Caring for an elderly loved one may sometimes feel like a 24/7 responsibility. If they’re still living alone, you may constantly worry that they’ll have an in-home accident. Sometimes, you can take the right precautions by making their home safe and senior-friendly, but you still worry when you can’t be with them. With that in mind, If you want the best care for your elderly loved one, and you can’t provide it yourself, consider finding a home care provider. This way you give your loved ones the independence they are sued to, and the professional care they need during this stage of their life.
Signs Your Loved One Needs a Caregiver
If you noticed your loved one is struggling in these areas, it’s a good indication that he or she may need professional care. Knowing where they struggle most can also help you in choosing the home care provider to meet their specific level of care.
Lack of hygiene: If you noticed that your loved one’s hygiene is deteriorating, then this may be a sign that they’re unable to care for themselves. Tasks like bathing regularly or brushing their teeth may prove too difficult. When this happens you’ll start to see a difference in their appearance and you’ll want to act quickly to prevent further health problems.
Messy Home: A good indication that your loved one may need assistance is when you find an untidy household. In many cases, seniors who are unable to care for their own personal hygiene also struggle to maintain their household. If you see this, then you may need to intervene. Once or twice may be understandable but if it starts to look like their home or living area is always messy or unclean, you’ll definitely want to step in and offer resources.
Depression: Has your loved one lost interest in their personal life or hobbies? This can mean that they’re suffering from depression, caused by loneliness. A home care provider can be there to lend a helping hand, but also a listening ear. Interacting with another person on a daily basis can help improve their mood and keep depression at bay.
How to Find a Homecare Provider
When you’re confident that your elderly loved one needs more help than you can offer, the next step is finding the right agency for their needs. The first question you should ask yourself is whether your loved one needs skilled care or custodial care.
Custodial Care vs Skilled Care
Custodial care is a caregiver who provides non-medical care. They help with activities such as bathing, dressing, laundry, cooking, and other household responsibilities. Custodial care is provided by a non-licensed caregiver.
Skilled care is a licensed person who provides medical needs. Depending on their area of expertise, they can provide physical therapy, wound care, catheter care, and administer medication through an IV. Only medical professionals, such as a registered nurse (RN), licensed practical nurse (LPN), or physical therapist can provide skilled care.
If your loved one needs both custodial and skilled care, some home care providers can provide integrated services to meet all of your loved one’s needs. For example, at Try-County Home Care, we offer both. We provide Boca Raton home nurses for patients in need of medical assistance. We also provide home health aides in Broward, for patients who need a clean, safe home.
Ask Questions
Once you’ve determined your needs and have located a few providers in your area, don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t know where to start, here is a list of questions you should ask every provider:
- What are the responsibilities of the providers and caregivers?
- How long has the home care provider been in business?
- Is the agency Medicare certified and licensed by the state?
- What exactly does Medicare/insurance cover and what will you have to pay out of pocket?
- What home care services do they provide?
- How do they hire and train their employees?
- Do they perform background checks on all of their employees?
- Do they provide 24/7 service?
These are just a few questions to ask. We recommend choosing questions specific to your needs and the needs of your loved one and add them to this list.
When you feel satisfied with the answers they have provided, the final step is to check their references. This should include doctors and discharge planners. You should also speak to the family members of their patients.
If you live in Broward County and would like to know more about our home health aide Broward services, give us a call at (954)923-9178. If you live in Boca Raton or anywhere in Palm Beach County, contact (561)922-9178.
