Home care providers are an integral part of the healthcare industry. Since the demand for care is overwhelmingly high, they employ caregivers to meet the supply and close the gap in insufficient care.
Benefits of Top Home Care Providers
Home care services from reliable providers in Reno Nevada have three significant benefits for your loved one. They can stay independent and enjoy an autonomous lifestyle, receive adequate care, and services are financially sustainable for the long term.
1. Increased independence and autonomy for seniors
The self-sufficiency level of your loved one can decrease as they turn 70 to 90 years old. Home care services empower seniors to preserve their ability to stay independent by assisting in many areas of life. For example, caregivers can help with personal hygiene if your loved one finds it hard to groom or bathe alone.
Caregivers can also assist with other daily challenging tasks, such as cooking, housekeeping, and managing medications. So wherever help is needed and upon request, caregivers readily support your dear one while encouraging them to do the tasks they can complete without help.
2. Individualized care and attention
With few caregivers working on shifts, larger facilities often use a universal approach to care and provide the same amount to each resident. In contrast, home care services are usually delivered at home so your loved one receives support tailored to their needs and preferences.
Caregivers can optimally promote personalized care since there is only one person to serve. In larger facilities, caregivers can only spend a few minutes of assistance on each resident since others are waiting in line to receive care. Meanwhile, if your loved one ages at home and you hire home care services, they receive their caregiver’s full care and attention.
3. Cost-effective alternative to institutional care
Home care services are a cost-effective alternative if your loved one is still capable. Receiving care at home eliminates the need for expensive facility fees associated with senior living communities. But more importantly, home care services allow your loved one to receive care suited to their specific needs, allowing for a more personalized and efficient care plan.
Customized care reduces the risk of unnecessary hospital readmissions and medical interventions. For example, if your loved one has diabetes, the focus of home care will be for the caregiver to keep the sugar levels within healthy parameters. They can do this by preparing three nutritious meals and snacks that don’t spike the sugar levels, eliminating home hazards to avoid accidental wounds, and helping them exercise to regulate glucose in the body.
In larger facilities, residents’ health often gets worse because they barely receive care and attention. On the other hand, caregivers can give your loved one complete care and adequate attention, ensuring their health improves. One huge advantage of home care is the familiar home environment as seniors receive care at a place they call home. They don’t have to deal with the stress associated with transitioning to a facility.
How to Choose the Right Home Care Provider
A vital healthcare decision involves picking the best home care provider. Hiring a compassionate caregiver your loved one can rely on for help at all times, get along with, and talk to can improve their quality of life.
1. Importance of researching and asking for referrals
Asking for referrals can be your first strategy for finding the right home care providers. If you have friends or someone within your network who has used one company’s care service, they can give you valuable insights and share their firsthand experiences with you. It includes what they like or dislike the most about the caregiver or if the staff was polite and professional.
More importantly, referrals are reliable sources. Unlike if you rely on online testimonials where not everything can be true, a friend’s or a relative’s recommendation can better help you identify red flags or issues that may arise. Their experiences and feedback from a home care company can support you in making the proper care decision.
2. Types of services offered and their compatibility with senior’s needs
Home care companies provide a broad range of services to help your senior relative live independently. They employ caregivers who provide care and support for seniors aging in place, allowing your loved one to thrive in a familiar environment. Here are some of these essential services.
Personal care support
- Assistance with bathing, grooming, and toileting
- Monitor vital signs, such as blood pressure and heart rate
- Help your loved one dress appropriately
- Provide mobility assistance from one place to another
- Increase adherence to medication and give reminders about when to take prescriptions
Meal preparation and nutrition
- Support with grocery shopping and meal planning
- Create and prepare wholesome meals tailored to your loved one’s dietary needs
- Track food and fluid intake to ensure adequate nutrition
- Assist with feeding, if necessary
Companionship and emotional support:
- Engage in conversations and ensure your dear one feel emotionally supported
- Accompany them to doctor’s appointments
- Join them in doing enjoyable hobbies, such as reading, playing games, or taking walks
- Arrange visits with friends or family members to maintain an active social life
- Offer transportation service
Light household chores
- Perform light housekeeping tasks, such as dusting, vacuuming, and tidying
- Help feed and walk the pets
- Change bed linens and curtains
- General organization and decluttering of living spaces
Home care providers fill in the gap in care so your loved one can become self-sufficient, regardless of if their care needs change or increase. They can continue with their daily activities without worries.
3. Consideration of caregiver qualifications and training
Nevada home care licensing is imperative before an agency can operate. Caregiving is a demanding role. That’s why the right skill set, training, and attitude are vital because your loved one will depend on them to function daily and manage their health. Choose a caregiver who can handle the physical and emotional needs of your loved one.
