Benefits Of Non Medical Home Care

By Essie Osborn


The fastest growing group of people in America are those over sixty years of age. As these people age and eventually retire many of them find they need assistance around the house with daily tasks. One of the options open to them is non medical home care from one of the many private and public sources available.

The last thing anyone wants is to be forced by circumstances to leave the house you have lived in for decades. One of the advantages of these services is that they can enable the senior to stay in their residence indefinitely. The skills that the providers bring to their clients can relieve them of the worry of not being able to live alone.

The numbers of agencies that offer these services is increasing and they are both federally funded and privately owned. Meals on Wheels is a program that brings hot meals to people who are not able to cook for themselves. In home support services is another government funded agency and they supply housekeeping, cooking and transportation for the client.

Non-profit organizations also offer services for seniors that do not require nursing assistance. Most have low income housing for seniors and many offer transitional housing that allows them to age in place with many levels of assistance offered in the same facility. The client in these cases remains as an independent resident so long as they can fend for themselves with or without assistance from the outside.

When the client has decided they need assistance they are encouraged, along with their families, to participate in the design and duration of the plan that is laid out for their worker. The level of assistance can be as little as daily companionship or as much as the group feels is necessary to meet the needs of the client. Interim checks are sometimes made to assure that goals set by the plan are being met.

When selecting the person who will fill this position it is important that you do a thorough background check on them. You will also want to check the references they have and determine that they are trustworthy and capable of doing the job. A licensed agency will usually provide the background checks and personal references needed to assure honesty and skill levels necessary.

An advantage gained by hiring a professional assistant to help dependent adults or seniors in your family is that their lives are not disrupted and you are able to carry on with your normal activities on a day to day basis. Handling a family as well as keeping your house in order and perhaps even working during the week is a huge responsibility for anyone. By using the services available from public and private agencies you will still be able to have time for relaxation and spend time with them on a regular schedule.

Being able to stay in the home they own is very important to people and as they age it becomes even more important. Aging in place is possible for most seniors if they have access to the appropriate resources and the financial means to afford the extra cost. As a whole, bringing the assistance to the senior is far more cost efficient than the alternative of placing them in a nursing home or retirement facility.




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