When you’re looking after aging parents or a partner with health complications, you learn how tough caregiving can be. You need to juggle their needs with your own, and all your other responsibilities (your job, housework, and personal needs).
These situations can quickly become overwhelming for caretakers. You may not have the time or energy to take them to appointments, prepare their meals, or help them with hygiene needs. A home care assistant can help with all of these things and more.
If you’ve decided to seek additional care services, you have a few options to choose from. You might be considering hospital care, a care home, or private home care.
Not sure which service is right for your family? We’re going to shed some light on private home care services. In this article, we’ll delve into its main benefits, and explain when it’s the right choice for your family:
What is Private Home Care?
With private home care, your loved ones can receive the treatment they need in the comfort of their own home. It’s an individualized form of home care that’s tailored to your needs.
Private home care includes a wide range of services, from personal care to transportation. You pay the caregiver or agency directly. These services are suitable for those with:
- Disabilities
- Complications following a surgery or illness
- Ongoing health problems
- Mobility issues
The scope of private home care duties will vary. For example, you might only require care on some days of the week—or, it could be a full-time service. Depending on your situation, you may need short-term or long-term home care services.
You can work with a private home care agency, or directly with a caretaker. If you hire a private caretaker, you will act as their employer. That means you’ll need to manage things like taxes, insurance, deductions, and more. If you’re familiar with filing your personal tax return online, then this shouldn’t differ much from that. In fact, the very same program you use to file taxes will likely have forms and tutorials regarding private home care agencies and/or caretakers. Beyond that, you’ll also need to conduct a thorough background check to ensure that the caregiver is qualified to care for your loved one.
When you hire an agency, they take care of all the behind-the-scenes work. However, you can expect to pay a higher hourly rate.
What are the Benefits of Private Home Care?
More and more, you’re noticing that you can’t keep up with the demands of daily life. You’ve decided it’s time to seek additional help. Should you go with a private home care provider?
If you’re interested in any of the following benefits, it might be time to seek private home care services:
Customizable Service
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to home care. Your situation is just as unique as the loved one you’re caring for. Their needs, daily issues, and health problems all require different levels of home care services.
With private home care, you’ll receive a level of personalized service that’s unmatched. You can select the services you need, and opt-out of the ones you don’t.
For example, you may need assistance with medication reminders, meal preparation, and hygiene needs. But, you might not need help with housework or buying groceries. You can communicate this with your care provider, and set up a treatment plan that suits your family.
It’s More Comprehensive
If you receive home care through Medicaid, the level of care you receive will vary based on the state you live in. Depending on your plan, you may feel like not all of your loved one’s needs are being adequately met. On top of that, you may not qualify for Medicaid-funded home care, which is a challenge in itself.
You may require some non-medical services, which public home care does not provide—things like grocery shopping, laundry, and taking your loved one to appointments. With private home care, you can address the medical and non-medical needs of your loved one.
Socialization
If you are homebound, it limits your ability to be social. Suddenly, you can’t go out to see a friend or share a meal when you feel lonely. When you want to be social, you rely on other people coming to you. And that isn’t always possible.
Many seniors and people with disabilities struggle with isolation. But when you hire a private caregiver, your loved one can build a meaningful relationship with them. This helps them meet their social needs, and feel more comfortable with the care they’re provided.
The owner of Right at Home writes, “Social isolation takes its toll, especially over time. When our caretakers step in, we see the difference that it makes for our clients and their families. Home care has a positive ripple effect for families in need.”
Relieve Stress
Have you been taking care of a loved one? Over time, the stress of this position takes its toll. You may be dealing with caregiver burnout.
This occurs when you spend all your time and energy caring for someone else, and start to neglect your own needs. You may even feel guilty when taking time for yourself. If this describes you, then it’s definitely time to consider private home care.
If your loved one is dealing with a difficult health situation, such as cancer treatments, private home care can help relieve some of your burdens.
Finding the Right Private Home Care Provider
Not all caretakers will be the best match for your loved one. It’s important to consider compatibility in these situations since the caretaker will be working closely with your friend, partner, or family member.
How do you find someone who’s the right fit? Here are a few tips:
Set Up A Meeting
It’s hard to know if your loved one will get along with a caretaker they haven’t yet met. You can set up an introductory meeting with the potential candidate and your spouse or family member. This will allow you to see how they might get along in a casual, no-obligation setting.
Read Online Reviews
Before you choose which agency or individual to work with, we suggest reading about the experiences of their past customers. Did they have any concerns about the quality of care provided? Were they dissatisfied with their experience, or feel that they were taken advantage of? Doing your research will ensure that you find a reputable home care provider.
As we get older, develop health problems, or battle illnesses, we need more support from those around us. But our friends and family members may not be able to provide the level of care that’s necessary.
While private home care is more expensive than other options, it’s also the most tailored. If you’re seeking a caretaking service that can address specific needs (including non-medical services), consider private home care.