Some seniors may also need senior home care on a short-term basis, such as when they are recovering from a surgery or health emergency like a stroke.

How Do I Know If My Loved One Needs Senior home care and from where do I start?

Many older adults eventually reach a point where they can no longer care for themselves the way that they used to. Senior home care is an appealing option for many seniors and their families because it can be used for just a few hours a week or on an as-needed basis for those who are having some difficulties, but do not need constant care. It can serve as an in-between for seniors who are struggling to care for themselves or their home completely independently, but do not need around-the-clock assistance. It’s also a good option for seniors who may have been resistant to moving out of their home, but who do need help with some of their ADLs. Though each individual is different, below are some signs that it may be time for senior home care.

•     Weight loss or decreased muscle mass

•     Decreased mobility

•     Increased forgetfulness

•     Worsening hygiene practices

•     Neglecting to maintain home cleanliness or organization

•     Inability to drive or any incidents while driving

•     Isolation or signs of loneliness

•     The occurrence of accidents and injuries such as falls

Some seniors may also need senior home care on a short-term basis, such as when they are recovering from a surgery or health emergency like a stroke. In these cases, the senior will be better suited for home health care than standard senior personal care assistance.

Evaluating Senior Home Care Agencies and Providers

Choosing to hire a senior home aide for yourself or a loved one is a good first step, but before accessing care, you’ll need to find the right care provider. You’ll want to be sure that you feel comfortable with the aide, especially if you won’t be present while they’re caring for your loved one.

One of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make is whether to work with a Senior Home Care agency or an independent provider. Independent providers tend to be less expensive. But after factoring in liability insurance (which agencies should already have and will be built-in to the hourly cost) and taxes, the difference in cost are often negligible. The other advantage of working with an agency is that you’ll likely have more caregivers to choose from. And if one aide doesn’t work out, you can request another. However, if you know that your loved one gets along well with an independent provider and you trust them, going that route may work for you.

Regardless of whether you choose to work with a Senior Home Care agency or an independent provider, doing some research and taking the time to evaluate different options can save you frustration down the line. Just as you would with a residential care community, do your research and look into several different providers, if possible, before deciding on a caregiver for your loved one.

Some of the top things to consider when choosing a Senior Home Care provider include:

Licensure: If you live in a state that requires it, be sure that the provider is licensed to provide the type of care they are offering.

Dependability: One problem that some clients face with Senior Home Care providers is that they are unreliable. Read reviews of the provider to see if past clients have had issues with their aide showing up on time. And ask the provider if they have a good back-up plan in place for when an aide cannot make it to their client at the scheduled time.

Available Services: Make sure you’re clear on what services the provider can and cannot provide. Home health care aides need to have more extensive training and licensure than personal care assistants. So if your loved one needs any health care, be sure you work with a provider with the licensure and experience to do so.

Cost: Costs can vary between different providers, so check a few in your area if you can and compare. If you’ll be using a form of financial assistance to pay for Senior Home Care, be sure that the provider accepts the type of assistance you plan to use.