What is Home Care?
What do we mean by “home care?” Well, it’s pretty simple really. Home care simply means that an individual has opted to remain in their own home and receive medical and/or personal services. Many of these services make it possible for the individual to remain at home as opposed to having to move into a care home, or assisted living facility as they are commonly referred to today.
Some of the types of services that an individual can receive in their own home include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Health care: Nursing, physical and other types of rehabilitative therapy, medicating, monitoring and medical equipment.
2. Nutrition: This involves meal planning and preparation, meal delivery service, and even meals outside of the assisted living facility.
3. Personal Care Services: This refers to what is know as Activities of Daily Living or “ADLs.” Some common ADLs include assistance with dressing, bathing, and exercise.
4. Social or Recreational Opportunities: These types of services include such things as providing transportation to a senior center or church.
5. Housekeeping: These services can include general house cleaning, shopping, performing home repairs and doing other miscellaneous tasks for the senior.
As much as we encourage seniors to remain in their own homes and thus independent, family members should prepare for the possibility that their loved one may need to be transferred to an assisted living facility at some point in the future. Planning for this event would not only include the services needed, but financial and asset planning as well. Doing so may prevent unnecessary or exorbitant costs down the line for the family and/or senior being paced into the care home.