If you have an aging loved one who is ailing from a medical condition, you might be feeling overwhelmed. Maybe this medical condition came on suddenly and you are trying to come up with a strategy to help care for your loved one, or maybe you have been acting as a family caregiver for your loved one for some time, and a change in circumstances has led you to look into other options for is care.
Whatever the reason you are looking for caregiving for your loved one, you have undoubtedly taken to the internet to find answers. Maybe you asked around, or did a Google search, but these things have only led to confusion. There are so many options, but which is right for you? Home care, home health care, hospice care – from the name, these three things all sound the same. You know, though, that there must be something different about each of them, and you have to find out what it is to know which one is what you are looking for. Here is a description of each, so that you can feel better prepared to make a decision for your loved one.
Home Care
Home care, as the name suggests, is done in the residence where the ailing senior lives. A home care aide from an agency comes to the home every day to help the senior with tasks like getting dressed, bathing, cooking, and cleaning. They can also remind the senior to take his or her medication, but these aides are not certified to administer medications themselves. They can, however, be on hand in the case of any emergency, and can get your loved one the help they need.
Home care is usually a long-term solution. As long as your loved one needs help, a home care aide can keep coming to their house. This is normally a solution for seniors with chronic health conditions that are not likely to improve over time.
Home Health Care
This is where it gets confusing. Although their names sound like two derivations of the same term, home care and home health care are actually quite different. Although they both take place in the patient’s home, home health care is typically for people of any age who are incapacitated due to a medical condition or injury, and who expect to recover after a set period of time. A home health care professional is certified to administer medication, as well as to help with physical therapy and any other aspect of the recovery process.
Hospice Care
Hospice Care can also take place in the home, but it is exclusively for patients who have been diagnosed with a condition that gives them six months to live or less. Unlike the first two options, hospice care can involve an entire team of people who come to the home to help take care of the senior’s medical needs: physicians, nurses, social workers, and even a priest or chaplain can all be included along with the hospice aide, who takes care of the day-to-day needs of the patient.
Although these three types of care sound the same, they are really very different. Now that you know what characterizes each one, though, you can better make the right decision for your loved one.
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Edina, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
