Don’t Believe These Home Care Myths!

Plenty of elderly people hire home care services. Why not? Caregiver services in Illinois and such home caregivers allow aging individuals to receive the assistance and care that they need in the comfort of their own homes. Instead of moving into a facility, a caregiver will be deployed to their houses to offer medical or non-medical assistance. It’s practical and easy!

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Although hiring home care has a lot of benefits, there are still plenty of false ideas surrounding it. Unfortunately, these incorrect facts sometimes affect the way people perceive home care. If you want to know the truth, here are some myths against home care services that you should never believe.

Myth: You Don’t Have the Power to Choose the Caregiver

Plenty of things happen before a caregiver is dispatched to your loved one’s home. Among them, is the assessment of your aging parent’s needs. You will have to discuss with the agency the list of tasks that your elderly mother needs help with. Rest assured that your agency will try to choose a caregiver from their roster who is not only capable but perfectly suitable to your loved one’s personality and needs. If you find the caregiver lacking somehow, that’s fine – you can always discuss the probability of replacing him with the agency.

Myth: Only the Sick Needs Home Care

There are two types of home care: medical and non-medical. The former is offered to aging individuals who are in need of medical-related assistance. On the other hand, the latter is availed by elderly people who need personal care or peer-level companionship. Its services range from cleaning the house to assisting with bathing, cooking meals, and even driving an elderly person to her appointments! If your aging parent is having difficulty performing basic tasks or is becoming too forgetful, hiring elderly home care services might be help her tremendously.

Myth: Home Care Does Not Have a 24-Hour Care Option

In some instances, elderly people choose to live in a nursing home because they didn’t think that home care agencies offer round-the-clock care. This notion is false;home care agencies offer different options like hourly care, post-operative care, and – yes – even live in care. If your aging mother avails live in care assistance, a caregiver will be deployed to stay at her house. There, the caregiver will stay 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to assist your elderly parent with tasks like bathing, meal preparations, and other activities that she finds too difficult to accomplish on her own.

Myth: Family Caregivers are Better than Agency Caregivers

Some people believe that family caregivers are a better choice compared to agency caregivers. Since they know their loved ones better than the hired caregiver, they think that they can provide better assistance. Unfortunately, this is nothing but a myth. Although being a family caregiver is noble, it is not advised. Since you have other commitments (like your own family and day job, for instance), it’s possible that you are already very exhausted once you attend to your loved one’ needs. Emotions can also run rampant and since you did not have the right training, you might not be prepared to deal with the negative behavior that sometimes older people exude. On the other hand, professional caregivers have been trained and prepared by their agencies. This means that your aging mother is in good hands with an elderly home care caregiver.

There are some false notions about elderly home care but don’t let it stop you from availing their services for your aging parent. Home care is actually one of the best ways to help your loved one get the assistance and care that she needs in the easiest and most practical way ever!

Author Biography:

Kimberly Marie Gayeta (Kimmy)is a Communications Degree holder, passionate writer, currently working as a local Public Relations Officer and an online Marketing Representative.

Thoroughly fascinated about travelling, leisure, and living the good life!

Follow her on twitter: @kimmygayeta