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Wanting to live an independent, decent and dignified life is something that we all desire to have. And everyone, even senior adults deserve to live this kind of life. With this in view, senior in home care have been expanding over the last few decades in order to enrich the elderly people’s lives.

Local home care services allow seniors to remain at home, in an environment where they feel most comfortable, instead of being in an institution-based nursing care. This way, they can still be near their loved ones even when they have some disabilities or special needs in their daily living. This provides them a “normal atmosphere” to live a “normal life” in contrast to staying in a nursing home or hospice.

What Home Care Program Include

For home care programs, a senior may choose from the different categories available for them depending on the type of care and how much assistance they need. Care may include life assistance services or professional health care services or a combination of both.

Comprehensive home care services under these categories may include speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medication teaching, psychological assessment, wound care, disease education and management, and pain management. Some in-home care programs, like that of Snyder Village, offer these services as well as dementia and memory care programs.

However, home care often involves providing help with the activities of daily living. In home care services include the following:

Personal Care Services

How much personal home care services will be provided depend heavily on the senior’s individual needs. However, it often includes bathing, which is an important aspect to how well a person may feel about himself. Also, because being active is essential not only to the physical well-being of a senior but also to his mental health, a home care provider plan of daily activities which a senior might need.

Of course, physical limitations have to be considered at all times. Seniors who require a special diet can be provided meal planning and preparation by their home care service providers in coordination with the senior’s health care providers and family members.

Housekeeping & Meal Prep

Seniors who receive these kind of services will most likely have lesser needs to stay in a nursing home facility or will have quicker transition to move back home if he has been hospitalized. The services provided depend on the senior’s personal income and financial resources. Basic home care programs provided include light housekeeping and meal preparation. Note, however, that the meal preparation involved here is not like the specialized meal plan and preparation involved in providing personal care.

Companion Services

Having someone with whom a senior can communicate can dramatically increase the quality of his life. Companion services can be provided for a few hours a day or numerous days a week. Such in home care programs may include conversation, running errands, respite for family members, grocery shopping, and medication reminders. Because these may just be the only in home care services that your senior loved one needs, he can have them while still enjoying the freedom, satisfaction, and control of being in a familiar setting which he can never have in a nursing home.

Assisted living home care services are typically offered round-the-clock, seven days a week. But seniors also have the options of hiring services on an hourly, live-in, part-time, or as-needed basis. Senior care providers may also work alone or as a team.

When selecting a senior home care provider, make sure that you do a thorough background check of all your candidates or if you’re using an agency, investigate its credentials thoroughly. The most important thing is that service providers are well screened, qualified, and insured to deliver sensible and responsible care that your senior loved one ought to receive.

The Cost of In Home Care Services

With the exception of live-in care, in home care are often more affordable than most assisted living facilities and skilled nursing homes. However, you should consider some factors related to cost when choosing in home care. Such factors include location and level of services that your senior loved one may need. In general, personal care assistants, homemakers, and companions cost less than skilled nursing care providers or home health aides. Also, you will discover that caregivers hired directly cost less than those hired via an agency.

Service fees can be on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis Payments may come from different sources, either from the patient himself or from his family members or through various public and private sources. Some services like those that are prescribed by a physician and fall under the category of professional health care services are most often covered by your insurance. Also, there are community organizations.