In-Home Care Helps Seniors Age in Place Comfortably

It just doesn’t work that way. Every single one of us is going to look to our retirement years and think about traveling, writing that book we always wanted to sit down and put to paper, spending more time with friends, visiting grandkids, and so much more.

Yet, somewhere along that road, life gets in the way. Health issues arise. Medical emergencies land us in the hospital. Little mishaps cause us to slip and fall and be injured, thus facing a long and lengthy recovery.

Many people don’t think about in-home care because they first turn to family and friends for help. That is a wonderful benefit, but it’s not the only one. In fact, there are numerous benefits to turning to in-home care, especially a professional home care agency for help.

Most seniors want to age in place. That means they want to remain home where they are most comfortable, where they know the layout, where they have memories. That can happen without home care, but there are also many other benefits to consider in hiring an in-home care provider.

Benefit #1: An in-home care aide with experience can watch for safety issues.

Most people don’t have any idea just how potentially dangerous the simplest of objects can be for aging seniors. Did you know that a grocery bag that is dropped down in the kitchen, by the table so you can run to the bathroom really quick before putting it away can cause a senior to trip? That simple thing may not look like a big deal, but if the elderly person you are supporting is home or follows you in, they might not see it.

A younger person whose foot catches the corner of the bag gets hooked on it may not fall, but an elderly person whose balance is compromised, whose strength has diminished in their legs may not be able to maintain their upright position and can topple down, suffering significant injuries. And that is just one of numerous potential hazards that regular, everyday family caregivers might easily overlook.

But a person with experience, who has worked with numerous other seniors likely won’t.

Benefit #2: They are able to help them physically.

So can family members, can’t they? Absolutely. But, the big difference here is with those more personal details, like bathing or toileting. Do you think an elderly person is going to be comfortable with her adult son assisting her in the shower? Or with a potty break?

A professional in-home care aide is used to helping seniors with these more intimate details. They also have a lot more training in how to best help somebody of advancing years properly. That means lifting properly so they don’t hurt themselves or the senior.

And that is just one example of how in-home care can help with these physical tasks.

Benefit #3: They can be there when the senior needs help the most.

Many family caregivers have numerous responsibilities to take care of each and every day. They might not be able to support the senior at 9 o’clock in the morning, for example, because they have to be at work. But, what if the senior is going through chemotherapy and is a little too tired to get up at that hour in the morning? What if they get up at 10 o’clock instead?

An in-home care aide can be there when the senior needs them, not just when the family caregiver has a busy schedule.

These are just a few benefits that in-home care provides to aging seniors who are aging in place.

If you or an aging loved one is considering in-home care in Upper East Side, NY, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts at Home – Manhattan, Brooklyn, Westchester, Queens, Rockland today. 646-480-6266