Many elderly persons report that they prefer to age in a home they know and love. A survey by AARP shows that 77 percent of older persons prefer remaining at their homes as they age, yet only 50 percent think they can do so. The truth is, as a person ages, they need to be helped around. With adequate home care and planning, an elderly person can age in their home.

The primary objections that most people have to move to an older adult living community relate to autonomy and safety. COVID-19 outbreaks in senior living facilities throughout the nation have made people think twice. Lockdowns and removal of extracurricular activities have significantly affected seniors and their families negatively. Home care has become a more attractive alternative.

When you hear someone talk of home care and home care providers, you probably think of a wide range of tasks they provide. What are these tasks? This blog looks at the services you will receive once you hire a home care provider, either for yourself or your loved one.

What Home Care Providers Do

Home care providers provide various services in people's residences, like assisted living communities, independent care facilities, or the client's home. Home care aims to enable the client and their family to live safely and comfortably in their residence and continue being independent. Home care providers can serve a wide range of clients, including seniors, new moms, individuals with physical disabilities or chronic health problems, and people recovering from surgery or accidents.

Generally, home care providers provide personal care assistance and companion care services.

Personal Care Assistance

Personal care assistance is ideal for older adults who require regular help to do their day-to-day activities. A home care provider can offer a wide array of services, including instrumental activities of daily living (IADL's) and activities of daily living (ADL). Instrumental activities of daily living include:

  • Assistance with meal planning and preparation.
  • Driving
  • Light housekeeping, including laundry, washing dishes, and cleaning.
  • Shopping for groceries and other items.
  • Doing housework
  • Managing medication and medication reminders.
  • Managing finances.
  • Using the telephone.
  • Escorting to appointments.
  • Running errands.
  • Cognitive stimulation, including playing brain games, reading aloud, and conversation.

Activities of daily living include:

  • Enabling safety at home by helping with walking (ambulation), fall prevention, and transfer (for instance, from the bed to the wheelchair or from the wheelchair to the toilet).
  • Assistance with eating, bathing, toileting, dressing, personal hygiene, drinking, taking medication, and grooming activities.

A home care provider may not offer any medical care beyond managing medication. Therefore, they can certainly help make a senior's life safer and easier, but they aren't suited for people with daily medical needs.

Most families already providing caregiving services for their loved ones employ a home care provider to do the tasks they're incapable of comfortably or safely performing for the loved one. For instance, a husband who can't safely support the weight of his wife who needs assistance climbing down their bed and chairs may retain a home care provider to help with his wife's transfer. A home care provider who provides personal assistance services can also be used as respite if a family caregiver needs to travel or knows they'll be out of the home the whole day.

Companion Care Services

Companion care services are provided to older adults who live alone and don't need much help with their daily activities. Often, those who need companion care live independently and feel they are isolated in life. Home care providers provide the much-required social support and companionship.

A home care provider who provides companion care services may merely spend much time with their client and read their favorite stories, participate in their (client's) hobbies like walking or board games, engage with them, or supervise them. An older companion might also help manage medication and provide transport services. Although, generally, a companion home care provider isn't licensed to administer medication or otherwise offer any form of health care.

Companion health care providers are also an ideal option for people in the early stages of memory impairment, who don't need much help yet, but who might not be capable of being left alone. People with Alzheimer's or dementia are examples of individuals who would need companion care services. These clients could be living with a family member or members who can't be with them full-time because of work and other obligations.

Generally speaking, home care providers take up the roles of a caregiver and surrogate friend when family members or loved ones aren’t available to attend to their beloved older adult. You'll have peace of mind knowing your relative or loved one is receiving the needed attention, the companionship they so much yearned for, and the care they need to stay independent and safely at home.

When you retain a professional home caregiver, family members will spend more time with senior relatives. Otherwise, substantial time is spent performing chores and running errands instead of being an actual companion to the older adult.

A home care service can help older adults stay in their home for an extended period since it enables them to have the familiar protection and comfort of their home and more independence. It removes the need to take older adults to a nursing home because their needs are being met.

Home care benefits family members and loved ones who reside a substantial distance away from their senior relatives. Irrespective of the distance, you'll be at peace knowing that dad or mom is well taken care of and has a person nearby to cook, feed them, and even offer companionship.

Most home care providers have gone through specialized training. They can perform different older adult care tasks based on their certification level. A home care provider referred to you through a professional home care agency has to regularly communicate the older adult's condition to you and the family, keeping you/them up to date on the older adult's emotional, social, and physical well-being.

