Being independent is precious, but it is painful when aging starts restricting daily activities. A home care worker helps seniors to enjoy everyday freedom with proper care and healthcare support. Please keep reading to learn what is a home care worker and how they enable older adults to live a desired life.
Is Hiring a Caregiver Necessary? Why?
Aging can sometimes be challenging when someone suffers from chronic health issues or is recovering from a medical condition. Home healthcare workers promote independence and assist seniors in managing light household chores and medications.
Top 5 Reasons to Choose Homecare Services
Professional caregivers remain responsible for the well-being of their clients and help them maintain their everyday lives. Let’s find out the essential reasons to choose homecare services,
1. A safe living environment is required
2. Seniors can lead an independent life
3. Proper medical assistance by professionals
4. The caregivers offer peace of mind to the members of the family
5. Get the suitable companionship that everyone desires
What are the Duties of a Home Care Worker?
Home care is nothing but a level of safe personal care that enables elderly people to take care of everyday duties spontaneously. The question of ‘what is a homecare worker’ deserves a well-explained answer depending on the required assistance and care.
- The perk of being an adult is our independence. But as we get older, we become inefficient in handling various jobs independently such as preparing meals, taking medications from time to time, going upstairs to bring essential items, and more. This is when a home care worker comes in to help us maintain independence.
- In-home care workers not only provide physical support to elderly patients but emotional assistance as well. The professionals aim to enable their patients to thrive at home irrespective of their health condition.
- Home care practitioners spend hours covering multiple services included in personal care. They can help seniors wash and get dressed, manage medications, and offer companionship.
- Professional in-home care workers assist seniors with light household work such as watering the plants, preparing a cup of tea, and watching their favorite movie series together.
What Factors to Consider While Hiring a Home Care Professional?
Empathy and compassion are perhaps the two essential qualities that home care professionals should possess. Considering the patient as a family enhances the quality of care to a great extent.
Sincere in-home care workers should be trained in manual handling, dementia, medication, health & safety, first aid, safeguarding, and more.
Situations to Call a Home Care Expert
There are certain situations and healthcare conditions when appointing a home care worker becomes essential.
- Dementia: Dementia patients living alone should always be assisted by a caregiver regardless of the stage of the condition. Well-equipped home care workers efficiently care for older adults and help them recover from personality changes, memory disorders, and more.
- Alzheimer’s: Patients who have Alzheimer’s, find it challenging to realize the time of the day. Healthcare providers help patients to understand their routine, recognize their near ones, and take proper medicines ensuring they are safe and comfortable.
- Neurological Conditions: Professional home care workers also support those with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and Multiple Sclerosis.
- Long-Term Conditions: Efficient in-home workers can help older adults suffering from long-term medical conditions such as:
1. Cancer
2. Down’s syndrome
3. Cerebral palsy
4. Diabetes
5. Arthritis
6. Stroke aftercare
7. Brain injuries
8. Spinal cord injuries
- Overnight Assistance: your elderly loved one may not just require assistance throughout the day but overnight to have a peaceful sleep knowing that they are not alone and will get help if needed. Home care assistance can support them in turning over in bed and taking them to the toilet in the middle of the night.
Home Care Assistants Require Being Physically & Mentally Fit
Being Physically Fit is Essential
Home care assistants must be physically and mentally fit since they are devoted to helping patients irrespective of age, body type, and healthcare condition. These experts often may need to lift the patient into and out of their beds, couches, bathtubs, and even toilet seats.
Additionally, caregivers must lift the bedridden patients and turn them to prevent bedsores. Therefore, caregivers must be strong enough to handle these transfers since they’ll have to work alone at the patient’s house most of the time.
Are you searching for elderly care in Nevada? Please schedule a free elderly care assessment with us today
Emotional Support
Older adults often have concerns they want to talk about. The caregivers are supposed to listen to them, answer their questions, and provide the needed companionship. Such thoughtful conversations assure the patients that they are not alone, which enhances their willpower.
Is Training Necessary for Home Care Workers?
Taking care of seniors can be challenging. It requires adequate experience and training to meet each patient’s specific needs. Home care workers can opt for online training programs from community colleges and the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC). It would be helpful for the caregivers to enroll in CPR and first aid classes locally for actual hands-on experience during the online courses.
Services Offered by Caregivers
Home care workers offer multiple services that help older adults maintain a dignified lifestyle. Apart from personal hygiene, the professionals take care of several services, including:
- Regular Exercise: Well-trained in-home caregivers help the patients to perform light exercises regularly. They also assist them in walking, considering their mobility issues.
- Grocery Shopping: Older people often have critical health problems and fail to drive or go outside. Caregivers help their patients with grocery shopping and medications.
- Laundry & Light Housekeeping: The caregivers help the patients to start a day fresh and clean. New colorful bedsheets and cleaned clothes boost everyday confidence with a positive vibe.
- Meal Preparation: Patients often cannot prepare their meals by themselves due to critical illness. Home care workers efficiently prepare their meals and ensure that patients have healthy food as prescribed by the doctor.
- Escorting the Patients: If patients cannot visit the clinic for doctor appointments, a home caregiver can drive them to the doctor for medical checkups and other requirements.
Willing to Opt for Live-in Care? Reach Out Today!
Since caregivers help older adults in various ways, the proper home care worker definition covers a broader aspect. Live-in care by home care workers offers constant round-the-clock attention to older adults in their homes.
Contact Amy’s Eden Senior Care today to find a home care worker if you want expert assistance centered around your elderly loved one’s needs, routines, and preferences.
