Companion care is not only an excellent solution to help elderly individuals stay secure in their homes, but it can also enhance the quality of life for those who require it.
Elderly individuals are especially vulnerable to loneliness, which can have negative consequences on their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Companion services are an invaluable addition to home care for those who require nonmedical support, such as assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs). Here are five ways you can determine if your loved one requires companion care.
Help with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
A companion can assist your loved one with daily tasks, like taking out the trash or folding laundry. They may also assist with important paperwork or mail like bills, legal documents or letters from friends.
Basic daily living skills (ADLs) are those necessary for independent living, such as bathing/showering, grooming, oral hygiene, dressing and toileting. Individuals with cognitive impairments or chronic health conditions may have difficulty performing ADLs on their own.
Some individuals only need a few of these activities, while others need full-time assistance to maintain their ADLs. If you are concerned about your loved one’s ability to meet basic needs, speak with a doctor, family member or healthcare provider for advice and an assessment.
Physical and occupational therapists use ADLs as important benchmarks when deciding if a patient is ready for treatment. After hospitalization due to illness or accident, physical and occupational therapists typically assess patients’ capacity to perform ADLs; this helps determine how much assistance they require during recovery.
Help with Meal Preparation
Meal prepping is an efficient way to save time and ensure your body gets the nutrition it needs. Plus, it can be a fun activity for you and your loved one to share as a family.
Are you searching for ways to simplify meal preparation? Consider these helpful hints:
Start by creating a weekly meal plan and shopping your pantry. You can do this either with an easy grocery list, or for something extra creative, consider using a meal prep app such as AnyList for convenience.
In-home companion care is an ideal solution for providing assistance with both big and small household tasks, such as cleaning, cooking, laundry and more. Families that are busy but concerned about their aging parent or relative can benefit from this important solution by working together with the right home care agency and planning ahead accordingly. With proper planning and the right agency on board, your loved one may remain comfortable in their own home for extended periods of time.
Help with Transportation
One of the most challenging aspects of caring for an older adult is transportation. Many seniors struggle to get to and from doctor appointments or other errands on their own, and family members may not always be available to provide a ride.
A home health aide can help organize your loved one’s calendar and ensure they make it to all appointments on time. They may also assist with other household duties like laundry and light housekeeping.
For seniors, personal care aides can offer all of the above plus companionship and socialization. What’s great about them is they often have more capabilities than expected and tend to be very cost-effective too. A senior home care agency will match you with the ideal aide according to your requirements, providing a wide range of services tailored for you or your loved one’s lifestyle. The best way to find out is by speaking directly with one of their staff members.
Help with Household Management
Home companions offer emotional support and companionship as well as assistance with some of life’s everyday tasks. This may include cooking, running errands, light housekeeping tasks or shopping.
They can come to your loved one’s home on an hourly basis to offer the necessary help, while allowing them to remain as independent as possible. This is a great option for elderly individuals who may feel lonely or don’t have enough time to do things they enjoy.
Furthermore, they can assist with shopping or errands that you may be unable to complete due to age or illness. Whether it’s taking them out to the grocery store, getting dry cleaning done, or dropping items off at a donation center – they are ready and willing to lend a helping hand.
Managing a home can seem like an impossible task. With so many aspects to manage – housework, kids, finances and hobbies – it can be hard to strike the perfect balance and create systems that work for everyone in your family. But with the right support system in place, managing your household tasks becomes much simpler.