When someone first suggests homecare to a family struggling to care for an older adult, they sometimes aren’t sure just what homecare can do. There’s often confusion between services that offer medical support at home, like hospice, and homecare. Homecare agencies provide non-medical services that are typically not available to older adults who are still living at home. They take over the tasks that would otherwise fall on the senior’s family or friends. In fact, there’s a long list of things that homecare can do, including the 4 things listed below.
#1: Laundry
Laundry can be difficult for some seniors to do. They may lack the strength to lift a laundry basket or have joint pain that makes bending to reach the dryer or the bottom of the washing machine uncomfortable. Or, in the case of older adults with dementia, they may no longer understand the steps involved. Homecare providers can gather dirty clothes, towels, and sheets and carry them to the laundry room. They can also wash, dry, fold, and put away the laundry.
#2: Meal Preparation
Sometimes older adults have trouble making meals for themselves. They might have physical ailments that make the task too hard for them to do. They might also lack the skills, perhaps because they never learned to cook or because they have a cognitive impairment. Whatever keeps your aging relative from eating as well as they should, a homecare provider can prepare balanced meals for them. They can even help with grocery shopping!
#3: Companionship
Companionship might seem like a minor thing when family caregivers are struggling just to keep up with basic care. However, meaningful interactions with others is extremely important to the emotional well-being of older adults. Those who live alone may get bored and lonely. Just by visiting, a homecare provider can brighten your older family member’s days. In addition to helping with tasks around the house, they can do activities with the senior, like playing cards or just having a conversation.
#4: Fall Prevention
If your aging relative is at risk for falling because of balance issues or lack of strength, homecare can be an important part of keeping them safer. A homecare provider can assist them with getting up from chairs and sitting back down, which can often result in falls. Homecare providers can also help seniors to walk from room to room, get in or out of the bath or shower, and offer assistance when using the stairs.