People age differently. What may be easy for one person can be frustrating for another. Health issues create difficulties with activities of daily living. Loneliness and isolation impact how safe or confident you feel. If you haven’t stopped to consider the importance of home care, it’s time.

As you get older, confidence can decrease. A chronic health condition can leave you stressed. If it’s a serious condition that impacts your safety, living alone adds to that stress and uncertainty.

New aches and pains can impact mobility. As it gets harder to move around, it can be harder to do things you used to do with ease. Home care providers can help with all of this.

They Assist With Daily To-Do Lists

Your dad has several medications to take during the day. He’s good about taking his morning pills with breakfast, but he often forgets mid-afternoon pills. With a caregiver’s help, your dad won’t forget when it’s time to take his next pill.

Home care providers also assist with personal care, grooming, and hygiene. If your mom has a hard time washing, brushing, and styling her hair due to arthritis in the hands, home care aides can help. They also assist with oral care, toileting, dressing, and ambulation.

Home Care Providers Help With Housekeeping

Arthritis pain is typically managed with over-the-counter pain medications, icy/warm ointments, and regular exercise. When arthritis pain flares up, it can make it difficult to walk around. When the washer and dryer are in a basement, carrying a basket of laundry up and down basement stairs is unappealing.

Home care providers help with all aspects of light housekeeping and laundry. They can wash and dry clothing, bedding, and towels. They can run a vacuum, mop floors, wipe down surfaces, and dust furnishings. They’ll make beds, replace towels, and tidy up clutter.

They Provide the Socialization Your Parents Need

Your parents may be alone, but they don’t have to be lonely. Companionship services are an essential part of home care. Your parents have caregivers stopping by for conversation and engaging trips to local stores, museums, and theaters.

If your parents don’t like to eat alone. Caregivers can help with meal preparation and join your parents for the meal.

Home care aides offer the chance to age at home without struggling to stay safe, happy, and confident. Talk to your parents about their daily routines. Find out where they struggle and hire home care aides to help with those tasks.

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Minnetonka, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.

Your parents need help at home, but they don’t have a large budget. One of the easiest ways to keep the cost of home care down is by pairing help from family with services from professional caregivers. How do you balance family caregivers and home care?

It Starts With a Discussion

Before making any plan, it’s time to discuss things as a family. Your parents should lead this conversation as much as possible. People who hold the medical and financial powers of attorney also need to give clear input. Remember that both the financial and medical interests of your parents have to be a priority.

You want to know who plans to help your parents each week. Based on that input, start building a monthly schedule. Fill in the hours of the day when family members are available. Highlight the hours when your parents are going to be alone.

As you build out this calendar, take note of the times when your parents are alone. If they cannot be alone at those times, you’ll need home care aides to step in and help out.

Do a Trial Run

For a couple of weeks, do a trial run with family members helping out. Gather online or at a family dinner and see how everyone feels about the schedule. Are there things others would like to change? Did anyone feel overwhelmed and uncertain family caregiving is right for them?

If your sister liked helping out but felt four hours was too stressful, try reducing that time to three. Do another trial run and see how she feels after that. Remember that caregivers will help fill gaps. If your sister needs to reduce her time spent helping your parents to a couple of hours a week, caregiver services are a great substitute.

Be Prepared for Adjustments

Remember that you will be making adjustments. If you cook dinners each night, something as simple as a head cold can mess up the schedule. You’re not feeling well enough to cook a meal, so someone else needs to. If no one is free, you need to make sure home care aides are able to help out.

Health issues, weather, car troubles, and daycare or school issues can all lead to sudden schedule changes. Don’t let them stress your family. Instead, be ready to work with professional caregivers and ensure your parents have the support they need.

Once you know how home care aides can help your parents, give the agency a call. The specialist will work with your family to come up with a schedule that meets your parents’ needs.

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Minnetonka, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.