by Meredith Troy
22. June 2009 19:44
When a loved one loses the ability to live independently it can be hard to provide help without creating embarrassment. Home health care and supportive services allow an aging parent or other struggling individual to retain as much independence as they can. There are different types of home care depending on the need.
Care From Loved Ones
As parents grow older it is common for their children to help out. Dad may not see as well so needs to be driven around when he runs errands. Mom might not be able to lift the laundry basket anymore so needs occasional assistance.
It's not just parents who need help. A friend recovering from surgery might require someone to stop by and do the heavy lifting or a relative with a disability might want to live alone but not be fully independent. We want to provide home health care for our loved ones but it can become a burden.
Family caregiver burnout is common as people juggle work and caring for their own families along with caring for the patient. Patients may feel embarrassed to the point of not asking for assistance when needed. In many cases, hiring outside help is preferable.
Non-Medical Care
Interim HealthCare's caregivers provide many non-medical services. These employees are companions, homemakers or personal care aides and can provide great relief to family caregivers torn between their busy schedules and their desire to help. Individuals can be more comfortable with care from a trained prefessional than burdening their families. Personal Care Aides can attend to tasks such as bathing that might be uncomfortable coming from a family member.
Companions offer services such as grooming, cooking, light housekeeping, bathing as well as companionship. However they are not medical personnel and there are certain home health care services they cannot provide. For example, they can remind people to take medications but they can't administer them.
Nursing Care
For patients with more serious needs, we also offer skilled nursing home health care. Our licensed professionals can administer medication as well as providing IV therapy or postsurgical care.
We work with patients, families and their physician to provide the level of care needed to gain independence. For example, a patient recovering from surgery might need skilled nursing to start but after a few days might not need such comprehensive services. We could send a companion for the rest of the recovery period if the family desired.
Interim HealthCare's home health care services supplement your family's efforts to care for your loved ones. We work with the patient's caregiver network to create a comfortable, dignified system that has kept many of our clients out of extended stay’s in rehabilitation facilities and nursing homes.
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