Picture this home: small colonial, white siding, faded red shutters, a lone woman inside.
Her favorite room is the kitchen. One spring day, many years ago, she painted the walls seafoam green while listening to Sinatra. The cupboards are white. The window above the kitchen sink wears lace curtains. There’s a small, windowed cabinet hung on the wall by the cuckoo-clock, full of glass figurines: little sheep, little doe, cocker spaniel… She hides her favorite cookies on the top shelf of her pantry–she likes to pretend it keeps her from overindulging. She’s fully stocked with ingredients for her favorite casseroles and pastries. There was never a holiday when she wasn’t in the kitchen, singing, cooking her heart out.
Floral wallpaper lines her family room. The end-tables by the sofa are packed with old family photos–baby pictures, holidays, portraits. In the rich silver frame: her and her husband when they were young. He passed-away three years ago. She still remembers him as that young man, in uniform, who proposed to her in front of the house he bought her, the home they eventually raised three children in–this home.
She has her bedroom with white linens, blue quilt her mother stitched for her as a girl, her favorite thing. There’s two spare bedrooms, perfect for when her children and grandchildren visit. It seems as though every weekend she has a full house. She has all granddaughters. When they visit, they play with the dolls from her own girlhood, on the rug that once belonged to her grandmother.
They laugh. They eat. They reminisce. This old home feels the same. Full of memories, full of their lives together–her life.
She started growing forgetful not long after her husband passed. Sometimes, she leaves the oven on. Sometimes, she’s unsure what day it is. The stairs have become difficult. Driving: impossible. She misses doctor’s appointments. Her prescriptions go unfilled. Her children start to worry. They’re not available every day to help her out of bed or down the stairs. She fears her new vulnerability. She is afraid to ask for help because she’s always connected “senior care” to “moving away.” She doesn’t want to leave her home behind. She doesn’t want to leave her life behind.
When you or a loved-one need daily assistance, do not be afraid to seek help. When the day-to-day is too difficult to do alone, a helping hand can change everything. With the right assistance, your care service will improve your loved-one’s quality of life, preserving their peace of mind and independence.
While discussing your loved-one’s wishes and needs, be sure to consider in-home care. In-home care provides your loved-one daily assistance with everyday tasks in the comfort of their own home. An in-home caregiver will come to your loved-one’s home daily, and care for their needs, assisting them wherever (and whenever) they need help.
When choosing an in-home care service, a caregiver is specially selected to best match your loved-one’s needs and personality. Caregivers are usually trained nursing assistants who have the extensive experience and knowledge to thoroughly care for your loved-one. An in-home caregiver will assist with all Activities of Daily Living. An in-home caregiver optimizes your loved-one’s sense of comfort and independence, providing help and care without uprooting your loved-one from their home and life.
The service your loved-one receives from an in-home caregiver is entirely dependent on your loved-one’s wants and needs. If your loved-one has difficulty entering and exiting the shower safely, the caregiver will assist with that transferring, ensuring your loved-one is not at risk of slipping and falling. If your loved-one has no difficulty with toileting, then the caregiver does not have to provide assistance. If your loved-one still wants to cook, the caregiver’s vigilance will serve as extra protection against burns, fires, or any kind of injury. An in-home caregiver can even provide transportation to destinations like the doctor’s office, should driving become difficult for your loved one. Overall: the services and in-home caregiver provides are entirely customizable.
An in-home caregiver also provides companionship, developing a friendship and intimacy with your loved-one that is unmatched. With in-home care, your loved-one gets the help they need from a familiar friend, in the comfort of their own home.