Home care can help for short periods of time, for extended periods, or around-the-clock in certain circumstances. Here are the most common reasons families decide to opt for a carehome for a loved one.
Support with daily activities
If an older loved one becomes frail or weakened by the progression of an illness or age-related condition, it’s a good time to get extra help with a choice of care home. This allows your parent or grandparent to continue to live independently in a place they love and call home, getting the support they need to stay safe and happy. This type of care is all about maintaining a good quality of life.
After the death of a spouse
Residential care homes can also be very helpful when a spouse passes. The older loved one now living alone may want companionship or need help with meals, household chores, or driving, as well as support staying active and connected with friends and the community.
When a caregiver needs a break
Something as simple as a family vacation, a change in a family caregiver’s work schedule, a sick child, or caregiver fatigue can also trigger a need for help with care. When a family caregiver can’t be there or needs a break to rest and recharge, this type of care is called respite care. Whether it’s for a few weeks, or more, respite care is highly recommended for family caregivers, especially when caring for a loved one with a chronic condition or progressive disease such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, or other dementia.
After a serious medical episode
Care homes can also be very helpful after a serious medical episode, such as a stroke, heart attack, major surgery, or bad fall. Your physician may recommend professional care to support optimum recovery and rehabilitation at home following discharge. In many cases, getting up professional care is a requirement for discharge from a hospital or medical facility.
For a chronic condition or illness a nursing home may be the option you choose.
In addition to supporting daily activities and providing companionship, Nursing homes are also helpful when caring for a loved one with a chronic condition or serious illness at home. This type of specialised care can offer families many benefits: respite care or additional support for family caregivers, assistance when a loved one needs care overnight, help with transferring, lifting, and toileting, as well as managing illness symptoms and treatment side-effects. Nursing homes offer a greater safety and comfort as they have the right qualified staff available to ensure the best possible care is given.
When time is limited
Near the end of life, care homes provides families and their loved ones emotional support and compassionate assistance to improve physical comfort during this difficult time. A care professional can help support hospice workers, provide assistance with personal care when hospice workers aren’t present, or simply be there—24/7 if necessary—so no one ever has to be alone in their final hours. An experienced care professional also knows the best practices and procedures for assisting a person at the end of their life with compassion and sensitivity.
