One of the most difficult issues a family may have to deal with can occur when an elderly loved one is no longer able to tend to their daily needs by themselves. This type of situation can happen because of old age, illness or other medical conditions. While the elderly family member may realize they cannot take care of themselves, they generally will not want to leave their home and move into an assisted living facility. This can often create a problem for the rest of the family.
Most family members would prefer to handle the care for their loved one on their own. However, they may have other obligations, which can make this impossible. In these types of circumstances, hiring a homecare provider may be a great alternative. Homecare services are designed to help families and their loved ones cope with these types of situations.
Unfortunately, many people are hesitant to use this type of service due to some of the negative information they may have heard about them. Since the majority of this information is based on myths, it can help to know the real facts.
Homecare Service Myths, Busted!
Myth 1 – An Elderly Person will lose his or her Independence
Many elderly people may not want assistance in their home for fear they will lose their independence. They may fear that by allowing someone to help them take care of their needs, they will lose their right to do things for themselves or even make decisions.
This is generally not true at all. The agency or homecare worker will work for the family or the elderly individual directly. They must conform to their wishes. In addition, generally by having assistance in the home an individual will have more independence and freedom. He or she will be able to move about the home without worries of falling and no one being there to help. By having a homecare worker tending to some of the household tasks that are too difficult for a senior to handle, many times he or she will have more energy to do things that are more enjoyable.
Myth 2 – Services are only for the Seriously Ill
Sometimes elderly people or their family may think homecare is only designed to help those people who have serious illnesses.
This is not necessarily accurate. Some services, do only deal with patients who have medical conditions that make homecare more of a necessity. However, there are also services that focus primarily on helping a senior deal with the activities of daily living. This can include things such as the following:
- Meal preparation
- Hygiene assistance (including bathing or showering) and dressing assistance
- Ambulatory or transferring assistance
- Providing transportation or running errands
- Doing light housework
- Acting as a companion including engaging a care recipient with memory loss in mental or physical activities.
Myth 3 - All Caregivers Operate Independently
Fortunately, a family can choose from a number of different types of homecare options. This can make it easier to find a caregiver who will fit the needs of the family and their loved one.
Many services are run by an agency that hires caregivers as employees. They screen and perform background checks on all the caregivers before they are hired or sent to a client's home. The agency makes sure they are well trained and have any certifications they may need as well. The client deals with the agency about their requirements in a caregiver and the types of tasks they wish performed. If there are any changes to this or issues with a particular caregiver, the agency will deal with the problem. This can be a great choice for the client since they do not have to worry about any type of employee issues.
Some people may prefer to hire a caregiver directly. In this type of situation, the caregiver will be the employee of the family or the elderly person. There will be payroll taxes to worry about, insurance, worker's compensation and more for the family or senior to deal with. In addition, if the employee is not doing their job well or needs time off for this will also have to be dealt with by the senior or their family. This can often be more work than a family may be able to handle.
A third option is an independent caregiver. These people run their own business for the most part, even if they are the only employee. They set their own rules and working conditions. They do handle their payroll taxes and workers compensation. They will not be covered by liability or bond insurance unless they purchase it on their own. If there is a problem with an independent contractor, the family or the senior will need to speak to the caregiver directly about the issue. The family should obtain background or criminal history checks. However, they must see to them on their own.
Myth 4 – People Working in Homecare Services Do Not Care about their Clients
This is definitely not true. Most homecare services are staffed by very caring and compassionate people who want to make things easier for a senior and his or her family. Many times these workers become so close to their clients, they are treated almost like close family. While there are some people who may not work well together, most agencies will quickly remove the caregiver and provide a different worker to handle the job.
Myth 5 – Homecare Workers Treat the Elderly Badly
Many people are worried they might hire someone to help their loved one and they will become abusive to them. This is not an accepted practice. When hiring a service, they diligently screen their staff to ensure they are not hiring people with any type of history of these types of actions. In addition, a service often has supervisors and managers who make random visits to their client's homes to make sure the elderly person is getting the care he or she needs. While there are some situations where abuse has occurred, most caregivers are honest and care about the people they help.
