8 Responsibilities In-Home Caregivers Fulfill

When your senior loved ones reach the point where they need someone to give them regular care, most families are faced with some difficult decisions. Some families must decide whether to place their loved one in a senior care facility or have everyone pitch in and provide care at the senior’s home. It’s essential to ensure all of your loved one’s needs are met with a comprehensive and customized care plan that considers all aspects of their health.

Here are the 8 most important responsibilities our trained and certified caregivers in the Fullerton area can provide for you.

1. Medical and Prescription Needs

The first step is to draw up a plan for in-home care services for your loved one. One of the first and most important areas we’ll discuss includes your senior’s medical needs. This can be different for every family and can range from being extensive to limited to just a few medications.

For more extensive care, you should enlist either a registered nurse to provide in-home care or consider the benefits of having your loved one stay at a facility where they will receive constant monitoring and care. However, many conditions can be treated at home. Home health care can include caring for injuries, receiving injections for a condition, intravenous nutrition, and monitoring an unstable health status.

A common component of home medical care includes the administration and monitoring of prescription medications. This service usually comes at an additional cost and medical care in the home requires caregivers to have specific licensing and/or certification, so be sure to discuss these issues with your home health care agency.

2. Basic Needs

Many seniors who require medical care will also require some help with basic needs, at least to some extent. This can include bathing, grooming, and using the toilet. Some seniors may still be quite healthy but might be experiencing some loss of sight or range of movement that requires help with these basic tasks. If they are still able to perform these tasks independently, it may be important for them emotionally and mentally to retain privacy in these areas.

3. Meal Preparation

Meal preparation is another basic need that seniors may need help with in addition to (or instead of) the basic needs already mentioned. A senior may still be able to bathe and groom him or herself, but still finds many daily tasks to be exhausting. It’s also hard for seniors to spend a lot of time grocery shopping, preparing meals, and ensuring they’re receiving the right amount of calories. Meal prep from a caregiver is extremely valuable to ensure individuals are receiving the sustenance and hydration they need, a task that becomes harder to monitor for many people as they age.

4. Housekeeping

Other tasks around the house become exhausting, difficult, or even impossible as they age. As your parents or grandparents age, you may notice that they begin to ask for more help with things around the house whenever you visit. Often, these tasks are manageable. However, if your loved one reaches a point where they cannot keep up with household chores and it begins to affect their peace of mind and quality of life, it may be time to enlist an in-home care provider in Fullerton. You can decide on the hours and frequency of visits to perform these duties.

5. Transferring and Moving About

Other tasks that become difficult with age include getting out of bed, getting out of chairs, and moving about certain areas of the house. It can be frustrating and depressing when you’re stuck in one place the entire day or when moving causes great strain, discomfort, and even pain. If this is one of the few services your loved one requires, you can enlist an in-home care provider to come at certain times of day to help your senior get in and out of bed or into other positions.

6. Transportation

One of the most common duties for a caregiver is to provide transportation. As we age, we lose some sight, hearing, and reaction time. It can also become difficult to grip steering wheels or enlist muscles that are required in driving. Some families may be able to provide transportation services for their family member for many years, but you will often reach a point where it becomes difficult to provide transportation for every appointment and errand. Our in-home caregivers in Fullerton can take your loved one to doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, family get-togethers, and other events.

7. Companionship

Physical needs aren’t the only area of life where an aging loved one needs support and attention. Mental and emotional needs are just as, if not even more, important. Companionship is extremely important, even when family members make it a point to visit their grandparents as often as they can. Life at home can be lonely for widows and widowers who don’t have many activities to occupy their day. A caregiver and companion spending time each day cooking, cleaning, chatting, or watching TV is a wonderful boost to a person’s sense of well-being.

8. Monitoring and Adjusting Care

A senior’s physical, mental, and emotional needs can change very quickly and may require adjustments in their schedule and their medical treatment. Having an in-home caregiver is not just a benefit, but an essential monitor to changes in a senior’s health care needs. It’s like having a built-in safety net knowing that someone will be there every day, noticing differences or assisting if an emergency occurs.

At 24 Hour Home Care, our mission is to make your path easier. We recognize the benefit of caring for your loved ones in their own homes and we provide invaluable services to seniors to ensure their health and quality of life at home.