More than three-quarters of seniors want to remain living at home as they age. However, changes in your body and abilities can make managing by yourself more difficult. This is where home care can be so helpful. A regular visit from a caregiver can provide the assistance you need to stay where you feel most comfortable.
Benefits of Home Care
The biggest benefit of home care is being able to live in familiar surroundings. Home care agencies help you do this by providing a range of services that can help you maintain your independence. The care you receive is personalized, with a plan based on your unique needs.
Many older adults get help with activities around the house that they can no longer manage. This can include meal planning and preparation, housekeeping, running errands and transportation to appointments. Caregivers can also provide assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing, grooming, medication management and walking.
Home health care is an option if you need medical assistance. This type of care is also provided at home but can include skilled nursing, different types of rehabilitative therapies and disease monitoring.
If your family has been helping you with these activities, home care can provide them with some respite. This relieves some of their stress and helps you keep a positive relationship with them. Home care and home health care in Tulsa, OK, tend to be less expensive than the cost of moving to a Skilled Nursing community. It can also be a more affordable option than Assisted Living if you only need limited help.
When to Consider Home Care
It’s time to consider home care when you’re unable to keep up with chores around the house. Having someone take care of vacuuming and laundry can leave you with more energy to enjoy your retirement.
Needing help taking care of personal needs, such as showering, brushing your hair and eating, is another good sign that it’s time for home care. A caregiver also offers companionship. You’ll have a regular check-in with someone you trust, which helps combat isolation and gives you and your loved ones peace of mind.
Finally, if you feel unsafe in any way, it’s definitely time to get help. Safety concerns can include forgetting to take medication, tripping and falling, or having difficulty getting up from a chair or bed. A community that offers Assisted Living can also provide added support, but home care is the best choice if you don’t want to move away from home.
Who Qualifies for Home Care?
Home care is available to people who need help with activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living. Activities of daily living are those you need to do to take care of yourself, such as bathing, dressing, using the toilet and eating. Instrumental activities of daily living are more complicated tasks necessary to living independently. They include cooking, cleaning, transportation and managing finances.
To receive home health care, you must have a medical issue that’s being overseen by a physician. In addition, you must be unable to leave the house to deal with those problems. To get any type of home care funded through Medicaid in Oklahoma, you also need to meet the income requirements.
If you want to talk more about your long-term care options and how Montereau’s Home Care Program can fit into your plans, get in touch or call us at (918) 495-1500.