Our current population is ageing rapidly. The World Population Prospects 2019 predicts that by 2050, every 1 in 6 people all over the world will be above 65 years old. This prediction is an increase from only every 1 out of 11 people above 65 years old in 2019. The whole world is going through this revolution of longevity. Today, one-fifth of the population of 17 countries is made up of older people, and century projections indicate that by the year 2100, there will 155 countries with older people making up one-fifth of their population. But what does this mean? Why should we care about these statistics? Older people are the most vulnerable in terms of health. If numbers predict that they will be around longer than in previous years, it means that we should be ready to take care of them when the time comes. And this is where home health care will become extremely significant in taking care of our elderly and helping them live a comfortable life.
Why is home health care important for the elderly?
Statistics show that over 65 million US citizens are managing busy lifestyles while caring for someone who may be ageing, ill, or disabled. Caring for someone in need can take a toll in terms of physical burnout and even mental and emotional exhaustion. Oftentimes, adult children also barely have the time due to our current hectic lifestyles. And what if families live far away? Does this exempt them from taking care of their elderly? Will you send them to a residential care facility? While a residential care facility has been an evitable choice for some families, it requires making big lifestyle changes for your elderly, and also for your family when it comes to visiting days.
Home health care for you and your elderly
Home health care is the evolution of understanding that it is better for our ageing population to stay safely and comfortably at home while receiving special professional care. Whether they have any disabilities or require medical attention, home care will be there to assist seniors by providing nurses, aides, and therapists for both short term and long term care, depending on the elderly’s needs. Here are some reasons why home care is a beneficial choice for both you and your elderly.
- Home care is there for your elderly if you live far away
Unfortunately, many of our elderly are living alone. It is all fine until they start falling ill and cannot physically take care of themselves or require medical attention. Besides that, it also just gets lonely sometimes. When this happens, families ponder on the decision to send them to residential care facilities so someone can take care of them 24/7. But this solution isn’t the most ideal, and most importantly, it will break your elderly’s hearts from making such big lifestyle changes and being away from their comfortable home. With home care, seniors can remain at home, while working out a schedule for someone to drop by at times when needed.
- Support for activities of daily living (ADLs)
Activities of daily living include things like grooming, bathing, taking medication, etc. If your elderly do not require professional care such as a nurse or a therapist, home care can still help by providing support for everyday activities that help them maintain a good quality of life.
- Professional care
Besides providing support for activities of daily living, home care also offers skilled services like highly trained, certified nurses and therapists. Therefore, with home health care, you can ensure that your loved ones are cared for even if they have complicated health problems.
- Diet and Nutrition
Our ageing population is vulnerable, and especially if they have underlying illnesses, we need to ensure that they are getting the right diet and nutrition. With home care, you can get nutritional counselling, and even have nutritious, home-cooked food delivered to keep them healthy and happy.
- Medication
You have probably seen the list of prescriptions that your loved one needs to stay healthy. Sometimes, this might be confusing to manage, resulting in missed doses creating more health complications. Home health care will ensure that their medications are taken at the right time, and at the right doses.
- Companionship
Social interaction is important especially for our ageing loved ones. Home care provides companionship to spend time with your elders, taking them out for walks, reading, playing games, and also to run errands such as attending medical appointments, grocery shopping, etc.
- Affordable
The average cost of home health care according to the National Association of Home Care is $132 dollars per visit, whereas the average cost for a skilled nursing facility is $544 per day.
Our elderly loved ones deserve the best care in the world. Unfortunately, not all families have the time and resources to provide a comfortable environment for them to age comfortably and happily. Here is where home health care comes in. Home health care is affordable. On top of that, you don’t have to make the dreadful decision of putting your loved ones in a care home or have them live alone without someone checking up on them. Instead, you can have the peace of mind that a highly trained professional is always there to ensure your loved ones have the best support, care, and companionship that they need.
