Many aging seniors wish to stay at home and this can be accomplished with the help of a family caregiver or a home care professional. Depending on the needs of your elderly loved ones, there are several options for different types of home care.
1) Home Healthcare
Home health care services include skilled nursing care that your elderly loved ones receive at home for the treatment of any illness or injury. Whether you are looking for at simple support for your elderly loved ones for doing everyday tasks when recovering or need complex care, home caregivers will take all the responsibilities at patient’s own home. Home caregivers help the patient with basic personal needs such as getting out of bed, walking, bathing, and dressing. These home health care services provide not only personal care but also engage your senior parents with social interaction and can help alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation. In a word Home health care provides much more than medicines, it provides compassion, dignity, companionship and peace of mind.
2) In-home Nursing Care
Home nursing care services are home-based treatment plans for elderly patients where hospitalization is not recommended. To be eligible for in-home nursing care your elderly parents must have a medical condition requiring skilled nursing or rehabilitation services. They should be in such a physical condition where they are unable to leave home or require frequent medical supervision. This type of senior care service is performed by certified and registered nurses, who can take care of wounds, administer injections and monitor health conditions. They can also monitor diabetes, blood pressure, and heart disease and assist in dialysis. With this kind of assisted living services, healing in the comfort of one’s own home with the complete care and attention of loved ones is something that all of us look forward to.
3) Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a medical care designed to help your elderly loved ones improve their movement and manage physical pain. Physical therapy is also known as Physiotherapy is provided by physical therapists who maintain, promote, and restore health through physical examination. Physical therapy also helps patients who have suffered illnesses or injuries which limited their regular ability to move and function. Physiotherapy can help individuals return to their former level of functioning and improve overall health and well-being.
Physiotherapy involves several exercises and techniques to improve flexibility, strength, and motion. Physiotherapists use a variety of methods that include strengthening and stretching and balancing exercises. They may also perform massages and heat or cold therapy. But before starting the process of physical therapy on your elderly loved ones, it is advisable to consult a Health Care specialist to determine whether the physical therapy is appropriate for the patient or not. Physical therapy can be provided at many places like clinics, hospitals and patients’ homes.
4) Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy is a health care service that helps individuals who have physical, sensory, or cognitive problems. Occupational therapy involves everyday activities, exercises, and other therapies. For special patients, occupational therapy improves motor skill, hand eye coordination and helps them regain independence in all areas of their lives. Occupational therapists may use several methods like adopting tasks to make them easier to perform, providing assistive devices, and teaching new skills. Occupational therapy should be recommended by a physician or a medical specialist and should be consulted with the health care provider to decide whether it is appropriate for your elderly loved ones or not. In-home occupational therapy is a convenient option for patients who have difficulty leaving their homes.
5) Medical Social Service
Medical social services involve various services to the patient including counselling and locating community resources to have the patient gain recovery. A medical social worker makes sure that a patient’s emotional and social needs are met through their medical treatment. A medical social worker supports patients and their families in hospitals, clinics, or other healthcare settings by coordinating patients’ care with a bigger medical team. Medical social workers play an important role in many of the non-medical aspects of patient care. These include helping patients and their families navigate through the medical system. They also access and monitor patients’ and their family members’ mental and emotional health by short-term counselling and therapy. If you are aware that these kind of home health care services are available, you are better prepared for the care of your elderly loved ones in the future.
