In-Home Care
In-home care is the provision of services and equipment to
the patient in the home for the purpose of restoring and
maintaining his or her maximal level of comfort, function and
health. Home care is a collective effort of patient, family and
professionals. Home care is the fastest growing service industry
in the United States, serving a large proportion of elderly
persons.
Who needs Home Care?
 44% of All patents discharged from the hospital
by primary care physicians require medical or nursing care
that can not be provided by family .
5-10% of all patients in a medical practice
office need home care service.
20% of patients over 65 have functional
impairment with related home care needs that often not diagnosed
at regular office visits.
Goals of In-Home Care
Improve the health and quality of life of the
patient through comprehensive primary medical care, nursing
and rehabilitative services.
Reduce the need for hospitalization, nursing home
and any other institutional placement.
Providing support for the informal caregiver.
Reduces emergency department visits
Reduces hospital length of stay, and risk or
readmission.
Reduces functional potential of patients on
life-sustaining devices.
When self-care at home has become difficult or family
caregivers are not immediately available to do the volume of
work that is necessary, many people are now choosing in-home
care over institutional care. Doing so often relieves family
members of basic care giving functions and makes it possible to
spend quality time, rather than the functional care giving time.
Aside from being easier and faster to implement than moving to a
institutional care setting, in-home care allows the senior to
stay at home in familiar and comfortable surroundings. The time
that adult children do have can the be spent on quality time
visiting and having fun with the parent, instead of just being a
caregiver.
Homecare companies provide a wide variety of personal services
that are non-medical such as:
Bathing, dressing, and personal hygiene
Taking and recording vital signs
Assistance in the bathroom
Light housekeeping
Meal preparation
Companionship
General observations of health
Grocery shopping and pharmacy errands
Home safety supervision
Medication reminders
Laundry
Transportation
It's always best to sit and discuss hiring homecare with the
parent before doing so. Explain that while you enjoy being able
to help, there aren't enough hours in the day to be able to do
it right and still have the quality time visiting.
 Everyone will react differently to the idea. Some
will be very accepting of the idea, others will argue, some will
do the guilt trip thing, and others will probably just say no!
If the reaction that you get isn't positive, explain again why
it is that you want to bring in a home care company, explain
your problem again, and then ask your parent to come up with
other alternatives... to help you! It can be frustrating and it
may take some time, but eventually most still come around.
Bottom line, it's best not to force the issue, but to be
persistent.
Slow Transitioning
One alternative is to bargain for starting in-home care for
something that is non-personal. Light housekeeping is a great
place to start so that the elder parent will get used to the
idea and even enjoy the company of the home care worker. At the
same time, this can take quite a burden off the family
caregivers.
There is an understandable dislike for the idea of someone
coming in to help in the bathing process or even doing laundry.
Such feelings are rarely expressed about someone who prepares
dinner, does the dusting, and transports them to the doctor.
Those things are not as personal
Over time, you can begin to gradually add services, if and as
you need them.
Call Us or let us
contact you for a free consultation today!
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