Deciding what level of care a loved one needs is not always easy, especially when faced with the possibility of having to provide 24 hour home care. It may be difficult to face up to the fact that a loved one needs that level of care and it can be a challenge to find the best care possible. Yet, around-the-clock help may be just what’s needed to allow that person to remain in a familiar and reassuring environment.
To make the most informed decision, family and friends may want to discuss the situation with the individual’s health care provider and their non medical home help provider. Non-medical in-home care providers can offer valuable insight into the level of care that’s required.
When Might A Person Need 24 Hour Home Care?
The need for 24 hour home care may be temporary or ongoing. A person may need temporary care after suffering a traumatic injury or while recovering from surgery. Individuals may need ongoing help if they have special needs or if their cognitive abilities are impaired by Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, brain tumors, or a stroke.
Recovery
A person may receive temporary 24 hour home care while recovering from a traumatic injury or surgery. There are advantages to enlisting consistent help for a temporary impairment. Individuals recovering from surgery or an injury may be tempted to overdo things and be more physically active than is advisable. Such efforts can result in re-injury or a new injury and a slower healing process. Having consistent in-home care help is more likely to speed the recovery of an injury or recovery after surgery as the individual won’t have a chance to risk a physical setback or further injury.
Ongoing Care
Individuals with cognitive impairment may require more ongoing assistance. When individuals suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or any other brain injury, it affects their ability to care for themselves, to remember to eat nutritious meals, and to maintain personal hygiene and an overall safe environment. It may also negatively affect the way individuals think and feel. In the case of Alzheimer’s or dementia, a person can easily become confused or agitated, often needing reassurance. They may require supervised exercise as they are likely to get lost if they take a solitary walk.
Around-the-clock care can enable individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia to remain in their own homes, an environment they are comfortable in, and prevent injuries or health problems that may be the direct result of their impaired abilities.
What Does 24 Hour Home Care Entail?
Care needs will vary depending on the individual’s ability to function, physically and emotionally. Non-medical home care providers are able to monitor vital signs, manage medication, prepare food, clean the home or do laundry. They also provide the following services if necessary:
- Help a patient get light exercise, which is an important part or retaining mobility.
- Help them care for their personal hygiene, as in bathing, combing their hair, applying lotion and brushing teeth
- Help them get dressed
- Help with going to the bathroom or dealing with incontinence and accidents.
Care providers also provide a vital link by communicating with medical personnel, family members and friends, keeping everyone updated on the current situation and the patient’s needs.
When To Enlist 24 Hour Home Care
Transporting a person who is unable to move or to perform basic tasks may require more physical strength than you are capable of.
While you may want to personally care for a loved one or friend, it may not always be physically, emotionally or financially possible to provide 24-hour help.
Transporting a person who is unable to move or to perform basic tasks may require more physical strength than you are capable of. Trained home care providers have the experience and the equipment to make such jobs easier.
It’s also difficult and often impossible to be on-call for a loved one 24-hours a day. Leaving a person with cognitive difficulties alone, even for short periods of time, can be dangerous. Yet caring for that person can be physically exhausting and emotionally overwhelming for the caregiver. Despite the fact that you care for this person you may not be the best caretaker.
Here are some situations in which it’s advisable to enlist 24-hour help.
- You are not physically capable of moving the person you are caring for.
- You are the only one caring for that person.
- The person’s cognitive problems make it very frustrating to care for them.
- You have a job.
- You feel overwhelmed.
Contact Comfort Home Care Today
When looking for a trained professional to provide 24 hour home care, it’s important to choose one that is competent, compassionate, and gentle. Our experienced professional caregivers will consider ways to honor the individual’s dignity while keeping them safe, content, and comfortable. Please contact Comfort Home Care by giving us a call or sending us a message for any questions or to schedule a complimentary care evaluation for you or your loved one.
