The National Institute of Aging expects the senior population to grow expansively in the next 25 years. The US Census Bureau likewise predicts an estimated 10,000 baby boomers will reach their 65th birthday each day for the next 20 years. Given the explosive growth of the aging population, reliable senior care is a growing need.
Of the majority of elder care options available today, such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities and adult day care, live-in care is a welcome, alternate option for seniors and their families.
Seniors who require around the clock care experience the advantages of compassionate supervision 24 hours a day in the comfort of home. Live in care is useful in several ways. Let’s examine this truly beneficial form of elder care.
Full-time Assistance
Live-in caregivers can either live in the care recipient’s home or maintain their own residence. Caregivers who reside in the client’s home often perform caregiving services partly in exchange for room and board.
Caregivers who live in their own home and provide care services in a client’s home work in teams. One caregiver works the day shift, while another is employed during nighttime hours. In either scenario, fulltime care is provided.
The level of care required often determines the nature of live-in caregiving. A senior with more advanced healthcare needs will require the alertness of two live in caregivers in order to receive full 24 hour support every day.
On the other hand, an elderly individual who simply requires extra supervision may do well with a caregiver who spends the day providing care, sleeping at night in the client’s home and providing occasional nighttime assistance.
Nature of Support
Caregiving services provided by live-in caregivers are equivalent to care provided by professionals in assisted living facilities. Live-in care is generally non-medical. Routine services offered by live-in caregiving professionals include personal assistance, such as toileting, bathing, grooming and dressing.
Meal preparation and feeding (if necessary) are also common services provided by live-in caregivers. Transportation to doctor’s appointments and social activities are included as a part of caregiving duties.
If medically trained, a live-in caregiver may provide therapeutic support. Live in nurses are invaluable if the elder client suffers from a serious medical condition.
The senior’s health is monitored continuously by live-in nurses, who are licensed to perform certain medical activities, like checking vital signs daily, administering medications or changing wound dressings. A live-in nurse is trained to appropriately respond to emergency health crises.
Seniors derive significant social benefits from the companionship provided by live-in caregivers. The loneliness and isolation that plague many in the elderly population are greatly reduced when a supportive aide is nearby daily. The onset of depression that often affects seniors is also relieved when a live-in caregiver offers much-needed camaraderie.
Care Recipient Benefits
While families gain peace of mind in knowing their loved one is properly looked after, seniors, too, experience a wealth of benefits from live-in caregiving services. Seniors who live alone have support in maintaining both themselves and their home through the efforts of a live-in caregiver.
A live-in caregiver performs essential household chores, such as laundry and light housekeeping. As a result, the elderly client experiences a clean and organized home. A lack of clutter also goes a long way in preventing falls or serious injuries to the senior.
The live-in caregiver’s attention to grooming and bathing allows the senior to feel a sense of dignity and personal wellness.
Funding Live-In Care
The cost for a live-in caregiver varies according to geographic location and the level of care necessary. On average, a care recipient can expect to pay $160 to $250 per day to receive live-in caregiving services.
In general, the client pays for live-in care out of pocket. With that being said there are ways to help you pay for home care.
Medicare fails to be a viable option when it comes to funding live-in care. Medicaid differs in every state, with some states paying for live-in care to some extent. The Veterans Administration offers financial support to veterans and their spouses; although the VA does not specifically pay for live-in care, the VA’s financial assistance may be directed toward financing live-in care.
Taking out reverse mortgages is an option for seniors who wish to remain in their home. Seniors may use a portion of the equity in their home to pay for live-in care.
Where to Find Live-In Caregivers
While hiring private live-in caregivers after a thorough background check is an option, senior care agencies provide the most thorough services, from inspecting a live-in caregiver’s legal working status to checking for a criminal history. Agencies also may be Medicare certified, meaning the company has passed strict federal regulations and inspections.
Your loved one deserves optimal care. Around the clock care is critical for some seniors, and families will find comfort in knowing their local Assisting Hands Home Care team is available to step in when live-in care becomes a necessity.
Assisting Hands Home Care in Schaumburg, Illinois, offers dependable live-in caregiving services. Each live-in caregiver is trained in CPR and first aid and we retain a staff of caregivers who are bilingual, in the event that clients request a caregiver who speaks their language.
Contact Us
Our caregiving team at Assisting Hands Home Care in Schaumburg IL is experienced in managing the non-medical care needs of elderly clients with Alzheimer’s disease and cancer, as well as those with terminal illnesses. Assisting Hands Home Care live-in senior care professionals may be hired on a short term or long-term basis. Our management team discusses the current needs of both the family and care recipient in order to develop a customized and flexible care plan.
Reputed for excellence, Assisting Hands Home Care serves, with dedication, the elderly population in Schaumburg, IL, and the surrounding communities. We are available at (224) 258-0736 for more information to request a free consultation.
