While a professional at-home caregiver can be an excellent resource for your senior loved one, making the transition from living alone to having another person help out may be difficult for your loved one. Here are some ways to make the transition to in-home care easier for your aging parent.
Promote Independence
It’s important to have a candid conversation with your loved one about his or her independence. The most common reason older adults are anxious about the idea of in-home care is because they’re worried about losing their independence and being seen as less capable than they were when they were younger. Many seniors fear that once they have at-home help, they’ll no longer be able to make their own decisions. You can put your loved one’s mind at ease by explaining that an in-home caregiver won’t make any decisions for him or her. The caregiver will simply be there to help your loved one with challenging tasks, not to take over completely.
Many seniors prefer aging in place over moving to assisted living facilities. If your senior loved one needs assistance to remain safe and comfortable while living at home, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading Anchorage homecare services agency. Our dedicated in-home caregivers can assist with meal prep, bathing and grooming, exercise, medication reminders, and many other important tasks.
Set Up a Casual Meeting
A good way to ease your loved one into in-home care is to arrange a meeting between your loved one and the caregiver before the at-home assistance begins. Look for a neutral meeting place, such as a local ice cream store or neighborhood coffee shop. Meeting up beforehand can give your loved one a chance to get to know the caregiver as a person and get a sense of their compatibility.
Whether your elderly loved one needs part-time assistance with basic household chores or you need a break from your caregiving duties, the Anchorage respite care experts at Home Care Assistance are here to help. All of our respite care services are backed with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, there are no hidden fees in our contracts, and we never ask our clients to sign long-term contracts.
Outline the Expectations
Unless your loved one has severe cognitive difficulties, you should always try to get an idea of what he or she expects before bringing a caregiver into the home. Talk to your loved one to find out if there are boundaries he or she would like an in-home caregiver to respect while providing care. While this may seem obvious, giving your loved one the chance to write out his or her expectations of in-home care may help him or her feel more secure with having a caregiver helping around the house. Encourage your loved one to voice any concerns with his or her in-home caregiver.
Point Out the Positives
Seniors may have difficulty remembering all the positives about home care during the transition. If your loved one is having difficulty adjusting, encourage him or her to list a few good things that he or she will enjoy with in-home care, such as regular companionship and having help with challenging tasks such as laundry, meal preparation, grocery shopping, and housekeeping. List all the advantages your loved one will enjoy, and explain how having a caregiver close by could reduce the risk of falls that could lead to fractured bones, head trauma, and other serious injuries.
Senior home care agencies can be a great boon to seniors. With the help of the caregivers at Home Care Assistance, your aging loved one can lead a happier and healthier life. We offer a revolutionary program called the Balanced Care Method, which encourages seniors to eat nutritious foods, exercise and socialize regularly, and focus on other lifestyle factors that increase life expectancy. We will work with you to create a customized home care plan that’s suited for your loved one’s unique needs. Call the Home Care Assistance team at (907) 770-0907 today.