Getting Home Care for South Florida Seniors

As one grows older, a great and legitimate fear is being shipped off to a nursing home, and this happens for a few reasons. The primary reason however is that the individual in question is no longer able to care for themselves due to their ailing health or perhaps even a developed inability to perceive reality in the way the rest of us do. No matter what the problem is however, there is usually a way to ensure that the elder individual is able to remain at home with supervision so long as certain conditions are met.

Outfitting the Home

Miami seniorThe first thing you will need to do as far as home care for South Florida seniors is concerned, make sure the home is properly outfitted with certain amenities. For example, hand rails on the toilet and bath tub to ensure that they can lift themselves. In addition to that, a shower chair should be installed to guarantee they do not slip on the tub floor. At that age, it becomes far too easy for a senior citizen to lose their balance, and a shower chair will actually serve to keep them off their feet and reduce the risk.

There are many other solutions you can implement in the home to ensure that your loved one does not fall and hurt themselves, and also solutions that will serve to make their life a bit easier. This, however, is only the first step.

Home Care

There are services that will be able to care for your loved one while you cannot, which is very helpful if you cannot keep an eye on them 24/7. This does not mean that they will need a nurse on hand at all times, but sometimes it helps to have someone check in at least twice per day. Such services can provide them with their medicine, and even ensure they are eating properly.

There are plenty of solutions regarding home care for South Florida seniors. Everyone gets old at some point, but it does not have to mean the end of life. Start looking into it today and take advantage of it tomorrow.

Employ Trustworthy Aides From Reputable Home Care Companies

Unlike some providers of home care aides, legitimate agencies and registries generally have well-trained professional staff. Experienced aides from these home care services are skilled in assisting the elderly with daily living activities, such as getting dressed, grooming, and toileting. These services are imperative for seniors, especially those who suffer from specific age-related conditions like dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Only aides who have earned certification are trusted to care for the clients.

Facing the Challenge

Presently, the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) statistics show that nearly 40 million United States citizens are seniors 65 years or older. Reputable home care registries are very much in demand as this number is rising each year. It is expected that by 2050, there will be 89 million seniors. Because the elderly usually have unique medical and home care requirements, this presents a challenge. Countless people choose to place aging family members in nursing facilities. However, there are many drawbacks to that and many benefits to hiring an aide from a respected home care registry to care for loved ones in their own homes.

Supportive Coverage

Just like everyone else, a home care aide is human. They can get sick the same as anyone and this can happen without any warning. There also will be times that aides need to take time off due to personal issues. Considering these factors, the ease of hiring nursing aides from home care companies can be of great value to ones who have aging relatives that need continuing care. As an example, when a caregiver cannot come to work, it is easy to request a substitute home care aide. This means elderly loved ones always have a dependable aide anytime one is needed. With a reputable home care agency, it is certain that a qualified aide is always available.

Background Checks for Staff

All home care registries put their candidates through a background check to ensure they do not employ criminals. They do not hire everyone who walks in the door looking for a job. This ensures clients that no one is hired that has a criminal record. Families can carry on with their jobs and know that their elderly loved one is safe and being taken care of by a skilled, trustworthy aide. Not only is a background check run on applicants, but home care agencies probe deep into potential aides’ past work experiences to decide if they have the qualifications to be a home care aide. They also look for a commitment to assist seniors, along with the personality traits needed to interact with the elderly. The same level of diligence is not present when opting to employ a home health aide from unpredictable private resources.

Improved Health Care for the Elderly

Smiling elderly woman Many people think that residential or hospital care is the single solution for elderly people. This notion does not always consider the comfort of these people in such environments. No matter if the elderly person has a chronic illness or is in good health, studies show that qualified home care agencies can work wonders. As an example, a study that was published in Internal Medicine Archives proves that home care is a more practical option than hospital care for seniors with chronic heart failure. An additional study done by the Senior Care network, Home Instead, discovered that employing a home care agency improves the quality of life for elders. The participants of the study that received home based care had reports of decreased visits to the doctor.

