How to Know When Home Care Help is Needed: Home Care Help is Available For Those Who Need It.

Home care help is generally available for those who need it. Knowing when to request home care help and how to get it is important. 

Why is home care help so important? 

Failure to recognize a patient’s need for home care help can result in unnecessary injuries, illnesses or even fatalities. Obtaining home care help is becoming increasingly important with the large numbers of baby boomers entering retirement, as well as the lengthening life span of seniors. Note that there is also a marked decrease in the number of younger people to care for them in the future.

Home care help may be necessary.

The article “Signs your elderly parent needs home care help”, by Jennifer Watson-Choi addresses the question “When should you call in extra homecare help?” 

Medical or health care professionals assess patients on a regular basis and are able to recognize when patients need to obtain home care help, before discharging them from hospitals. Families with aging seniors or disabled family members may not always recognize the need for, or the potential merit of obtaining home care help. When family members are not able to take care of each other, it is usually a good time to consider seeking home care help.    

What are some of the primary indicators of the need for home care help?

Loss of mental faculties:

When a patient has lost or is gradually losing some of his or her mental faculties, home care help becomes important. For example, twenty-nine year old Janine lives alone. She has suffered a stroke and has disorientation with respect to time and place. She will not be able to care for herself or her home properly. Note that there may be some degree of recovery for her and home care help may only be necessary for a time.     

Loss of mobility:

When a patient suffers the loss of mobility, it becomes difficult for him or her to carry out the activities of daily living. For example, eighty-year old Franklin has arthritic hands and knees. He has difficulty walking and doing heavy tasks. A home care worker would be able to assist him with his personal care, as well as help him to carry out the tasks of daily living.

Loss of hearing or eyesight:

When a patient has diminished hearing or eyesight, home care help can assist the patient to regain his or her orientation at home following discharge from the hospital. Many blind or deaf patients are able to function on their own, but when there is total loss of hearing or eyesight, home care help is vital to prevent avoidable accidents or injuries. For example, Bertha has had eye surgery for cataracts and needs temporary assistance, while her brother Bart, is totally deaf. Both need assistance.

Loss of physical ability:

A patient with a permanent disability will need home care help. For example, Sam has been involved in a motorcycle accident and lost the use of one arm. While he is able to do many things with his other arm, there are tasks that he is not able to carry out, like preparing his own meals and keeping his house clean. The necessity for home care help can vary depending upon a patient’s degree of disability.

Medication administration:

If a patient is not able to self-administer his or her own medications or does not have someone who is able to assist him or her with them, then home care help will be important. For example, Cassandra is a forty-year old, Spanish speaking female with a language barrier. As a Type 1 diabetic, she needs insulin on a regular basis. Her Spanish speaking, home care helper, when properly trained, will be to assist her with the administration of her medication. The home care helper may assist with ordering her insulin and meal planning, as well.  

Major health problems:

Any time a patient has suffered a major health crisis, like surgery or has a medical problem, recovery can take a long time. Home care help can be of tremendous benefit to both the patient and his or her family. For example, sixty-five year old Peter has suffered a heart attack. When discharged from the hospital, his doctor advises him to stay on bed rest. His younger wife is an Alzheimer’s patient, in the early stages. She is becoming forgetful and may not be able to remember to do everything for him. Home care help is important for both of them.

Understanding when and how to obtain home care help is important. Generally, the best way to go about getting home care help is through a family doctor. Weighing the potential benefits versus the cost of home care is usually a good idea.