Myth 6 – Agencies decide who will be sent to the Home
In most situations, an agency representative will first meet with the family and/or elderly person to discuss the type of person they would prefer having in the home. With this information, the agency will screen caregivers until a good match can be found. If an issue develops with the chosen caregiver, most agencies will do everything they can to correct the problem quickly and efficiently. The goal of most agencies is to make sure the family and the elderly person are comfortable with those in their home and they do what they can to achieve this.
Myth 7 – Only People who need Around the Clock Care can hire a Service
This is generally not the case at all. When it comes to dealing with helping elderly patients, most services realize they may not need care all the time. Many times, a person may only need assistance when they first get up in the morning. They may need help bathing, dressing, preparing a meal and doing some housework. After these tasks are completed, they may not need any assistance again until it is time for them to go to bed.
Most services will work with the senior and his or her family to set up a schedule, which provides care when the senior needs it but also gives them as much time as they wish to be on their own. In most cases, a quality service will not have limitations or minimums on the amount of time their services are needed.
Myth 8 – In Home Care is Expensive
Fortunately, many homecare services have very affordable options for elderly people and their families. In most cases, hiring a homecare service is much more economical than a daycare facility or assisted living facility might be. However, the actual cost of care will vary depending on several factors such as:
- Hours Required – This includes the number of hours the service is needed in the home on a daily or weekly basis.
- Tasks Performed – Costs for some services may be more than others are. For instance, transportation to and from appointments would include a mileage rate.
Myth 9 - Homecare is not needed because the Senior Lives with Family
Many people may think having their family around makes hiring a homecare service unnecessary. This is generally not the case. Today many people are very busy in their daily lives. With jobs, kids and other commitments they often do not have enough hours in the day to tend to their own needs. Having a family member who needs extra help can often be too much. While there are times when they can handle all the responsibilities well, other times they may need help from a home care service.
Myth 10 – It is Risky to Receive in Homecare
Some people worry about the health risks involved in receiving any type of homecare. However, many times a person will do much better physically and mentally when they are in their own familiar settings. In addition, a homecare worker will provide one-one-one care to the senior. This makes it possible for the worker to get to know the person and they can notice any subtle changes in the actions or abilities of the elderly individual. Many times the worker can alert the family so a medical professional can examine the person.
Myth 11 - Homecare is just for Elderly People
Most people who request homecare are seniors or those who are sick. This does not mean that homecare is not available for anyone over the age of 18. There are many other situations where using homecare may be a wise choice. For instance, a family may have a disabled adult child who needs some assistance.
Myth 12 – People who are unable to Care for Themselves Should be in a Facility
Some elderly people feel that if they cannot handle all their own daily living activities, they should be in a facility. As people age they will naturally begin to lose certain abilities, whether it is strength in their hands, eyesight, hearing or other issues. This is all a normal part of the aging process. It is true they may be unable to do certain household tasks or handle some personal grooming issues on their own. However, there is still much they can contribute to those who around them. By having help with the mundane tasks, they will be able to focus on the important ones.
Myth 13 – It is not safe to have Strangers in the Home
There are some cases where a homecare worker has been caught stealing from the person they are supposed to be helping. However, if background and criminal checks have been run on a potential worker, the likelihood of this happening is much less. Most agencies are very cautious about these issues and make sure their workers are supervised and held accountable while they are working in a client's home.
Myth 14 – Seniors who need Around the Clock Care are not eligible for Homecare
A homecare service will generally be able to accommodate any type of hours or schedule an elderly patient needs. This is because they have a staff of workers who can take various shifts around the clock to ensure the person is never alone if this is requested.
Myth 15 – You have to know what type of Services an Elderly Person Needs before Contacting an Agency
It can be a good idea to have an idea of what services an elderly person will need. However, most agencies will be able to make changes as things progress. Often the best way to determine what type of help a person needs is by having someone there with them through their routines. If there are areas where the individual needs help, these can be added to the overall care plan.
For many people who have aged family members trying to find their loved one the assistance they need may seem like a daunting prospect. By using homecare agencies or workers, this issue can be much easier to handle than one might think.