When getting older the body is more susceptible to diseases and conditions including arthritis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and vision problems. Elderly people usually require more care and observation. Hiring an aide from a professional home care service is a good choice. It has many advantages, including home care professionals and personnel who can be a back up as needed. With trusted home care aides comes a more comfortable life with improved health for a loved one. Everyone appreciates the comfort of being able to live at home and a  home care registry can provide the care to make this possible.

Home Care Resources In South Florida:

Home Care Aides Enable Delray Beach Seniors to Live in Their Own Home

Many Delray Beach seniors want to keep living in their own home, and helping an elderly loved-one find a good home care aide can be the perfect solution.

Elderly woman in Delray Beach gardenA home care aide is someone whose duties include helping an elderly or disabled person with their daily living needs. This can include bathing, grooming, going to the bathroom, getting dressed, and meals. These everyday tasks can be challenging or impossible for some people without the help of an in-home care aide.

Another important function of home care aides is household chores. Keeping an elderly person’s home tidy helps both their psychological condition and their safety. Laundry, vacuuming, dish washing, and dusting are a few of the household chores commonly done by these kinds of workers.

In-home care workers also often go grocery shopping and transport the elderly person to doctor’s appointments, senior center, library, or other locations as needed. Maintaining a way of getting out of the house safely can make a big difference in the mental health of an elderly person.

Meal preparation is one of the most important jobs that home care workers provide. Often, elderly people do not get the right nutritional balance when they have to fix their own meals. A home care aide can make sure that the seniors nutritional needs are met each day.

Elderly people also benefit greatly from the companionship provided by home care workers. Just having a compassionate listener can make a big difference in the life of seniors. This is also a way for the elderly person to keep up to date about things going on in the world, helping them feel less isolated and out of touch with the world around them.

Record keeping is another function provided by many home care aides. These notes are helpful to the elderly person’s doctor and family, and can help track progress or set-back that need attention.

Laws prohibit home care workers from dispensing nursing services. If an elderly parent needs skilled nursing, a Registered Nurse or other licensed medical specialist should be hired. The home care aide can help the elderly person with getting daily exercise and taking medications on schedule, as well as with some other simple medical monitoring.

Being able to live at home can mean a lot to an elderly person, and this is exactly what home care aides make possible. Their job is to gently give assistance where it is needed while still allowing the elderly person as much independence as they can manage.

Staying independent can make a significant improvement in the quality of life of for seniors. When an elderly person is generally healthy, staying out of a skilled nursing facility can often help them maintain their health for as long as possible. There are many benefits for seniors who are able to remain at home.

Agencies and registries that specialize in home care use workers who have training, licensing, and who are dependable and trustworthy. This is especially important if your parent does not live nearby and you are unable to check in personally on a regular basis.

Getting set up with a home care service for seniors starts with an in-home assessment. The senior’s health, environment, and individual needs will be assessed and considered. This process helps in determining what level of care is needed. If customized care is needed for a condition like diabetes, these concerns will be addressed during the initial assessment. This courtesy visit will help you and your parent decide if the home care aide is the right person for your situation.

Call us to schedule a home care visit and get your questions answered. 561-989-0611 or 877-706-0785

What You Should Know About Home Care

Aside from raising your own family and achieving different milestones in your career, one of your many responsibilities as an adult also includes taking care of your own parents. A lot of elderly folks nowadays prefer living independently on in order for them to feel more productive even as they age. While there are families who feel the need to send their elderly parents to assisted living facilities, more and more people are now considering hiring a home care aide for their senior parents.

Why go for the home care arrangement?

When it comes to aging, most adults who enter the senior stage in life are very particular about staying productive and independent. It is not about being stubborn, rather, it is about being able to stay fully functional and productive even as they grow older. This is why, instead of sending your parents to a nursing home, you should consider hiring a home care aide instead.

Senior Enjoying Garden with AideHiring a home care aide would mean that you can get to spend time with your elderly parents without having to travel far. Most elderly adults would also feel most comfortable if they can spend their elderly years right in the place that they call home. It will give them a sense of belongingness and it allows them to feel safe knowing that they are just right at home. With an aide that you can rely on to take care of your parents, you do not have to worry about caring for them especially during times when you are too caught up with work as well as your own obligations for your family. You will always have that peace of mind in knowing that your parents are in great hands and that they always have someone to attend to their daily needs.