Do Not Confuse Home Care and Home Health Care

People usually think that home care and home health care mean the same and provide the same services. Most agencies even use these terms interchangeably. The words sound familiar, and both forms of care are provided at home or residential facilities. However, home health and home care have critical differences in the kind of services they offer and certification. Understanding the difference will help you know what services you need and which form of care is ideal for your specific needs.

Home health care refers to medical services offered at home to help a person, including the elderly, recovering from surgery, injury, illness, or treat a chronic health condition or manage a disability. Most individuals resort to home health care after staying in a rehab center, professional nursing facility, or hospital. The primary goal is to assist a person in recuperating and staying as independent and safe as possible.

Home health care providers address periodic or intermittent needs. The services they offer include:

  • Nursing care services such as administering medications and injections and monitoring vital signs.
  • Doctor care
  • Speech therapy
  • Physiotherapy
  • Medical social services. Medical social workers provide various services to the patient, like locating community resources and counseling to assist the patient in their recovery. Some medical social workers are also the patient's case manager if their medical condition is very complex and needs most services.
  • Occupational therapy.
  • Respiratory therapy.
  • Wound care and first aid.
  • Caregiver and patient education.
  • Nutritional support. Dieticians can visit a patient's home to provide dietary evaluations and guidance to support the treatment plan.
  • Blood withdrawal.
  • X-ray imaging and laboratory services.
  • Pharmaceutical services. Home health care providers can deliver medical equipment and medicine at home. Should the patient need it, the providers may also offer training on taking the medication or using the equipment.
  • Home-delivered meals.
  • Volunteer care.
  • Intravenous (IV) therapy and infusions.
  • Maintenance of colostomy bags, feeding tubes, oxygen tanks and tubing, catheters, ventilators, et cetera.
  • Managing chronic illnesses, like monitoring glucose levels for patients with diabetes.

Some home health care companies offer transportation to patients that need transportation to and from a health care facility for physical exams or treatment. Some health care providers can also help patients with their basic personal needs like walking, climbing out of bed, walking, dressing, and bathing. Others have undergone specialized training to help with more specialized care under a nurse's supervision. A home health care provider may also help with homemaker and basic assistance care like laundry, meal preparation, and grocery shopping.

Unlike home care, home health care is required by a physician, and Medicaid, Medicare, and some private insurance plans cover its cost for qualified patients. Lastly, home health provides clinical care by licensed professionals.

Home care refers to assistance with day-to-day activities to help people stay safely at home. As we mentioned, it's usually used by senior people with a chronic health condition, people recuperating from surgery, and people with disabilities. Most patients pay for home care from their pockets. In given cases, Medicaid or long-term insurance pays for the costs. Home care provides non-clinical care by professional caregivers, which is why it's also known as non-medical care.

Note that you can require both home health and home care at the same time. While home health care provides medical care to help you recover, home care assists with day-to-day tasks and caregiving. Some agencies offer both services. Picture this example where both home health and home care are critical to recovery and continued quality of life:

Pete is a 90-year older adult in perfect physical shape. He does not use a cane or walker. One day he loses his balance and falls over the railing of the independent older adult living facility where he lives and breaks his ribs. He visits the ER, and the doctor sends him home after giving him pain medication. His mobility is affected, and he's confused about his medication. His wife has her medical issues and can't help him. The doctor orders that Pete be provided with three home health care visits every week.

However, this isn't adequate support for him. Therefore, with the help of the social worker from home health, he contacts a home care service. The agency sends him a caregiver to work in the morning and evening every day. The caregiver prepares meals and performs light housekeeping tasks. They also encourage Pete to walk around, do his breathing exercises, remind him to take medication, and stay nearby while Pete bathes. From this example, you can see that a home care provider helps Pete recover more safely and quickly.

Traditionally, both home health and health care services were offered by home health care agencies. But today, many organizations are specialized in non-medical care.

Find a Professional Home Care Provider Near Me

The need for specialized home care may happen suddenly or gradually. It could be a result of an accident or long-term chronic sickness. Irrespective of the reason, losing cognitive, physical ability, and independence as a whole can be difficult for older adults to cope with. To add to that, having a stranger supporting your senior parent or relative with whatever they need might feel intrusive and confusing to the older adult. However, obtaining help from a trained professional for your home care requirements can eliminate the burden of everybody involved and place your loved one back on the recovery path.

At Mom's Home Care, we know the challenges that seniors face. We're devoted to referring professional home care services to help older people feel comfortable, safe, protected, and independent as they age in their Los Angeles, CA homes. We also believe that understanding the role a home care provider plays will assist you in deciding what services you require for your aging parent, family member, or loved one. Call us today at 323-244-4789 to learn more about what we can do for you.