Training teaches aspiring caregivers the strategies to assist seniors with daily living activities. Above all, they’re trained to remain calm in highly stressful situations to appropriately respond to emergencies. Get to know a caregiver by checking their qualifications, training, and experience before hiring them.
Common Home Care Services Offered
Some providers may offer home health care in Reno, NV, on top of the standard non-medical care. They may hire nurse caregivers to provide wound or diabetic care. Generally, home care refers to non-skilled care that entails the following primary services.
Personal care, such as bathing and grooming
Seniors aged 65 is nearly 70% more likely to need some long-term care services in their remaining years. Women need care for 3.7 years longer than men who only need it for 2.2 years.
As aging and health conditions cause mobility to decline, your senior mom or dad may need support in bathing or grooming themselves to maintain personal hygiene and reduce the risk of skin infections. Good hygiene also promotes self-esteem and positive emotions.
Companionship and social interaction
Whatever your loved one wants and needs to do, their caregiver will accompany them. If they wish to visit a nearby park or museum or meet with their doctor, their caregiver can provide companionship and social support.
Medication management and assistance with medical appointments
Noncompliance to medications, either due to unintentional memory problems or lack of motivation, worsens health and increases healthcare costs. An analysis found the risk of hospitalization increases by 17% due to medication non-adherence. A caregiver can help manage your loved one’s medication and ensure they take the correct dose on time.
Challenges of Home Care and Solutions
Nevada home care providers have their fair share of challenges that affect caregivers and older people.
Isolation and loneliness for Seniors
Home care brings a multitude of benefits to seniors, supporting them to become self-sufficient. However, the downsides to this arrangement are the higher risk of loneliness and depression as the older person remains at home most of the time. An analysis revealed that depression is almost 32% more prevalent to happen to seniors, and it’s higher in developing countries.
As your loved one ages, their social networks could shrink because of friends moving away or passing on. Aging at home and receiving home care would mean social interactions are limited with those around the home, such as other family members or only the caregiver if your relative lives on their own. Hence, caregivers must know how to emotionally and socially support older people through conversations and and create opportunities for enjoyable activities or programs like outings to avoid isolation.
Communication challenges between caregivers and family members
Good communication between the caregiver and the family contributes to the senior’s well-being. It brings peace of mind when you receive updates about your loved one’s health challenges and progress. As a family member, you expect the caregiver to proactively share details about your parent’s condition or changes in their behaviors and health status.
Amy’s Eden caregivers understand that miscommunication and lack of information can snowball into potential conflicts, impacting the resident’s health. Hence, we have caregivers who genuinely want to build an amicable relationship with the seniors and their families. Good communication comes naturally and becomes easier when families and caregivers have a friendly tie.
Finding a balance between respecting independence and ensuring safety
Caring for seniors without being intrusive requires a delicate balance of respect, empathy, and understanding. This point is where active listening is necessary for caregivers to know the needs and preferences of the person they care for.
It’s vital that you hire a caregiver who doesn’t override the decisions of your loved one. Instead, they should constantly be engaging your loved one in making decisions about their schedule, health, and daily activities. Regular check-ins and meaningful conversations help the caregiver maintain a strong emotional connection with the elderly while caring for them. By providing respectful care, your loved ones can sustain their dignity and autonomy and the caregiver can successfully do their job without overstepping boundaries.
Amy’s Eden Reviews as the Top Home Care Provider in Reno
There are several home care providers in Reno, but Amy’s Eden services stand out for their above-industry quality of senior care and compassionate caregivers. Whether you want to move your loved one to an assisted home or need care support, we have a broad range of services to suit your care need.
Here are what some things our clients have said about working with our caregivers.
“Amy’s Eden’s in-home caregiving service has been a lifesaver for my family. With their assistance, my husband can continue living at home comfortably, and I can rest assured he’s in good hands when I’m not around.”
- Lily Ramirez
“I highly recommend Amy’s Eden’s specialized care services. They took the time to understand my unique needs due to my chronic condition, and their knowledgeable caregivers have helped me manage my health better.”
- Ava Peterson
“I can’t thank Amy’s Eden enough for their outstanding home care services. The caregiver who comes to my dad’s home is like family. She’s so patient, kind, and understanding, and she’s truly made a positive impact on my dad’s life.”
- Robert Johnson
Hire the Best Home Care Providers in Reno Nevada
The best home care agency takes their time to understand your older relative’s needs. They use what they’ve learned to deliver care catered to your loved one’s preferences. Collaborating with the right care provider in Reno and Reno area can promote independence, allow for individualized care and make it more financially sustainable.
Amy’s Eden can work with your family to create the best care plan that suits your budget. Our mission is to provide skilled and compassionate care for your loved ones in the comfort of their homes. Please feel free to contact us today by giving us a call or send us an email to know your options.
