Home care and its benefits

When the time comes when your parent is no longer able to be independent, you consider how you would help them. You can choose between caring for the person at home, placing them in a facility, or taking care of him or her yourself. You ask, Why choose 24-hour home care? There are several reasons for this. One of them is that a home carer will take the pressure off you, when you can’t take care of a relative. Understandably, you can’t just quit your job because you wouldn’t cover the cost of living, or you have your own family and children to look after. Thanks to a home carer, you can continue your life or pursue your hobbies with peace of mind.

A natural environment for your loved one

For seniors who are unable to care for themselves because of their health problems, it is best to stay at home, where they know it well and have spent most of their lives. Older people find it harder to adjust to new surroundings or to change in general. Therefore, it is better to prefer having an in-home caregiver. The senior may also suffer from disorientation or act confused. Moving to a foreign environment would have a negative impact on their health and especially their mental state. In addition, a patient placed in a senior care facility may not feel comfortable spending time in the same room with people they have never seen before.

If you arrange home care for them, they won’t feel unnecessary, or like a burden. You show you care about them by providing in-home caregiving. The caregiver will help with everyday tasks such as shopping, cleaning, cooking, accompanying them to doctor’s appointments, helping with paperwork, and personal hygiene. Caregiving also has a social dimension. The carer makes the time more pleasant for the cared-for person by talking, taking them for walks, or playing board games. It all depends on what diagnosis a particular patient has. If his condition requires it, she feeds, changes, or repositions them.

In-home caregiving – individual approach

The advantages of 24-hour home care clearly include the fact that the caregiver can devote herself fully to a single client, which does not happen in a nursing home. In senior care facilities, they cannot devote as much time to one person, as one caregiver is responsible for several patients. Having an in-home carer ensures that your parents will be respected and well looked after. If you place your relative in a nursing home, you cannot have specific requirements.

In the case of home care, you can establish clear rules with staff and respond to inadequate care. Although a carer is not authorized to carry out activities that fall within the scope of a doctor or nurse, she can administer medication, call an ambulance or provide first aid if necessary. If you need to arrange things like blood draws, injections, insulin, or infusions, you can ask for a carer with a medical background or experience in this area. Also, in this case, you can turn to outpatient healthcare.

24-hour care – an imprecise term

During the 24-hour home care, the caregiver is present in the household around the clock. However, this term is somewhat misleading, as continuous care without breaks is neither possible nor legally permissible. Thus, 24-hour care does not mean that the staff works all 24 hours, just that they are always available. The carer must have dedicated time for rest and personal time off. Time spent watching TV together is considered off time for the caregiver, as well as the time when the senior is sleeping. In addition, the carer is entitled to take care of her private affairs, go shopping or go on trips. They must have their own room where they can rest and have privacy.

In spite of everything, home care remains the best and most comprehensive solution, as the caregiver is also available in the middle of the night if needed. The patient can call her simply by ringing a bell. This care takes place on weekdays, weekends, and holidays, but if you are able to look after your loved one yourself during weekends, you can do so and arrange a schedule with the carer when you will visit your parent. In-home caregivers take turns working in a household.

Home care and a brighter social life

In-home 24-hour care is a better alternative for your loved one than a nursing home. Statistics show that up to 75% of older people desire to spend their time in their own homes. In a home environment, their daily rhythm is not disrupted and they can still perform activities they can manage on their own. Their social life is also different from what they would experience in a nursing home, it is much richer. The carer will escort the client to a cultural event, a trip, or a meeting with friends. If you would prefer to receive care at home, but it is more expensive, you can apply for a care allowance, the amount of which depends on the level of disability of the patient.

We offer you a solution

Our company Atena will provide you with a trustworthy caregiverfor your family member thanks to our years of experience in placing healthcare staff. All caregiver candidates are selected carefully and responsibly, so you can rely on us. We verify their language skills, references from previous employers and keep in mind your requirements. We also require a criminal record. Should you be unhappy with the caregiver that has come to you, we offer a complaint service where we are prepared to send you a new one as soon as possible.

For information on why you should use a legal care service and avoid the black market, click here. You can read what a person suitable for the job should have here.