As your loved ones get older, they require more hands-on care to ensure that they are healthy and comfortable. In some instances, elderly patients will need to be taken to a care home to receive the hands-on care necessary to keep them as happy as possible. In some instances, though, it can be a struggle deciding whether a loved one should be moved to a care home or whether you should keep them home and provide care yourself. However, there are benefits to doing this, and they will be discussed in greater detail below.
How Feasible is it To Keep Someone at Home?
Of course, before you consider the benefits of caring for someone at home, you need to understand whether or not this is actually a feasible option. It will depend on what their current condition is and what they need help with. For example, if their main source of care surrounds eating and drinking (such as if they have dysphagia), there are simple home remedies such as the thickening gel sold by SimplyThick that can help with this. If their needs are a lot more intense than that, or they need medication that requires administration from a professional, keeping them at home may not be a viable option.
Patients Feel More Comfortable at Home
One of the main components of caring for someone, whether it is a loved one or you are doing it in a professional capacity, is to ensure that they feel comfortable. It won’t come as a surprise that people feel a lot more comfortable when they are surrounded by a familiar setting. Doing this usually has a positive impact on elderly patients both mentally and physically. Keeping patients within a setting that they know gives them a sense of freedom, which is taken away when moved to a nursing home or a hospital.
Home Care Can Be Much More Personalized
When a patient is cared for at home, whether this is by family members, loved ones, or professional carers who are visiting the property, the treatment they get will be much more personalized than if they were in an assisted living facility. In addition, a dedicated caregiver who visits the patient in their own home can offer a much stronger sense of companionship and compassion that you wouldn’t be able to find in a group setting.
Home Care Preserves a Patient’s Health and Independence
As people start to age, everyday tasks slowly become more and more difficult. It can often feel like an individual is losing their sense of independence when they move to a hospital or assisted living facility, and so, keeping them at home preserves that independence.
They will be able to keep their confidence levels up due to this independence, whereas moving away can lead to people feeling deflated, helpless, and even bitter to those trying to offer help. If patients stay at home, they will be encouraged to empower themselves more, which will be better for their emotional and physical health.
