The chances that seniors over the age of 65 will need long-term home healthcare support are close to 70 percent. This support can be obtained from a long-term health care facility or through in-home care, where the senior remains in the familiar environment of his or her house.

Ninety-two percent of the country’s growing elderly population would prefer to receive needed in- home care . Fortunately, many in-home senior care services are available. Medicare and Medicaid may be available for eligible seniors with inadequate personal resources. This makes in-home care a viable option of many seniors and their loved ones.

Major Benefits of Home Care for Seniors with Chronic Illnesses

Even the most devoted family member will find taking care of a beloved senior in need of day-to-day care a challenge. Both families and patients will find these benefits of home care provided by a trained and caring home care worker worth considering. 

1. A senior who can remain at home is able to continue with a familiar social life and daily activities. He or she remains in charge of a large part of their life as they act to enhance their daily existence. No care facility can do that.

Caring for a senior suffering from the onset of dementia can become overwhelming for the family and loved ones. To ensure that the elderly family member receives the best at-home care, a specially-trained healthcare worker can enhance the senior’s quality of life by creating a daily routine in a familiar environment and help with healthy meals and maintaining old friendships. This at-home one-on-one care can help stabilize the patient’s cognitive condition as he or she enjoys greater stimulation to learn and deal with daily problems on their own. An at-home specialist can help them remain creative, work on a hobby, and preserve their cognitive strength.

2. Professional home care services can fill in the gaps that the family is unable to do. Most people over the age of 65 prefer to remain at home and lounge on their favorite old sofa, where they are surrounded by treasured photographs. The cost of that comfort can vary.  For example, a family member can do the food shopping and perhaps cooking without any charges. A professional service provider can come to the home to play games, provide help with housework, and attempt to ease the inevitable loneliness. The services provided by professional aides can range from paid companionship to a trained health assistant working under the supervision of a licensed physician. It depends on what services the senior needs. And making the best choices can be difficult. When the bulk of the responsibility of caretaking falls to the family, it’s easy for the family members to become burned out, which can make things more difficult for everyone involved. In addition, if health is a major concern, the specific caretaker can be a registered nurse or certified nursing assistant.

If full-time health care is required, most families opt for a nursing home, regardless of the additional expense that includes 24/7 medical assistance. Nursing homes have both private and semi-private rooms, with private accommodation, of course, adding to the cost but which can be considered closer to an in-home experience. Still, even the best nursing home facilities mean the loss of friends and familiar surroundings, and if needed, 24-hour at-home professional care will keep the patient in a familiar environment.

To sum up the difference in cost of healthcare, the average hourly expense for in-home care can be between $18 and $25 per hour, depending on the tasks required, and the average annual expense for a nursing home is between $50,000 and $200,000, with the basic cost of assisted living at $35,000. 

3.  Proper medical attention for seniors is essential. Equally important is maintaining their quality of life. At-home care focuses on personal support for activities throughout the day, and caregivers can ensure that the senior has an enjoyable daily routine, a safe, fall-proof environment, and companionship to ward off loneliness. To the extent necessary, said care provider can assist with bathing, dressing, regular meals, as well as managing daily medication. An at-home care provider brings peace of mind to a family that is already beleaguered with stress. 

4. At-home care encourages family involvement. The undisputed and tragic truth is that seniors placed in a care facility can become disconnected from the family. here is always an excuse to delay a visit to a lonely mother or father in a nursing home. In-home care ensures that the family remains involved in the senior’s life daily, from playing games, watching a show together, or enjoying a picnic in the park. A senior in a facility loses out on these critical family connections. With at-home care, the family bond remains strong, even with the addition of a professional caregiver. A frequently forgotten role in at-home care is not just family, but beloved family pets, as well.

How does home care improve the quality of life for individuals with chronic illnesses?

Chronic illness can be defined as a condition(s) that lasts one year or beyond and limits the person’s activities while necessitating medical attention. Most chronic illnesses are incurable and demand ongoing care.

Due to a longer lifespan, the number of elderly suffering from dementia is increasing and is becoming a challenge for both patients and families. Home care for individuals with chronic illnesses enables the patient to remain in familiar surroundings while still receiving needed professional care from trained home care providers. Remaining around a familiar and treasured environment can have a hugely positive effect on the patient’s mental and physical health and slow down further deterioration.

With chronic illness care at home, patients retain freedom of choice regarding their meals, with whom to socialize, and what activities to pursue, all of which enrich the quality of life. 

How does home care support the independence and autonomy of individuals with chronic illnesses?

Age and chronic illness all-too-frequently can lead to a lack of autonomy – or independence. As patients find themselves being able to do less and becoming more reliant on others, their confidence and mental health suffers.

One of the most in-demand services for seniors is personal care (bathing, grooming, etc.), management of medication, providing meals and needed transportation, and perhaps money management. 

The degree of required assistance needed varies. A chronically ill person may need daily rides to rehab or occasional transportation to see friends. 

A trusted homecare provider is one of the chronically ill person’s most critical resource. 

Caregivers can be available for a few hours when or around the clock. What is critical is that said senior can rely on needed home health care services rather than hoping that a family member may or may not be available.