In Home Care: Is It The Right Solution for Your Needs?

What is In Home Care?

Home Care is when you or your loved one works with a professional caregiver to receive care in the comfort of your own home. An experienced and compassionate caregiver – either on a live-in or hourly basis – provides physical, mental, and emotional support to help people age with dignity. 

Home Care typically includes the following services:

• Light housekeeping
• Preparing and providing healthy, diet-specific meals
• Assisting with dressing, toileting, transfers and other daily tasks
• Overseeing medication schedules and providing reminders
• Organizing and coordinating any medical appointments
• Companionship and emotional support as people navigate their journey with a progressive condition

Care Mountain’s Top Ten List

At Care Mountain we have served the Dallas Fort Worth area for over 17 years in the field of in home care.  We have worked with over 3000 families across the DFW Metroplex and have an in-depth understanding of the different scenarios and conditions where in home care works best. We are combining our knowledge and experience to create a top ten list to help you decide if home care is the right solution for you or your loved one. 

Ten Instances Home Care is Right for You

• You prefer to age in the comfort of your home

1. 1. 1. With aging there are lots of physical, mental, and emotional changes. Staying in familiar surroundings helps provide comfort and ease during this time 
      2. Nursing or assisted living facilities are regulated by the facility’s schedule, staff, and regulations. At home, you can continue to maintain your routine and privacy at your pace

• Aging at home allows you a degree of freedom and movement – you can have visitors over, enjoy time in your garden, or plan a visit to see family – all with your caregiver’s assistance and support. At a facility, you might not be able to do these types of things on your own terms

• You have a progressive condition ex. Alzheimer’s Parkinson’s, or Dementia, etc.

1. 1. Progressive conditions worsen over time, and as your condition deteriorates – having personalized care in familiar surroundings is beneficial to both your condition and its’ progression
   2. A recent study in the UK shows that late-stage progressive conditions benefit from in home care because individuals feel more empowered in the home care setting as compared to a facility
   3. A key symptom of these types of conditions is memory loss – in these cases, familiar surroundings, individuals, and routines can help slow down the progression of memory loss and confusion

• You are living with your children and require additional care

1. 1. No one wants to feel like a burden on their loved ones, especially their adult children. Home care allows you the benefits of living with your children, while getting the personalized level of professional care need without adding to the mental and physical workload of adult children.
   2. Home care allows you to spend quality time with your children. Instead of worrying about logistical details, you can both focus on being a family and make lasting memories together

• You would like to maintain an independent lifestyle

1. 1. Having an independent lifestyle becomes increasingly with difficult with age and the diagnoses of a progressive condition. Home care can help you maintain it with dedicated help to match your needs as they change and at the frequency you need
   2. Regular caregivers can help reduce fall risk and alleviate potential safety concerns 

• You require care but live far away from your family

1. 1. You have access to 24/7 care for your comfort and safety
   2. Reassure your children that you are well-cared at your most familiar place (i.e. home) by professionals with a long standing record for quality and trust. 
   3. Have someone to monitor your condition and communicate with your family if there is any change or decline 

• You and your spouse both require care

1. 1. Home care is more economical than living together in an assisted living facility
   2. One caregiver can cater to both of your needs (where possible)
   3. Allow you both to age in your home together instead of sorting out the logistics of moving to assisted care together

• Your priority is to have consistent care/ familiar caregivers

1. 1. Facilities have very high staffing turnover rates and cannot guarantee that you will have the same caregiver on an ongoing basis 
   2. Consistent caregivers help reduce confusion and disorientation if you are living with Alzheimer’s or dementia 
   3. Care Mountain has a unique approach to matching caregivers to patients through a detailed interview process. This ensures that the caregiver and client are compatible and maintains consistent care with a familiar caregiver

• You require specialized home care

1. 1. Seniors who lived with conditions like Parkinson’s or Lewy Body Dementia and have a high fall risk, are recommended to have 24/7 home care to ensure their safety and well-being
   2. Immunocompromised patients who are undergoing treatment for cancer are recommended to have home care to reduce their exposure to and life-threatening illnesses or conditions in a community setting like assisted living care
   3. Patients in post-operative recovery are also recommended to have home care. This allows them to safely recover from their procedure and receive regular physical therapy in the comfort of their home, at their own pace

1. Your long- term care needs require in home care or would benefit from it greatly
   1. Deteriorating conditions that cause a cognitive decline or manifest in behavioural issues don’t do well in large group settings. These individuals benefit from 1:1 care with a knowledgeable and experienced caregiver in their home who can support them daily
   2. Patients with motor skill deterioration like Parkinson’s, etc. also benefit greatly with home care. As their condition progresses and daily tasks like buttoning a shirt or eating breakfast become more challenging, a home care provider can help with those activities and more, as needed

• You want to age with dignity in the company of a caregiver who is a rock solid companion

1. 1. Conditions that cause cognitive decline result in mental and emotional changes like confusion, disorientation, or irrational behavior. A thoughtful caregiver recognizes the nuances in these situations and provides care and support while empowering you to continue to live life on your terms 
   2. Progressive disorders can be isolating, and an experienced caregiver can have significant impact in improving mental health and care. From engaging you with puzzles or games to improve your cognitive function, to reading or watching a movie with you to provide companionship through your day – home care can provide support at all levels

This list is a great starting point if you are thinking about in home care. For more details and information, contact Care Mountain today to learn about our comprehensive services, affordable care plans, and the way we match our experienced caregivers to best suit your needs.

Founded in 2004, Care Mountain operates across the DFW Metroplex, from Plano, McKinney, Allen, Preston Hollow, Dallas, Highland Park, Southlake, Arlington, and Fort Worth.

2022-08-12 17:01:30

In Home Care: Is It The Right Solution for Your Needs?

Gagan Bhalla

Gagan Bhalla is the Executive Director of Care Mountain Home Health Care. For over 19 years, Care Mountain has offered dedicated expertise in senior in-home care in the Dallas Fort Worth area. Managing seven locations across Texas, Gagan has committed his life to enhancing the well-being of seniors and their families needing home health care. Through insightful articles and blogs, he shares his wealth of knowledge, empowering families to make informed decisions about home care. Trust Gagan’s experience to guide you on the path to compassionate and professional senior care.