Caregiving

Why choose caregiving?

Many people who require long-term assistance would rather reside in their homes and with their family. They do not want to live in nursing homes or be admitted into assisted living communities. Usually family members do not have the time or cannot meet the needs of the person needing assistance. People who do not need round-the-clock care but still need help with daily activities are encouraged to choose caregiving.

Choosing a caregiver can be a difficult or stressful experience for a person or their family. What is meant to be a helpful act can be scary. Allowing a stranger into the home can be an unsettling idea and many questions are sure to arise. It is important for a person seeking caregiving to rely on doctor/hospital recommendations and have family members who can help them make a decision. The following questions are important to consider during the caregiver selection and hiring process.

Is the caregiver trustworthy? Collect and check references if you are thinking about hiring a private caregiver. A caregiver from an agency will have had all references checked, a background check, and driving record check.

Is the caregiver supervised? Any caregiver who is not meeting an agency's standard will be terminated. If you are considering hiring a private caregiver, it is important to have open communication, a pre-plan describing care, and an action plan if the care is not up to par.

Is the caregiver trained? Proper schooling and training is required of all caregivers from an agency. Individual caregivers may or may not have had formal training as a caregiver. Abuse can happen if the caregiver is not properly trained or supervised, which is why it is important to have a back up plan and check references.

If you choose to hire a caregiver from an agency, they will be insured and bonded for unforeseen circumstances such as injury to the patient while in the caregiver's care. An agency also has back up caregivers in case the primary caregiver becomes ill or goes on vacation. Individual caregivers may not have either of these, which is why it's important to cover all questions and concerns.

What are the types of caregiving?

Home Health Care provides in-home medical care which is authorized by the person's primary care doctor. Home care allows a person to stay in their home while receiving care. Care can be provided by a nurse, aide, housekeeper, or companion. Services include:

• Personal care such as assistance with bathing, washing hair, going to the bathroom, or getting dressed
• Homemaking, which includes house work, yard work, cleaning, and laundry
• Cooking or having meals delivered
• Health care, such as having an aide go to the person's home to assist with medical treatments.

There are many types of help a person can get while staying in their home for however long they need it. Some types of care, including volunteers/community service, are free of charge or donated to the person in need. Other types of care are charged, however, some government programs or health insurance will help cover the costs of certain services.

Assisted Living Care: Assisted living is a step ahead of caregiving. It combines housing with medical care (as needed). People in an assisted living program have access to 24/7 support for everyday help and are put on specialized individual plans.

Hospice Care: Hospice care focuses on terminally ill patients. Usually, a person can receive hospice care if they are expected to pass away within six months. Pain control, as well as spiritual and emotional support, are the core priorities that hospice care offers. The focus of hospice is to keep a dying person comfortable. Quality of life is the main issue addressed.

Palliative Care: Palliative care will help the patient control and prevent symptoms. Palliative care is not meant for the terminally ill, rather it focuses on patients with chronic illnesses who need help with pain control. The purpose of palliative care is to prolong a patient's life with the necessary treatment options for pain and symptom control. Palliative care is often administered to the patient while they are in a hospital or facility, such as nursing home or assisted living program.