge.
That is why a caregiver should be able to prepare healthy, delicious meals for seniors to enjoy. Since proper nutrition is key to good health, the caregiver should pay special attention to the ingredients they use, the way they prepare and serve the meals.
Transportation
Most seniors living at home are immobile and depend on a driver to take them to the doctor’s, a mall or for a quiet day at the park.
That is why a caregiver should have a driver’s license and their vehicle. Seniors are confined to their homes, and going out once in a while is very important for their mental health. A good caregiver should be able to assist with this issue and get seniors where they need to be.
