Happy Halloween! This year, I have some frightening myths about homecare to tackle. Are caregivers nurses? Is homecare only necessary for people who need a lot assistance? Read on to find out!
Young people don’t need homecare.
Often when people think of a homecare client, they think of someone in their eighties. While we do have clients that age and older, that does not mean homecare is exclusive to that age group. Anyone who has a condition, disease, or injury that inhibits their daily activities can benefit from a caregiver. Do you have trouble cleaning or cooking due to a disability? Has a leg injury made showering or toileting difficult?
The reason this myth can be so harmful is that people who could benefit from having a caregiver help them once a week or once or twice a week won’t get the help they need because of the perception that they’re too young for that help.
Caregivers are Nurses
Some nurses and nursing students are caregivers, but a nursing degree is not required for non-medical homecare. We do have quite a few caregivers who also are CNAs.
Homecare only benefits the client.
So many people think that homecare is only for the client, but it benefits the families of the clients immensely. If the family member lives with the client, then they benefit from having a caregiver help with homemaker services, and we often have spouses who run their weekly errands or socialize with friends while our caregivers are with the client. For family members who don’t live with the client, they can have peace of mind that someone is regularly checking in on their loved one.
Professional caregivers aren’t necessary when you have family caregivers.
As Community Homecare says, professional caregiving can compliment family caregiving. Putting too much on family caregivers is a recipe for burnout, and having someone come in to help out can benefit the family caregiver greatly.
Thank you for reading, and I hope you and your family have a wonderful Halloween.
