Keeping up with everyday tasks is often difficult for seniors with joint pain and muscle aches. An at-home caregiver can help them perform their daily activities smoothly and safely.

Personal care services are cost-effective for older adults who want to remain in their homes rather than move into an assisted living facility. 

Safety

Often, elderly individuals live alone and have difficulty managing basic home care duties. Personal care assistance can help with essential tasks like cooking, medication reminders, hygiene, and errand running. Personal care aides also help break the chain of infection by teaching patients to sneeze or cough into a tissue and wash their hands after using the bathroom and before meals. Additionally, they can clean and sanitize their clients’ homes and equipment to ensure safety. Depending on the type of in-home care needed, seniors can work with a full-service agency or an independent provider. Full-service agencies provide prescreened candidates, take care of taxes and insurance, and offer backup if a caregiver is ill or quits unexpectedly. In addition, they can provide the services at a lower cost than an independent provider.

Companionship

Loneliness is a common problem that can impact the health of elderly individuals. They might become lonely due to friends or family members moving away or changes in their physical and mental state. Having someone to talk to and spend time with can boost their morale.

Companionship care can also remind them to take their medications, help prepare meals and run errands. They can also give them a sense of security, knowing they have someone to call on in an emergency.

A companion can also fill in for a loved one’s absence when family members are busy with work and other obligations. This gives them peace of mind that their elderly loved ones are being cared for. This is especially helpful for those that live far from their elderly relatives.

Health

Personal care aides are often dedicated to improving the quality of life for their clients. This includes helping them do everyday tasks like bathing and grooming, which may become more difficult as they age.

In addition, they can provide light stretching exercises and other physical assistance to help prevent falls. They can also help manage daily expenses and pay bills. They can also transport a loved one to the store, doctor’s appointments, and social events. This helps to keep them engaged and staves off loneliness. Many elderly individuals feel isolated because their family members can’t be with them as much. Caregivers are often with them more than their families so that they can offer companionship and a sense of purpose.

Meal Preparation

As people age, it becomes harder and harder to prepare healthy meals daily. This can result in your loved one consuming fast food or packaged meals without all the necessary nutrients.

A personal care aide can help your loved one to remain healthy and happy by cooking fresh, nutritious meals in their home. Often these meals are tailored to the client’s specific dietary needs or restrictions.

In addition, many local community organizations and government programs offer meal services to seniors. These meals are either delivered frozen or freshly cooked to the door and can include various foods that fit the client’s dietary needs. This is a great option for those who don’t have family or friends who can regularly cook for them.

Transportation

Many elderly individuals need reliable personal care services to perform essential day-to-day tasks and stay socially active. These hands-on services allow them to remain at home and avoid a move to an assisted living facility.

Seniors without access to their cars face challenges getting to doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping or visiting friends and family. As a result, they may miss important events and become more isolated.

Fortunately, public transportation systems and aging organizations provide various options to address this issue. Some offer free and low-cost travel instruction programs, which assign coaches to help seniors feel more comfortable using public transit and find discounts and routes that work best for them. They also provide curbside service so passengers can board a vehicle without leaving home.