Understanding the Basics of Home Care Services for Seniors
Whether it dawns on you gradually or happens as the result of a sudden illness, an accident, or a near miss, the day comes for many of us when we realize that a senior loved one can no longer live at home without some help. While some seniors need the intensive health care of a nursing home or the particular features of an assisted living facility, most prefer to stay in the familiar surroundings of their own homes, if possible. Home care services for seniors can make that possible.
If you have just come to the realization that a senior loved one needs some help, however, the number of questions you have to answer can seem overwhelming at first. Fortunately, many others have been down this path and there are resources to help you. If you’re just getting started, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has information on its website that spells out the basics of home care services for seniors. Comfort Keepers® of Oklahoma City also has a variety of resources to help you answer your most frequently asked questions.
For example, the most basic issue you should understand is the difference between home care and home health care. They may seem to be the same, but they’re not, and understanding which kind of care your senior needs is an essential first step to finding the right home care services. Think of it this way: a home care aide can help a senior by reminding him or her to take medications on schedule, while a home health care professional, such as a certified nurse, can administer medications.
For many seniors, limited mobility or even forgetfulness can make it difficult for them to live independently or take good care of their own health. But those issues don’t necessarily mean they have to leave home. They just need some assistance with what are called ADLs, activities of daily living. Home care services for seniors can provide that help by doing a wide range of chores, from helping with bathing and grooming to cooking meals to providing transportation to family events, senior activities for socializing or even shopping.
Comfort Keepers offers all these services and many others to residents of Oklahoma City and surrounding areas. The best part is that Comfort Keepers never tries to apply a one-size-fits-all solution. Every senior has different needs, so our home care serves are individually tailored. Your senior loved one gets the specific help he or she needs to stay at home, comfortably and safely, without having to pay for unneeded or unwanted services. And that same flexibility means that our program of home care services changes as needs change.
Get in touch with Comfort Keepers in Oklahoma City today to schedule a free in-home assessment of your needs.
