When you are trying to decide between transitioning your senior loved one to a nursing home or bringing in a home health care provider to take care of them, there are numerous factors that you can and should consider. The choice of senior care providers can seem daunting, but if you go step by step and consider all of the important facts, you will be able to reach a decision that is best for you and your senior loved one.
Do They Have Dementia or Alzheimer's?
One of the factors to consider when choosing a care arrangement for your senior loved one is whether or not they suffer from Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia. If this is the case, planning their care may be a bit more complicated than with other health conditions or statuses. Dementia and Alzheimer's disease are progressive disorders that affect a person's memory, cognitive abilities, personality, and eventually, their ability to function physically.
If the loved one you are helping to care for suffers from dementia or Alzheimer's disease, home health care services may not be enough to keep them as safe as possible. In their own home, your loved one may wander off and out of the house, get up in the middle of the night and fall or trip, or engage in dangerous activities when a caregiver is busy with another task.
In a senior care services facility like a nursing home or a memory care home, your loved one will get constant supervision and attention from several caregivers. The home itself is designed to be a safe and protective environment for your loved one to be in, and they will be able to maintain as much independence as is safely possible. The concern about wandering off will be eliminated. Memory care services are extremely secure, and your loved one will not be able to wander off without someone knowing exactly where they are.
How Much Assistance Does Your Loved One Need?
Aside from the issue of dementia, you need to consider how much daily care and assistance your loved one needs when you are choosing between home health care and nursing home care. If your loved one still is fairly independent but just needs support when performing certain daily tasks, like getting dressed or bathing, then home health care may be the most appropriate choice for them. Many people on home health care prefer to do tasks themselves with minimal support from their caregivers.
If your loved one is incapable of performing most daily living tasks on their own and requires caregivers to do much of the work for them, then nursing home care may be a more practical solution. This is particularly true of mobility and transferring from one location to another. For example, if your loved one requires a wheelchair, but is able to get in and out of it on their own or is able to at least partially support themselves to transfer from another location to their wheelchair, home care is appropriate. However, if they cannot transfer and need to be completely lifted, home caregivers may not be sufficient to do so safely.
Now that you know a few of the factors to consider when choosing between home health care and a nursing home for your loved one, you can be sure that you are providing them with the best care possible. Seek out services such as senior home health provider with United Senior Services for more information.
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