One of the unavoidable things that might happen when a person grows old is that they may require a whole new level of care or assistance. Even the most independent of adults will find that when Alzheimers disease descends upon them, they need someone that can look after them at various times throughout the day.
Some families decide to send their elderly to a nursing home. But some families prefer having them stay and age gracefully at home. In having an elderly loved one stay at home, a family can just hire someone to either come to the house at a set time per day or stay as a full-time caregiver. There are many reasons why many more families or individuals prefer to opt for home care rather a nursing home and some of these are:
Its more economical
Sending an elderly person to a nursing home or going to a nursing home when a person gets old means having to pay a monthly fee that averages around $6,500 per month. Some aged individuals that dont have much to live off of or some families that cant afford to pay this amount every month found that healthcare at home is more affordable, as they dont have to worry about paying high fees to maintain a facility for the elderly. Its more economical to hire a caregiver who will merely assist an elderly person in getting dressed, bathing, and preparing meals.
The sense of familiarity
Many people prefer to enjoy their twilight years in a place that they know from the inside out. This usually translates to their current home or going back to the town where they grew up in, where many memories have been created.
In the practical sense, a person growing old in his own house means that he knows where all the necessities, switches, and furniture are located. There are many ways that a house can be proofed and made safer for the now-aged occupant, though it may become harder to maintain especially if he lives alone
For example, the flooring should be non-skid, the rugs should be secured, and handles and bars could be installed in the bathroom. In some cases, the caregiver also helps in some of the household chores that the elderly person is now having trouble accomplishing, or even has a gadget that will allow him to summon help with a push of a button if he finds that he cant reach the phone.
Personalized care
When hiring someone to take care of an elderly person right at home, the persons personal needs, overall health, and other factors will be taken into account. As a result, the care that the elderly person receives is entirely tailored to fit him, and he is not worried that his caregiver will have to juggle taking care of multiple people at once.
Tailored care allows the caregiver to be more attentive to the elderly persons needs. There are various types of home care providers ranging from licensed medical professionals to personal care attendants, homemakers, and companions, to address a range of client needs.
Independence
Home care allows an elderly person to be as independent as possible, given the circumstances. A person will have full control of what he wants to do, where he wants to go, and more importantly, the company he wants to keep.
While home care enables an elderly person to maintain independence as much as possible, its unarguably not the same as the continuous care that nursing homes provide. However, you may supplement home care by various measures such as wearable safety technology that would allow an elderly person to get help just by pressing a button. This is especially the case for those who have mobility issues or those who are too frail.
All in all, home care promotes a better quality of life. With home care, the individual gets to enjoy the life he wants, to the extent that he can.
