It’s no mystery why the phrase “Home is Where the Heart Is” resonates with so many people. Home is where family photos are testimonies to lives well lived and where the familiar things you treasure most provide reassurances that while your health may not be perfect, you’re in an environment that is familiar and safe. Given this reality, it’s no wonder people confronted with health issues and given a choice between a residential facility designed to provide care and having a home health aide visit the home are most likely to choose the latter. You want to stay at home if possible, which is why access to in-home care delivered by a home health aide can improve your quality of life as a result of being in familiar surroundings.
If you have begun to undertake research on your own behalf and want to confirm your intuition that being cared for at home is by far the best option for your mental and physical well being, you may be on the verge of looking for the right candidate to help you out. These five reasons should confirm your hunch that arranging for compassionate at-home help is the wisest decision you and your loved ones can make.
Reason #1: Staying at home gives you more peace of mind
It also contributes to the comfort your family members experience by knowing you’re in capable hands. Even introverts appreciate knowing that in addition to much-needed physical care, social interaction with your at-home care provider will boost your spirits as you look forward to regular visits, knowing that these essential helpers have been trained in the arts of patience, compassion and respect. Further, who doesn’t look forward to spending time interacting with a good listener on a regular basis?
Reason #2: You can ask for what you need
Once you arrange for in-home help, the list of tasks to which you and your aide agree upon can be limitless. Whether you require help bathing, grooming, dressing, performing household tasks and/or assistance with mobility equipment and transportation, as long as you and your helper agree to responsibilities you require up front, misunderstandings can be avoided. Once you find the candidate willing to check off all of the boxes on your list, you can stop worrying that something will slip through the cracks.
Reason #3: You could recover more quickly
By having someone stop by on a regular basis to take care of your needs, you can ensure that nothing about your care plan will be forgotten. Home health aides are adroit at delivering medication reminders and inquiring into new symptoms or conditions that may have arisen since their last visit. This routine can help you avoid one of the most common pitfalls experienced by at-home patients: Developing infections. A simple infection has the potential to morph into MRSA, C-Diff or more complicated conditions that can prolong incapacitation and exacerbate or compound discomfort. Every home health aide is trained to spot signs of infection while it is still in an early enough stage to take immediate action.
Reason #4: Because you need a liaison to the outside world
Especially if your family is caught up in their own lives and doesn’t have time to check in with you as often as all of you may wish, your connection to the world in the person of a trained health care worker serves as a reminder that you’re not forgotten. Kind, generous home aide helpers may be delighted to go the extra mile to help with things that aren’t necessarily in their job descriptions. For example, one health aide was asked to retrieve a birthday gift ordered for a grandchild and when she brought the item home, she wrapped it up and added a beautiful bow! Home care aides frequently become as close as family members.
Reason #5: You can trust the comprehensive training, certification and learning experiences of every home health aide.
Advanced, state-approved programs and licensing offers you and your family reassurances and that new symptoms that could arise during recovery won’t be missed by these highly-trained professionals who usually continue to take advanced classes even after they’re certified. Additionally, despite all of the training a home health aide receives, finding the right one is a surprisingly affordable process that offers value that goes beyond the wage you pay in return for so much personalized care. You’re going to feel more independent as a direct result of the confidence you’ll develop as a direct result of having someone care for you in your home, and who can put a price on that?
Reason #6: You will stand a better chance of staying out of the hospital!
Statistics in medical journals prove that one of the best ways a person can stay out of the hospital is by having a home health aide show up on a regular basis to catch physical changes before they exacerbate and require hospitalization. Knowing that you’re being checked on regularly offers relief for you and the people concerned about you. They may not say it, but rest assured, loved ones consider these service providers to be invaluable when it comes to sharing information about a family member’s physical well being because it will be unvarnished. It’s comforting to know that thanks to constant visits from health care professionals, unexpected hospitalizations can be dramatically cut or eliminated.
A final word of advice and reassurance
Apply due diligence when you choose a home health aide Boca Raton and don’t be shy or embarrassed if, when you interview a candidate, that person doesn’t “feel right.” Be honest for your sake and for the benefit of the home health aide who is also looking for a good fit. Keep auditioning potential candidates and the right one will come along. You’ll know him or her the moment you meet!
