If your elderly loved one has been diagnosed with more than one chronic health condition, they will need some extra help at home. Hiring an in-home caregiver will allow your loved one to remain in the comfort of their own home while still staying safe and cared for.
If your loved one isn’t yet ready to transition into assisted living, a home health aide or home caregiver can act as a happy medium between family caregiving efforts and total independence.
Here is a look at how in-home care in Southern Arizona can support a senior loved one who has multiple chronic conditions.
Maintain Independence and Privacy
Moving into an assisted living facility can affect your loved one’s sense of independence and privacy. They may end up feeling discouraged, hopeless, or depressed about having to leave their home and move into an unfamiliar environment.
Hiring an in-home caregiver allows your loved one to stay at home where they are comfortable and surrounded by their own belongings and familiar objects. They will be able to retain some independence while also getting assistance with daily tasks that they can no longer manage on their own.
Give Family Caregivers a Break
Elderly loved ones are often cared for by family members. However, family members can suffer from caregiver burnout or end up neglecting their own needs in order to care for a loved one.
An in-home caregiver can act as respite care for family members who need a break. You can schedule a caregiver for regular, recurring shifts every day or week, giving you and other family members time to go to the doctor, work, run errands, socialize, and practice self-care.
Taking regular breaks from caregiving duties will allow you to rest and refresh so that you are a better caregiver when you return. Putting yourself at risk of caregiver burnout will not only affect your physical and mental health but can also affect your ability to care for your loved one.
Improved Home Safety
Before hiring a caregiver, set up a home safety evaluation through your caregiving agency. An expert will assess the interior and exterior of your home for health and safety issues.
They will then give you their professional recommendations for home repairs, upgrades, and modifications that will make the home safer for your loved one.
They may suggest improving lighting, repairing or replacing flooring, installing grab bars and safety railings, clearing out clutter or trip hazards, labeling closets and cupboards, and installing a shower seat or converting a bathtub to a shower.
These home modifications will support aging in place, reduce the risk of falls and accidents, and enhance your loved one’s safety and comfort.
Assistance With Mobility
Many chronic conditions affect mobility, either directly or indirectly. If your loved one has a chronic injury to their legs, feet, hips, or back, they may have trouble standing or walking.
Back and leg injuries can make it hard to get up from a seated position or to sit, stand, or walk. Some conditions require a combination of medications that can cause significant side effects, which can can include dizziness, vertigo, sluggishness, fatigue, disorientation, brain fog, and trouble walking. Vision problems, blood pressure issues, diabetes, and obesity can also affect mobility.
Mobility issues can increase the risk of accidents or falls in the home. A home caregiver can help your loved one move around the house safely and use mobility aids like scooters, canes, and walkers.
Medication Reminders and Symptom Management
A home caregiver is a senior care expert. They can remind your loved one to take their medications as scheduled, which can improve medication adherence and reduce the risk of complications and side effects.
They can also regularly assess your loved one’s vital signs and check for new or worsening symptoms and problems like changes in appetite, fatigue, mood swings, confusion, weight gain or loss, unexplained injuries, and trouble sleeping.
Improved Physical and Mental Health and Quality of Life
Chronic illnesses can increase your loved one’s risk of depression, anxiety, and isolation. Multiple concurrent chronic conditions can also increase the likelihood of other health problems or injuries.
A home caregiver can provide your loved one with conversation and companionship, which can improve their mood, outlook on life, and cognitive abilities. A caregiver can also provide assistance with mobility, the activities of daily living, and housekeeping, which will improve your loved one’s overall quality of life.
Reduced Risk of Accidents and Hospital Visits
For elderly people who have more than one chronic condition, the risk of a fall or accident at home is significantly higher, especially if they live alone. Even a minor injury may require a hospital visit, which can in turn increase your loved one’s risk of infection and illness.
A home caregiver can reduce the risk of accidents in the home and provide early warning of signs and symptoms of illness or other problems. Early detection may mean that your loved one can be treated at home or by their physician rather than going to an emergency room or being admitted to the hospital.
Highly Personalized Services and Care
If your loved one moves into an assisted living facility or hospice facility, they will be one of many patients receiving care, which may not be personalized to their specific needs and preferences.
A home caregiver can tailor their services and schedule to your loved one’s unique needs and requirements. They can also work around your family’s needs, providing respite care, occasional or on-demand services, or regularly scheduled visits.
They will work closely with you to design a personalized care plan that enhances your loved one’s health and safety, considers their comfort and preferences, and helps you manage your loved one’s chronic conditions.
They can also provide tailored services like memory care, meal planning, and companionship – all of which can be tailored to your loved one’s interests and needs.
Call Placita In Home Care to Schedule a Consultation
At Placita In Home Care, our home health services are carefully designed to protect the health, comfort, safety, and happiness of seniors in our care.
We help families coordinate quality caregiving services so that they can take a break from family caregiving. We also provide personalized, scheduled home care for seniors who have chronic illnesses or health conditions, are recovering from surgery or injury, or who need in-home hospice care.
Our caregivers are highly skilled, trained, and compassionate, and they undergo rigorous background checks and reference checks. They can offer assistance with the activities of daily living as well as medication management, meal preparation, light housework, and transportation.
We also offer specialized Alzheimer’s care and dementia care, home safety evaluations, and assisted living placement services. To schedule a consultation for in-home care in the Tucson or Phoenix metro area, call us today or fill out our contact form online.