Why Do Seniors Choose In-Home Care?
Family Care articles are not a substitute for medical or legal advice from a licensed professional.
In the past, seniors in need of frequent care were likely to enter assisted living, nursing facilities, or retirement homes when they got older. Now, however, approximately 75% of Americans 45 years of age or older report they’d like to stay in their home as long as possible, as part of the “aging in place” movement. They want to maintain their independence, keep their homes, or stay close to family and friends. A home healthcare agency can help seniors maintain that independence later in life, providing valuable healthcare services that would otherwise be provided in a facility. This article details some of the major reasons seniors and their families choose home healthcare.
Big Changes in Familiar Surroundings
For many seniors, the transition to routine care is an emotional milestone. If a senior has to move to a nursing or assisted living facility, this change often comes with selling their home and car, purging many of their personal belongings, moving in next to strangers, and spending their time in an unfamiliar place. In comparison, receiving care in a familiar setting is a much less drastic change. A home healthcare patient is able to receive care in familiar surroundings, with all their belongings intact. It is the difference between accepting a stranger’s help a few times a week, and accepting that everything about their life must change, often very quickly.
Creating a Personal Bond
This is one of the most important, and one of the most overlooked, aspects of home healthcare. Our nurses are in patients’ homes all the time, often multiple times a week. In many cases, this is a wonderful opportunity for patients and nurses to bond. This is a valuable relationship for patients—many of our nurses talk about time spent solving puzzles, drinking coffee, and even giving and receiving Christmas presents. Our staff who’ve spent time working in a hospital or nursing home setting feel that a home treatment setting is a much better way to get to know a patient. They open up easier, feel comfortable faster, and receive care on their terms.
Access to Resources
One of the great things a home healthcare agency can do for its patients is connect them with community resources. This includes things like adult day centers, meal and transportation services, personal aides, counseling, and care coordination. A medical social worker can assess a patient’s needs and put them or their family caregiver in touch with the right people. This takes the burden of research off the patient or their caregiver, and provides trusted, reliable resources.
Continuity of Care
Most home healthcare agencies send the same staff members to the same patients whenever possible. Patients get to know their care team, and the care team gets to know the patient.
In the event that a home healthcare patient requires hospice services, many home healthcare agencies also provide hospice services. This allows for continuity of care during this transition. For example, our patients in Bullhead City and Lake Havasu are able to keep their nurses and aides when they transition to hospice, keeping friendly, familiar faces around during another major transition period in a patient’s life. Trust is an important part of hospice care; receiving these services from a team the patient already knows well can be comforting.
As it becomes more and more popular to remain in the home, seniors and their caregivers are more likely to turn to home healthcare options. Nursing, physical and occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology are just some of the services available through the Medicare home health benefit. Ensuring that patients and their caregivers are aware of this option, and understand its benefits, is an important part of making the best care decisions for your family.