The home care arrangement is also a lot more affordable as compared to sending your parents to live in assisted living institutions. Depending on what kind of care you would need for your parents, the cost would go higher the longer you would require the aide to stay in your parent’s home. If your parents need constant monitoring especially for their medical needs, you will need a stay-in aide. Otherwise, if they are still in tip-top shape then you can hire an aide that can stay during the day only.

What exactly does a home care aid do?

A home care aide does not have to be trained as a nurse nor does she need a medical background. Although it is definitely a plus, most aides are simply tasked to assist the elderly in their day-to-day functioning. Some of their basic duties include the following:

– Cooking and preparing meals
– Doing the laundry
– Assisting in transportation or in going to and from different places
– Assistance in going to the toilet
– Help in lifting heavy objects
– Helping in medications
– Shopping for groceries and other items for the home
– Running important errands

The best thing about having hiring home care aides is that they give your elderly parents that feeling of being independent. The aide is simply there to assist and to provide help in times of need. With most other tasks however, your parents can exert their independence so that they can still do whatever they want without someone hovering over them all the time. The aide can also provide a feeling of safety and well being for your parents. They will feel safe knowing that they can always count on somebody to be there for them especially during emergency situations.

What type of training do home care aides receive?

Many agencies that provide home care aides do not require applicants to have a medical background nor previous experience in order to land a job. Most agencies however, offer training to applicants before they are deployed to homes.  They are given basic first aid training as well as guidelines for etiquette and behavior so that they are properly trained to give your elderly parents the best type of care that they need. Boca Home Care Services, which matches seniors in Boca Raton and the surrounding cities with screened (full background check), certified, and fully trained home care aides and nursing assistants.

If you prefer not to go through an agency, you can always find home care aides through your own network. The most important thing to make sure of is that you trust your aide and that your parents feel comfortable having them around. Before hiring an aide, make sure that you know your parent’s needs especially if they have medical requirements. Take time to interview as many aides as you can before hiring one. Legitimate companies like Boca Home Care Services offers free in home consultations where a geriatric manager can become familiar with the specific needs of your elderly loved one and you can ask all the questions you may have. Once you have hired one, also make sure to set ground rules and set expectations before he or she starts staying with your parents.

Hiring a Home Care Aide Can Prevent an Unplanned Return to the Hospital

After a person has become hurt from an accident or injury, it is necessary to plan the recovery process. Sometimes, it is a smart idea to consider hiring a home care aide. This person is not a medical nurse, but will come with the training necessary to help get back on the road to recovery. This person will supply help without sacrificing the patient’s independence. This person will provide in home care for an individual who is not capable of performing necessary daily activities. There are many ways that a home care assistant will help to prevent an unnecessary return to the hospital.

Help Around The Home

Elderly Woman and in home care aidThere are many chores that must be completed around the home. Home care provides the necessary help with these activities. For example, an aide may provide an extra set of hands for laundry, meal preparation, or other light housework. This will keep an injured person from over straining and hampering recovery. After an accident or injury, a person may not be able to bend or stand for long periods of time. A home care aide will fill in the void and keep the household running smoothly.

Personal Care Help

When a person leaves the hospital, it is necessary to return home and maintain proper personal care. It may be difficult to enter the bath or properly wash the hair and body. A home care aide will be able to help with showering, dressing, and other grooming needs.

One of the most dangerous spots in the home is the bathroom. On a good day, a person may slip and fall entering the shower or tub. While recovering from an injury, the risks become even higher. The worst part is that if an injury occurs during recovery, it can cause even more damage and set a person more behind with healing. Having an aide around will prevent this type of damage and may offer help getting clean. This person will assure proper hygiene that will prevent infections as well. An aide will be able to change bandages and take care of wounds that are hard to keep clean without help.

Transportation

A home care aide may also provide mobility that becomes hampered during the recovery period. Depending on the injury, it may become nearly impossible to get behind the wheel of a car and drive. A home care aide will be available to help a patient attend doctor’s appointments. This professional may also be able to perform errands and shop for necessities that are difficult to obtain when a person is not in top shape. This will prevent a patient from becoming hurt and causing damage to the body that would lead to a trip back to the hospital.

