Caregiving takes a lot of dedication and hard work. It eats up a lot of your time, probably time that you do not have. If you’ve decided to have your senior relative age-in-place or grow old at home, then hiring a professional caregiver would be a tremendous help for both of you. A caregiver is someone who ventures to take care of another person who is lacking in capacity to care for themselves. There are plenty of benefits in having a caregiver that is often taken for granted. Some of these benefits are listed below.
1. Undivided Attention of a Professional
Plenty of families and relatives take up the responsibility of caregiving, and that works well enough for them. However, if you can afford one, a professional in-home aide will offer undivided attention to your senior. This means that your senior relative will be the caregiver’s primary concern. The chance of anything slipping through the cracks is highly unlikely. As a family member caring for someone, you have other duties that may distract you from the needs of your older relative from time-to-time. If you want the utmost best and designated attention for your senior, then hire a professional.
2. Offers Assistance with Daily Tasks
Caregiving means more than giving injections or managing someone’s illness. Your relative needs to eat, your senior needs clean clothes, your relative needs to be showered or bathed. A caregiver helps with the daily tasks that are now difficult for you and your older relative. These tasks can be but are not limited to:
o Driving
o Personalized meals
o Feeding
o Bathing
o Dressing
Altogether, a professional caregiver helps to make daily living easier. Neither you nor your senior has to worry about the little things.
3. Increases the Sense of Safety and Reduces Accidents
When seniors live alone or are left unattended for too long, they become prone to accidents and falls. Having someone around can minimize these concerns and increase the sense of safety in you and your older relative. In-home aides tend to help with daily tasks: getting up and down steps, in and out of the shower, up and out of bed.
Sometimes when there is no one to assist a senior with these activities, they end up having an accident or falling. An in-home caregiver serves to reduce the chances of your older relative falling and getting hurt. Not only will a caregiver reduce the chance of an accident, having an aide will give you and your relative some peace of mind.
4. Provides Companionship for Your Senior
Did you know that depression is a rising issue among the elderly? 15-20 Percent of adults 65 years and older
have experienced depression at some point or another. The CDC confirms that depression is not a natural part of aging, and yet older adults are struggling with this illness. Having companionship in someone has proven useful in reducing the possibility of developing depression. An aide can offer this companionship to your senior. Not only can caregivers offer conversation and physical presence, but a caregiver tends to indulge in seniors’ hobbies, whether by playing games, watching movies or going for a walk. These activities serve the purpose of reducing isolation and hence, depression.
5. A Source of Knowledge in Health Care
The difference between a relative serving as a caregiver and a professional in-home caregiver is that one is more knowledgeable in the field. A professional caregiver is certified and more prepared to deal with emergencies. Therefore, they are better able to tend to the current and future needs of your senior. Professional caregivers are well-versed in:
o Wound care
o Disease Management
o Issuing Injections
o Medication Management
o Fall Prevention
Caregiving is hard and time-consuming. But it doesn’t have to be. Sometimes it’s just better to hire a professional. If you want more tips on how to make aging-in-place better for you and your family member, you can get tips sent straight to you: subscribe below.
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