The difficulties of care
Caring for your aging loved one may prove to be difficult.
You may have work, you live in another area, or you have other priorities like your own children.
Although you love your parents, you might not be available to personally care for them and act as their live-in caregiver.
And the fact is, as time goes by, the care for your aging loved one becomes more demanding.
You have other options aside from moving your parent to an assisted living facility or nursing home.
You may consider in-home care, in which a professional care provider will visit your elderly loved one daily and stay with them for a few hours.
Or, if your loved one’s condition requires round-the-clock care, you might consider hiring a professional live-in caregiver.
What is live-in care?
Live-in care happens when a care provider stays on your elderly loved one’s home and provides continuous service.
With that, throughout the day, and even at night, someone is ready to attend to your loved one.
This is important for individuals who suffer from chronic illness or dementia. As they could no longer live by themselves, they need someone to monitor them and help them throughout the day and night.
The law requires that a place be provided for the live-in caregiver, and for them to have breaks during the day and night to sleep.
Typically, the care provider will stay for a month or longer, and they will have a day off for 2 to 3 days, where they will be relieved by another care provider.
With a live-in caregiver by their side, your elderly loved one could still age in their own home.
They could still maintain a degree of independence and mobility, and they won’t be subjected to the stress of moving to another place.
And as they’ll have someone with them all the time, they’d have a sense of companionship, which would lessen the feeling of loneliness and depression.
What does a live-in caregiver do?
A live-in caregiver may conduct all kinds of activities.
They may provide companionship, basic housekeeping, or grooming. They could do shopping or medication reminders.
They could also provide mobility assistance throughout the house. They could plan and prepare meals for your loved one.
Depending on their training, they may also conduct dementia care with memory exercises.
The live-in caregiver would ensure that your elderly loved one is cared for day and night.
Thus, the activities depend on your loved one’s needs and situation.
That is why it is important to list down first what parts of care you would want help on. Also, if possible, it is better to involve your loved one—that way, they could provide feedback on where they’ll want help.
With that considered, once you start to interview, discuss with the candidates your expectations, and ask if they could deliver.
The goal of a live-in caregiver is to have someone watch over your loved one all the time.
When to hire a live-in caregiver?
Enrolling your loved one in live-in care is a difficult decision.
After all, it is more costly, and intrusive to your loved one’s privacy.
But circumstances may leave you with little choice, especially if the care for your loved one becomes stressful for you.
The following are points to consider when deciding if your loved one needs a live-in caregiver:
- Wanders far from home, getting lost when travelling
- Suffers from repeated falls and/or imbalance
- Constant confusion particularly about time
- Frightened by absences of people they interact with (e.g., family, friends, caregivers, etc)
- Interrupted sleep; agitation in the dark
- Recently hospitalized due to a hip fracture, stroke, or heart attack
- Always dehydrated
- Difficulty on eating and/or drinking by themselves
- Bathroom accidents
- Requires someone to watch over them at night, otherwise they wouldn’t feel safe
Benefits of having a live-in caregiver
According to a study by the AARP, 90% of American seniors want to stay at home as they age.
By entrusting your loved one to a live-in caregiver, you are fulfilling their wish and allowing them to have a degree of independence.
Further, moving someone from their home to a nursing facility may prove to be stressful—which could only worsen their condition.
If an elderly is allowed to age in the community they are used to, they will be surrounded by familiar people and places.
Having someone to constantly watch over your loved one reduces their risk of fall. This is important, as falls are the leading cause of death and disability among seniors.
With a live-in caregiver by their side, the chances of them slipping on the floor are minimized. Risks like clutter or poor lighting are limited, and they will have someone accompany them as they move.
Further, your elderly loved one will have an improved socialization, as they have someone with them 24/7. This is important, as studies show that socialization could help prevent cognitive decline.
Lastly, having a live-in caregiver will ensure that someone is there to attend to your loved one’s needs, no matter the time of the day.
This is especially true during nighttime, where even a mere trip to the bathroom can be dangerous.
The live-in caregiver will monitor their water intake, oxygen use, or medication time.
As there is a care provider in charge 24/7, you may rest easy on the safety of your loved one.
Innovative Homecare Solutions, Inc., is one of the leading home care providers in Illinois. We believe that Aging can be an Awesome experience! We aim to restore dignity and promote independence in the comfort of your own home. To find out more about our services, call us at (630) 225-0100.