Companionship

After an accident, a person is likely to become depressed. Both physical and emotional pain must be addressed during recovery. A home care aide will be able to ease these tensions and increase a patient’s quality of life during this rough patch. The company at this time will boost self esteem and keep the mind busy and off recovery. Being trapped at home can also get lonely, so the companionship will be warmly welcomed. In the end, it will help to speed the healing process.

Respite Care

Respite care is always a welcome for the family members who dedicate a great deal of time helping a loved one overcome an injury or other health condition. It can lower family stress and provide greater strength for the family to give top quality care to a loved one in need. It provides a chance for a caregiver to take personal time to recharge as well. Also, it gives a patient the time to recover at home instead of in a public facility.

Hiring a home care assistant after a person leaves the hospital will encourage a proper recovery and prevent further injury. This professional will provide non-medical care that will help a person get through the day much easier. It is a better alternative to spending time in a nursing home during the recovery period. In the end, a home care aide will provide help around the house, hygiene needs, mobility, and companionship to ensure fast and healthy healing.

Six Questions to Ask Yourself When Hiring a Home Care Aide

When you’ve spent most of your life around someone, it’s not always easy to watch that transition into old age. Elderly woman with home care aideNothing illustrates that point more than sitting down and deciding to enlist the services of a home care agency or registry. Whether you need a home care aide to check up on your loved one while you’re at work or you need someone available every day, you don’t want just anyone doing the job.

What should you be on the lookout for? How will you know that you’ve found the right agency or registry? Are there any key factors you should be following up on?

Here are the top 6 questions that everyone hiring a home care aide needs to ask before signing the dotted line.

Vetting the Home Care Agency or Registry

If you’re going through an agency or registry, it’s important to first make sure that you’re dealing with a legitimate company. These are the basic issues that you need to have sorted out before you can go any further with the hire.

1. Is the Agency or Registry Accredited?

People don’t always realize this when talking to agencies that provide home care for the elderly, but there are agencies around that evaluate the services health care-related companies offer. An agency or registry that has been evaluated and then accredited by a credible outside organization has more credibility working in its favor.

In addition, there are also health and safety guidelines that have been established federally through Medicare. How does the agency or registry stack up there?

2. What About Licensing?

This is an issue that’ll vary from state to state. However, the vast majority of states will have stipulated rules that ensure agencies undergo review on a consistent basis. If your state is one of them, you might be able to verify what you’re being told by requesting those official reviews.

If your agency or registry doesn’t meet state guidelines or you find out that the reality is different from what you’ve been told, that’s a major red flag. Before you start booking appointments, you definitely want to read up on your state’s requirements.

3. Can You Find References?

It doesn’t matter if you’re getting your hair done or choosing a babysitter. There’s no beating a word of mouth association. In a way, health care is no different. So ask the agency or registry references. If you’re having second thoughts about hiring a home care aide for your elderly loved one, perhaps sitting down with a doctor or hospital administrator will ease your mind.

You can also get a list from your doctor and work from there ahead of time

4. Does the Agency or Registry Train Its Aides Well? Are there ways of helping them improve?

Of course, these precautions are being taken so that you can hire a home care aide at the end of the day. So naturally, it’s important that you get an inside look at how the agency or registry hires its aides as well as the way staff members are handled on a daily basis. Do supervisors stay closely involved at the place? Do staff members get regular opportunities to update their credentials?

The internal structure and motivation of an agency or registry can tell you a lot.

Choosing Your Aide

Maybe on top of exploring agencies you’re open to browsing through your local registry for your home care professional. That’s not a problem either. There are a couple of things to be asking once you’ve got an aide in mind.

1. Is This Home Care Aide Certified?

There are a number of services that fall under the umbrella of “home care”. These range from providing simple human companionship and adult conversation to catering to a patient’s dietary needs to managing medication and helping out with basic chores. In short, just because someone is a home care aide that doesn’t mean that their professional strengths will be right for your situation.

2. What Type of Personality Does the Home Care Aide Have?

The last thing you want is to be dealing with a home care professional who rubs you the wrong way. Are you comfortable with this aide? How does he or she speak of senior citizens? Granted, it’s going on gut instinct and we all know that gut instincts can be wrong. Even so, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

There you have it. These simple questions will save you time and heartache in your search for a home care aide. Good luck.,

In South Florida you can save time by requesting an in-home visit from Boca Home Care Services, which services most cities on Broward and Palm Beach Counties , or Jewish Home Care Services of Miami-Dade which handles areas South.

