Greater Demand For Home Care Agencies

By Author: Chelsea Andrews
Total Articles: 25
Comment this article

Home care agencies are becoming more in demand in the area of senior care as most individuals who require long term care (LTC) prefer to remain in their homes where their loved ones are. In fact, the cost of in-home care in most states is increasing faster than that of skilled care in nursing homes.

Aside from the fact that it allows an individual receiving LTC to remain with his family or in his familiar environment, another reason in-home care is preferred by more Americans is that it costs less than a nursing home.

Many people can’t help but wonder about the purpose of paying so much money for an LTC facility which will rob them of their independence. Institutional care comes with a daily pattern which most elderly folks do not favor, especially those who have thrived in success during their heyday.

Through in-home care they believe that their independence will not be threatened and 0they don’t have to wait for holidays just to be with the ones that they love.

In-home care is ideal for people who are not capable of performing their activities of daily living due to disability, injury ...
... or old age has simply weakened their bones already. Once a person begins to receive assistance with his activities of daily living (ADL) which are eating, bathing, dressing, use of toilet, continence, and transferring then he becomes a patient of custodial care.

Custodial care is non-medical by nature and this is what home health care agencies specialize in. They cater to the needs of frail but not necessarily sick people. These agencies offer home health aides who are responsible for assisting individuals with functional limitations get by their everyday activities.

Aside from home health aides, you can also request homemaker services from home health care agencies. Homemaker services, which comprise of cooking, meal preparation, housecleaning, and laundry service among others, are not inclusive in a home health aide’s scope of duty so if an elderly or disabled person needs somebody to perform all of these domestic chores he has to contact his home health care agency.

More Advantages from Home Care Agencies

Home health care agencies encourage seniors in need of care and their families to visit them and personally interview their caregivers or home health aides. This interview or screening phase will help them decide which caregiver will jibe with their loved ones.

Apart from the freedom to choose their caregiver, in-home care patients also have the freedom to decide on the number of hours they will acquire care. Most home health aides work for a maximum of 12 hours a day but if an elderly would require 24-hour assistance, he can discuss this with the home health care agency.

Home care agencies also provide live-in caregivers to individuals who require round the clock homecare. To be sure that you or a loved one benefits from in-home care, be sure to choose the right home health care agency which does not only offer reasonable rates but unmatched services.