Getting Started With In-Home Care

Maybe you’ve noticed your parents have become more forgetful lately. Perhaps you’ve been injured or have a medical condition that limits your ability to handle day-to-day tasks. Maybe your spouse or child has physical or emotional needs that have become too overwhelming to manage.

These situations may cause you to wonder if it’s time to consider in-home care. Here is some guidance to help you walk through this time in your family’s life.

Signs That Assistance May Be Needed

A good place to start is by evaluating the situation by answering some questions. You may want to get input from other family members. Just be sensitive to the fact that you don’t want to embarrass your loved one or make them feel as if their privacy has been invaded.

These observations and questions may include:

• If the phone rings, does your loved one hear it and answer the call?
• Do they drive safely and with confidence, arriving at their destination on time?
• Can they (or you) physically manage tasks like carrying hampers, loading the washer and dryer, and putting away laundry?
• Do they (or you) have the mobility needed for managing daily activities and personal care needs?
• Do they remember to care for their pets, pay bills and complete basic household maintenance?
• Do they take the correct dose of their medications on time?
• Are they (or you) recovering from major surgery or has there been a significant change in health status?
• Do they (or you) need frequent blood draws, injections or intravenous (IV) medication?

If your response to any of these questions indicates a need for support — or if you have other concerns about living safely at home — then you may want to consider in-home Companion Care, Personal Care, Skilled Nursing Care or other care services.

Taking The First Step

It’s okay to ask for help. In fact, it’s really smart to talk to an expert to find out if there are resources that can help you and your family achieve the quality of life you’re striving for. Here are some questions to consider:

• Can my loved one’s needs (or my needs) be met by family and friends or do we need additional support?
• What type of support do we need?
• Can they (or I) receive care at home in our familiar surroundings?
• Where can we turn for in-home care services?
• How do we choose a caregiver or nurse that we trust?
• How will we pay for this type of care?

Moving Forward With In-Home Care

One of the big decisions families make is whether to hire independent in-home caregivers or work with an agency. Some of the benefits of choosing a reputable agency include:

• They handle background checks and license verification.
• They should be insured and bonded.
• They provide ongoing training.
• They should follow industry standards for safety. (Ask for details about accreditation or other safety credentials.)
• They may provide nursing oversight. (Ask if they offer this.)
• They manage caregiver payroll, including taxes.

In addition to the information we’ve shared here, we’ve put together a helpful downloadable booklet called our Home Care Planning Guide — there’s no charge to view or download it, so we encourage you to review it today.