Home Care: An Excellent Alternative to a Nursing Home

Home care is the ideal solution if your elderly parent needs special care but refuses to give up his/her home for a life in a nursing home.

Home care aides will help the individual handle their regular activities. Your elderly parent may need help to visit the toilet, take a bath and get dressed. A trained nursing care aide can help a senior complete activities that were once second nature, but now seem overwhelming.

Elderly woman with flowersBut those aren’t the only ways that an aide can help. Many professional caregivers will also help with keeping the senior’s residence clean by handling tasks such as sweeping, dusting, mopping and doing the laundry. Assisting with things such as shopping trips or traveling to meet with friends or other appointments can be included in the list of job duties for the aide.

If your loved one has any unique dietary needs, the home care agency can find an aide that’s qualified to prepare these meals. Any doctor’s orders regarding meals will be followed and the aide will also serve the meal.

But the senior parent needs more than someone to chauffeur them around, clean their house and dress them. The availability of another human being to talk to can make all the difference in the individual’s health, both mental and physical. The elderly person can gain so much from the aide’s act of just listening and responding in a caring way. Promoting the simple act of human interaction is most likely the most useful thing you can do for your senior relative.

While the aide converses with the patient, they can also monitor their condition and daily activity, and make notes regarding same. These records are instrumental in the senior’s treatment and can be a great reassurance to their worrying children. The caregiver can report any changes in the senior’s activity to the physicians and relatives immediately.

By law, the home care aide is barred from engaging in any services that could be described as ‘skilled nursing’. If your parent is in critical condition and needs skilled medical help at their residence, you should look into registered nurses and other medical providers. Conversely, if your parent is not afflicted with such an extremely serious condition, the aide’s assistance with companionship, medication and meal timing, and other activities can surely be a boon.

Assisting the elderly in maintaining some freedom while dealing with their physical condition is what home care agencies do. Today, more seniors than ever before are choosing to live on their own, away from their children and families. The right care, in their own home, makes this dream a reality.

Life threatening diseases excepted, your senior relative should be able to remain out of a skilled nursing facility and maintain their preferred way of life in their own home by utilizing home care.

Any home care aides secured via an agency will be duly licensed, accountable, and received all required training. Any qualms you might feel when trusting the care of your senior parent to someone possibly located many miles away can be assuaged when you know they’re fully qualified and properly trained. Even though you can’t be there on a regular basis, you can breath a sigh of relief that they’re being well taken care of.

Selecting an individual to provide home health care begins with an evaluation of three things: your parent’s individual needs, their state of health, and their life circumstances. Services are tailored if the senior suffers from diabetes or incontinence. Visiting the agency personally is a good idea if possible.

Calling to set up a visit with the agency is a great idea. Then you can proceed with full confidence to select the right aide for you and your parent. At this time of their life, could you give them any greater gift than this?

In the Miami-Dade area, contact Miami Home Care Services at (305) 534-5055 to find trained, screened and compasionate home care aides for your elderly parent or loved one.

The Family Caregiver of an Elderly Loved One Can Find Relief When Assigning Some of the Responsibilities to a Home Health Care Aide.

The Role of Family Caregiver of an Aging Loved one is Difficult

Many disabled people, those with a chronic illness, or senior citizens eventually find that they are in need of assistance when performing their every day tasks. That job will many times be accepted by a member of the family. However, trying to fit this type of daily care in on top of one’s other regular family and career responsibilities can be tough.This care giving can be extremely challenging on many levels. Looking for help with the physical, mental, and economic challenges doesn’t reduce the worth of the caregiver. Actually, they can improve their performance at care giving by seeking support.

elderly man Where Can You Find Assistance?

Many types of help exist. The caregiver can access counseling, training, instruction and other services. If the caregiver begins feeling highly burdened by their task, these services can be extremely helpful. The care giver’s physical and mental health, in addition to their financial status, can be bolstered by taking advantage of some of these services.

