If your elderly loved one lives at home alone but isn’t yet ready to transition into an assisted living facility, they may be at risk of isolation and depression from lack of companionship. Hiring a senior care specialist for in-home care can protect your loved one’s physical and mental health and help them avoid social isolation.
Elderly people are at a much higher risk of isolation and depression because mobility and health issues might prevent them from hosting or attending social events or visiting family and friends the way they did when they were younger.
If your loved one has a chronic condition, illness, or a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia, their risk is even higher. Hiring an expert for in-home care can offer your loved one companionship and provide these physical and emotional health benefits.
The Ability to Age in Place in the Comfort of Their Own Home
Most elderly people prefer to age in place in the comfort of their own homes rather than moving into an assisted living facility. Hiring an in-home care specialist allows your loved one to remain at home while still staying safe and getting the social interaction and companionship that they need.
An elder care specialist will ensure your loved one’s home is safe for them and that their risk of falls or injury is diminished. If your loved one eventually needs in-home hospice care or assisted living placement services, the home health agency you hire can provide those services as well.
Enhanced Mental Health and Emotional Benefits
Seniors who get regular social interaction with family, friends, and in-home care specialists are less likely to become depressed or feel lonely or isolated. Loneliness and isolation can significantly affect your loved one’s physical and mental health and may put them at greater risk of accident or illness.
An in-home caregiver can offer conversation, companionship, and comfort while also protecting your loved one’s safety and allowing them to remain in their own home.
Engaging with a caregiver every day offers cognitive benefits and mental stimulation, which is particularly important if your loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Increased Safety in the Home
As your loved one ages, they are at a greater risk of a trip, fall, injury, illness, or other mishap. Areas of the home that were never a problem before may now pose a risk, such as stairs, dark hallways, basements, and uneven outdoor pathways. You can help your loved one maintain their independence while also protecting their safety by hiring an in-home caregiver.
You can also schedule a home safety evaluation, during which a professional will assess the interior and exterior of the home for health and safety issues. They will provide professional recommendations for changes and upgrades that can increase your loved one’s safety in their home.
Assistance With Daily Living Activities
Illness, injuries, mobility issues, and cognitive decline can affect your loved one’s ability to handle the tasks of daily living. An in-home caregiver can provide assistance with daily tasks like bathing, dressing, personal hygiene, preparing meals, and taking medication.
They can also provide help for your loved one with getting out of bed, getting to and from the bathroom, and getting around the home safely without falling. Some caregivers also offer light housework, grocery shopping, and transportation to medical appointments or other engagements.
Cognitive Benefits
If your loved one needs Alzheimer’s care or memory care but isn’t yet ready for assisted living placement, a senior care specialist with experience in memory care can help.
They can provide mental stimulation, track and assess your loved one’s mental and cognitive abilities, manage medication, prevent your loved one from wandering, and combat loneliness and isolation.
Providing mental stimulation is incredibly important for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, as it can slow cognitive decline and enhance feelings of independence.
Increased Sense of Purpose and Well-Being
Regular visits from a caregiver can give your loved one a sense of purpose and well-being. Daily conversation, a partner for games and activities, and having someone to tell stories to can restore their vigor in life and give them a reason to get out of bed every morning. Increased social interaction can also encourage them to reach out to old friends and spend more time with family members.
They may be able to start participating in activities that they have missed, like attending social events or engaging in hobbies.
Peace of Mind for Family
The benefits offered by an in-home caregiver can extend to the family as well. A caregiver can protect your loved one’s health and safety and offer peace of mind to your whole family.
You can rest easy knowing that your loved one won’t be alone all the time and will be protected and cared for by an expert.
A caregiver offers your loved one the support they need to stay safe in their own home and allows family and family caregivers to make time to look out for their own health and wellness.
This is especially helpful and important for family members who live in a city or state different from their elderly loved one.
Respite for Family and Caregivers
If you or another family member has been acting as a caregiver to your loved one, you need to take occasional breaks to avoid caregiver burnout.
An in-home caregiver can offer respite care, which is occasional in-home care services that allow you the time you need to take a break, attend to home or work duties, take a vacation, attend appointments, or practice self-care.
You will be better able to care for your loved one if you take occasional breaks and take time to care for yourself as well.
Learn More About the Benefits of Senior Care in Southern Arizona
At Placita In Home Care, we offer professional, compassionate in-home care services throughout Tucson, the Phoenix metro area, and Southern Arizona. Our experienced elder care specialists can provide assistance with daily living tasks like bathing, dressing, grooming, personal hygiene, meal preparation, and medication management.
We can also help with grocery shopping, light housework, and transportation to medical appointments and social activities. Each of our caregivers is carefully screened and vetted and goes through a rigorous training process. We work closely with each family to match them with a caregiver that meets their needs, lifestyle, and health goals.
In addition to in-home care services, we also offer Alzheimer’s care and memory care services that can protect your loved one from wandering, safety issues, and loneliness.
If your loved one wants to age in place in the comfort of their own home, we can provide a free home safety evaluation to make sure the home is free from health and safety issues and make professional recommendations for home safety features and upgrades.
When your loved one is ready to transition into an assisted living facility, we can provide free assisted living placement services. To schedule a home safety evaluation in the Tucson or Phoenix metro area, call us today or fill out our contact form online.