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What is Home Care and Why it Matters in Philadelphia and Southeastern PA

Personal home care includes a range of medical, social, assistive and other services, which are given to an individual in their own home. This typically occurs when a person needs follow‐up care after a hospital visit or requires long term care due to aging or an illness.
These comprehensive services are provided by trained persona care assistants, such as nurses, therapists, home health aides and other direct‐care staff. The focus of personal home care is on patient prevention, recuperation, and/or an alternative to higher‐cost institutional care that would otherwise be provided in a hospital or residential nursing facility. Generally, personal home care services are appropriate when a person prefers to stay at home, or is home-bound, but needs ongoing care.

Many seniors need help with personal care. This might include assistance with bathing and grooming; housekeeping and laundry; shopping and cooking; transportation to medical and other appointments; or even just companionship. Personal home care allows an older adult to live safely and independently at home for as long as possible. It also provides family caregivers with peace of mind knowing their loved one is well cared for.

When to Say Yes to Home Care

There are several factors that indicate to loved ones when personal home care may be an appropriate choice for their elderly relative.
What the caregiver sees: Sometimes, seniors are struggling to take care of themselves and this shows; if their homes are unkempt; if they fall and bruise themselves frequently; if they aren’t eating; if their mental status has changed or if they are wandering, it may be time for home care.

What the caregiver feels: If you’re worried and anxious all the time about your elderly parent, this may affect other areas of your life. It might even feel as though you’ve put your life on hold or you’re relying too much on other family members for help and getting no response; those feelings are red flags that some changes need to be made. Personal home care could benefit all parties involved, not just the person being cared for.

Considering all of this, the best solution is to find someone who can attend to the personal care of your loved one. The first step to get the kind of in-home care your elderly parent needs isn’t to rush out and hire a home care aide. Instead you should familiarize yourself with what personal home care means, what it is and what it’s not. It’s important to have realistic and reasonable expectations from the person you hire. This will prevent any potential issues down the road.

Personal care is all about respect and giving seniors their independence in a safe environment. Having a personal caregiver is the first step in showing that you care for your elderly loved ones. It is letting them know that you still care for them despite not being around most of the time. And as caregivers, it is our moral responsibility to respect the needs and wants of our patients.

When it comes to their preference in the task, food or method of doing a particular thing, it’s important that the caregiver listens to and respects the requests of the senior. Children can feel tempted to step in and make decisions for their elderly parents, but as long as they are capable of deciding on their own, it’s best to let them be. A large part of the caregiver’s job is giving respect to seniors’ choices and giving them enough space to be independent. This results in a better and more effective caregiver-patient relationship.

Indeed, personal home care matters because this is the foundation of a healthy and positive aging. Seniors, who receive the care they need
while retaining some level of independence, thrive under the watchful eye of a caregiver. Even elderly persons that are still capable of doing daily tasks can benefit from personal assistance and good companionship in their day to day endeavors.

Finding a personal caregiver is the first step in showing that you care for your elderly loved ones. It is your chance to let them know you still care for them despite not being around most of the time. And it is the moral responsibility of the personal home care assistant to respect the needs and wants of their patients.

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