Care at Home Is the New Beginning Your Loved One Deserves
If you’re a family caregiver for a loved one with health care challenges, their daily life at home may not look the way you’d prefer. Perhaps there are stretches where family is unable to visit, even though you recognize that, during those times, your loved one still requires support.
You know your loved one could benefit from a constant presence, compassionate care, and assistance with the tasks of daily living, including personal care, help with meals, and much more.
If you want to transform your loved one’s day-to-day life at home, in-home care services offer essential support to provide for their needs.
Family Caregivers Face Many Challenges
As a family caregiver, you’ve likely encountered many difficulties as you try to care for your loved one. AARP reports that caregiver burnout and fatigue are extremely common experiences, citing a 50% increase in emotional stress when a family member takes on a caregiving role. You may experience:
- Difficulty meeting all your responsibilities.
- Struggles at work.
- Physical ailments.
- Mental health challenges.
- Resentment from other family members.
- Frustration with your loved one.
No matter what difficulties you face, home caregiving services can provide relief. When you are spread too thin, exhausted, or emotionally not your best self, it can be difficult to provide the understanding and patience you know your loved one needs. With help from a team that serves children and adults, including seniors, caregiving services can step in to provide high-quality help.
Get To Know Your Options for Caregiver Services
A range of caregiving services is available to your loved one, depending on your specific needs and qualifications. As with any health care service, it’s always important to speak with a trusted caregiving service agency that can help you determine what services are available for your loved one and determine their eligibility.
Services may include:
- Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS).
- Department of Mental Health Services.
- Private Duty Care.
- Healthy Children and Youth Personal Care.
HCBS In-Home Medicaid Care
Available to eligible Medicaid recipients, HCBS In-Home Medicaid Care provides assistance that addresses daily challenges and personal care, so your loved one can experience a higher quality of life. Services can include:
- Grooming, bathing, and dressing.
- Assistance in transferring.
- Advanced personal care.
- Light housekeeping and laundry.
- Grocery shopping.
- Errands.
- Preparing meals and cleanup.
- Range of motion.
- Maintenance nursing.
- Medication set-ups and assessment.
- Respite and advanced respite care for family caregivers.
Department of Mental Health Services
Also available for qualifying Medicaid recipients with mental health challenges, these in-home care services provide a range of helpful tasks that are customized to your loved one’s specific needs. Department of Mental Health services can include:
- Meal preparation.
- Feeding.
- Exercise extension.
- Therapy extension.
- Grooming.
- Skin care.
- Ambulation.
- Transfers.
- Toileting.
- Bathing.
Private Duty Care
Paid for out-of-pocket, through long-term care insurance, or authorized Veterans Affairs benefits, private duty care is available to your loved one in two-hour blocks of time, up to 24/7 care. Services can include:
- Basic housekeeping.
- Meal planning and cooking.
- Grooming and personal hygiene.
- Medication reminders.
- Companionship, reading, letter writing, and conversation.
- Social outings.
- Transportation.
- Pet care.
Are There Caregiver Services for Children and Young Adults?
Children and young adults can also benefit from home caregiving services. If your child or young adult has specialized needs, your family can receive caregiver help through Healthy Children and Youth Personal Care Services.
Healthy Children and Youth Personal Care Services
Available for children and young adults who qualify for specialized Medicaid services, caregivers provide help with:
- Daily routines like eating meals and dressing.
- Personal care and hygiene.
- Assistance with devices and procedures related to bodily functions (e.g., tracheostomies, colostomies, and G-tubes).
How Caregiver Services Can Help Your Loved One
Right now, your loved one’s day may have gaps where social interaction is limited, and care is dependent on you and your family’s schedule.
When you choose a caregiver service agency to help your loved one at home, they get the complete attention of a compassionate, empathetic, trained professional who offers assistance with specific daily tasks, along with emotional support and social connection.
With help from in-home care services, your loved one will look forward to conversation, companionship, laughter, and gratitude. Many caregivers become honorary members of the family because of the attention, love, and engagement they provide.
When a caregiver fills in the gaps, you and other family members can play your role as caregivers, feeling rested, refreshed, and ready. Your newfound energy and well-being strengthen your bond with your loved one.
How To Find the Best Caregiver Services in Your Area
After you have an understanding of what home caregiving services are available in your community and based on your loved one’s eligibility, you can concentrate on finding an exceptional caregiving team.
Whether you need care for a child or a senior, your caregiving service team should have these characteristics:
- A high standard of care.
- A mission and values that align with yours.
- A range of available services.
- A willingness to customize services for your loved one.
- A highly trained team of professional caregivers.
To transform your loved one’s day-to-day experience at home, the services you choose must be top-tier. Caregiver services have the power to change your loved one’s quality of life and provide support for your role as a family caregiver.
Continue to learn more about caregiving, starting with this article, which explains why a caregiver’s perspective on your loved one’s condition is extremely helpful to family members.
