Whether your loved one has just come out of the hospital after an operation or needs to have their more day-to-day needs met, you may be curious about exactly what it is that home health care, also known as home help, can provide.
Some older people may not particularly like the idea of someone coming into their home to look after them, but there are many benefits of this, including improving independence for your loved one and helping them to stay in their home for as long as possible.
So, what can they, and you, expect from home health care?
Preparing of Meals
It is common for older people to find it hard to prepare balanced, nutritious meals, especially if they have issues with arthritis in their wrists or their mobility in general.
One of the core things that in home health care St. Louis MO will do for your loved one is to prepare meals for them and to ensure that these meals get eaten. They will be tailored to your loved one’s needs and likes, so don’t worry about them eating anything that is not allowed by their diet.
Cleaning of House
It is also relatively common for older people who may have mobility issues to not be able to clean their homes.
This can create an unhygienic environment for them and can also increase the chances of them becoming injured or ill. After all, you want your loved one to live in a clean home. So, light domestic chores, such as cleaning the floor, hoovering, washing plates, etc., can be expected from home help.
Help with Personal Needs
Many older people who live at home will have their property adapted for their needs to help them get around. Yet, this can prove more challenging when it comes to washing. Grab rails are easily accessible online and are cheap. However, many people cannot afford to have their bathrooms adapted to have a walk-in shower, so hygiene may often suffer.
If your loved one needs help with their personal needs, a person employed to be a home help can assist with this, while ensuring that your loved one’s dignity and respect remain intact.
Medication
Medication is a common feature for many older people. Plus, if your loved one has memory issues like Alzheimer’s, they may forget to take their medication. Or, more worryingly, they may take too much of it.
Home help can ensure that they take their medication(s) as and when they need to and will keep a chart of the medications that have been given and taken. This will allow for a more accurate assessment of how the medication is working, which will be used in medication reviews.
Personalised Care
Looking at this list, you may be thinking, ‘but my dad doesn’t need help with cleaning. He just needs help with remembering to take his meds.’ Don’t panic. Home help will base their intervention around the care that your loved one needs. Some people may need home help to pop into their home for 10 minutes, whereas others may need a bit longer. It is entirely personalized and adaptable to help your loved one retain their independence for as long as they can.