Seeing our aging loved ones in fragile health is painful as it is, and most of us would do everything we can to turn back the clock. Sadly, we cannot, so we will naturally opt for the next best thing: do everything in our power to make sure our elderly family members have a comfortable life.
For the vast majority of the elderly, that could mean only one thing: continuing to live at home instead of having to move to a senior care facility. Still, those who continue to live at home will likely need some assistance at some point. Usually, the next of kin will be there to give them a helping hand. But if that is not an option, there is a reliable alternative: reaching out to the most competent providers of home care in Pacific Palisades who can respond to the requests and cater to the needs of the elderly.
So is it time you hired a professional caregiver for your elderly loved one?
How do you help seniors stay in their homes?
Whether you have decided that your senior loved one should continue living in their home or it was them who insisted on it, one thing is certain: they will need a helping hand from time to time. Sometimes they will need you to drive them to their doctor’s appointment, and sometimes they will just need some company.
But one thing is certain: if you intend to take care of your elderly loved by yourself, brace yourself because it will inevitably be challenging and time-consuming. If other family members or your siblings refuse to help you take care of your aging parents or are in no position to do so, your safest course of action would be to hire a home care professional to pitch in when you’re not around.
What daily activities will your elderly loved one need help with?
There are many activities that can make your elderly loved one’s home life significantly easier. The scope of these activities depends on the functional status of your elderly loved one.
Below is an overview of the so-called Activities of Daily Living:
- Eating
- Functional mobility
- Getting dressed
- Taking a shower/bath
- Maintaining personal hygiene
- Toilet hygiene
The following are known as Instrumental Activities of Daily Living:
- House cleaning and maintenance
- Cooking/meal preparation
- Grocery shopping and buying other household necessities
- Running errands
- Management of money and finances
- Various types of communication
- Taking medications
The services provided by a caregiver include but are not limited to ADL and IADL. They also include transportation, companionship and similar activities that can greatly enhance your elderly loved one’s quality of life.
What services do seniors need most?
As mentioned above, home care consists of a vast range of services. Some elderly citizens may benefit from all of these, whereas others are more independent. Unfortunately, you can never tell whether a situation will take a turn for the worse when you least expect it, so it is important to be prepared.
For instance, your elderly loved one could soon start refusing to eat although they seemed to have a perfectly healthy appetite so far. Situations like this can take a toll on you as well. An experienced caregiver can easily rise above and overcome any such circumstances, sparing you the stress of having to deal with the ordeal.
How do senior benefit from caregiver services?
Whether they feel like spending their Saturday morning in Rustic Canyon or just making a short trip to the farmers’ market, your senior loved one will greatly appreciate having someone to keep them company. An experienced caregiver is perfect for the job.
By feeling more fulfilled, they will be less prone to depression. Besides, the elderly can greatly benefit from physical activity, and helping the elderly stay physically active to a reasonable extent is yet another service caregivers provide.
First-rate home care in Pacific Palisades
At a younger age, it is quite difficult to fathom how badly the elderly might need our support and assistance. What you can do is do your best to try and understand how they feel and walk a mile in their shoes. You can also hire an experienced, compassionate caregiver to keep them company and give them a helping hand when you are not around.
That’s where we come in. A Better Way in Home Care is committed to matching your elderly loved one with the leading caregivers in the area. We take home care to a whole new level. Call today and see for yourself!