There’s obviously a lot of stress associated with modern life. Augmenting that stress with the tension of providing care for a relative can create anxiety that’s almost unendurable for many. It’s been found that family caregivers tend to sleep and eat poorly and get less than optimal exercise. They’re also more likely to be clinically depressed and fail to seek medical care for themselves when necessary. Some experts have even claimed that the lifespan of family caregivers can be reduced by 10 years.

A Home Care Aid Can Relieve a Family Caregiver

One of the options available to family caregivers to relieve themselves of this constant stress is to engage a homecare aide. Engaging an aide through a service or registry can provide a high quality of care because the aide will be provided with training and supervision.

The family caregiver will find that a professional aide will be able to take their place concerning just about all the duties they were previously performing. They can handle meals, including the preparation and the cleanup. Ironing and laundry can be done. They can assistance with toileting which is the term used to describe assisting with elimination needs. Physical assistance with getting in or out of bed can be provided. They can do the household cleaning such as sweeping, vacuuming, mopping and dusting. Handling any errands or shopping can be included.

But probably the most important duties that the home care aide can perform are the following two. They can relieve the family caregiver of the stress they’ve incurred, and they can provide companionship to the client. We’ve already discussed how the stress can impact the caregiver. It appears that companionship may have just as many advantages for the client as the stress removal does for the caregiver. Research has shown that interacting on a regular basis with other people has verifiable helpful effects on both physical and mental well-being. Therefore, if you’re currently thinking of or now serving as a family caregiver, please give thought to employing the assistance of a homecare aide for at least part of the dish washing required.

As Eldercare professionals, Boca Home Care Services together with Boca Home Care provide total expert home health care to you or your loved one. Serving South Florida since 1998, our Social Work driven, experienced, caring staff match a certified, screened and compassionate caregiver to assist with personal care such as: bathing, dressing, walking, toileting and feeding as needed.

Home Care Can Smooth a Transition From a Hospital Stay

Even a fairly straightforward procedure can often result in a period of recuperation. In some instances, that recuperation may take longer than expected. During this time, it can often be difficult to take care of daily activities. Non-medical home care can provide a wide variety of benefits during this time while helping you or your loved one to focus on remaining safe and healthy. The types of activities that can be provided by a home health care agency may include assistance with showering and taking medications. A home care aide may also provide help with preparing breakfast or other meals.

Home care aide and elderly clientIndividuals of any age can benefit from the assistance of a home care aide, but the population that can benefit the most is often seniors. This can be particularly true for seniors who may live alone or who may be alone during certain times of the day when family members need to be at work. While assistance with daily activities is an important benefit provided by home health care, simple companionship can be a critical advantage, as well.

In fact, the companionship aspect provided by a professional caregiver can often be just as crucial as the physical assistance provided. Seniors, in particular, require one-on-one contact and vibrant conversation to assist in keeping their minds alert. When provided with the opportunity to interact with and participate in favored activities with someone else, seniors can thrive even when recovering from a hospital stay. A reputable home health care agency can provide caregivers who can meet a broad array of needs.

A personal care assistant can also often make it possible for patients recovering from a serious hospital stay to do so in the comfort of their own home rather than being released from the hospital to a rehabilitation or care facility. The ability to be in familiar surroundings can actually have a profound effect on one’s recovery. Elderly patients who may be suffering from dementia will find that the ability to recovery at home with the assistance of a professional caregiver may lead to less confusion.

Respite care can often be important for family members who may be exhausted from providing around-the-clock care on their own. By taking advantage of the opportunity to run errands or simply have a little time to care for themselves, family members can return home feeling refreshed and better prepared to provide their loved ones with the care they deserve. Respite care can also be used when the primary caregiver must travel on business. A reputable agency will take great care in training and supervising all caregivers to provide family members with the peace of mind they need to know that their loved ones will receive the best care possible while they are away.

At one time, recovering from a serious surgery or hospital stay often meant the need to transition to a care facility, particularly in the case of seniors. Today, that is no longer necessary thanks to the numerous benefits offered by home care and respite care.

In the Broward and Palm Beach Counties of South Florida, Boca Home Care Services can provide, trained, screened and compassionate aides to make senior living an independent pleasure.