My name's Marcy. I’m forty-two years old, single, and live alone. I had knee surgery six months ago, and I didn’t plan to have a professional help me after surgery. What a mistake! I made it a total of one day home alone before calling in a home health care professional. I had family and friends who were available to help, and they were great when it came to cooking and cleaning. However, when it came to helping with personal hygiene, caring for my surgery site, and helping me move, I needed more than family and friends. I’m going to share more about my home health care experience. I hope you find what I share to be helpful.
Home Health Care after Surgery
3 Benefits Of Home Health Care For Seniors
Ngoc Volkers
If you look after an older loved one who requires regular medical care and supervision, you might find yourself wondering what form that care should take. Although nursing homes and assisted living facilities offer comprehensive services, home health care could prove an even more attractive option for the following three reasons.
1. Familiar, Comforting Surroundings
A move from a longtime residence to a totally new environment can cause stress, anxiety, and disorientation for anyone, including an individual making the transition to life in a senior care facility. By bringing the necessary medical care into a senior's home, you can help the senior avoid this jarring, potentially traumatic scenario.
Familiar surroundings can make a tremendous difference for seniors who struggle with dementia. Instead of constantly forgetting the locations of the bathroom, bedroom, or kitchen, elderly individuals with dementia have a much better chance of finding their way around without confusion, frustration, or injury.
2. A Sense of Independence
Seniors who need help with their medical needs and/or activities of daily living can lose their sense of independence, causing them to feel helpless or constantly reminding them of their infirmities. Home health care can help these people hold onto that sense of independence by permitting them to do more for themselves.
Seniors can feel less like a patient and more like empowered individuals when they can pursue their preferred activities on their own preferred schedule, as opposed to having their social activities and other routines administered by a facility. By doing what they can for themselves, they may also remain stronger and more vital.
3. More Precise Control Over Costs
Technically, home health care costs more than an assisted living facility for the same level of care and number of services. However, your senior loved one may not require the comprehensive services provided by such a facility. If not, your family can save considerable money by choosing home health care services instead.
The average assisted living facility charges over $4,000 a month for services including room, board, and a combination of medical and non-medical care. By contrast, a part-time schedule of home health care services, billed at the national average of $24 per hour, can easily cost less than half that monthly figure.
A medical social worker, gerontologist, or another senior wellness specialist can discuss the full benefits of in-home health assistance with you and your senior loved one. Once you've carefully weighed all the pros and cons, you'll have a clearer idea of how to help that senior enjoy optimal quality of life.
To learn more, talk to a care provider, such as A Nurse's Touch Healthcare Inc.
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