Home Care Tips

1 September 2022

Home care is an arrangement where seniors or people living with disability receive care in their homes instead of a specialised facility. The guide below offers some insights for people who want to provide home care to their loved ones. Hopefully, it should ease the work of caregivers. 

Create A Care Plan 

You must have a care plan from the onset. The plan helps avoid oversights that could affect the health of your loved one. Involve all parties as you formulate the care plan. For instance, consult your loved one's doctors to establish the type of care they need to alleviate their condition. Moreover, consult your loved one to know their needs and interests. Finally, talk with other family members to ensure they understand what to expect once the new family member moves into the house. The care plan should detail the following; 

• The help that your loved one needs. For instance, they could need help with personal hygiene, cleaning and mobility.
• The prescribed medication, when and how it should be administered. Besides, it should detail whether the individual requires rehabilitative care.
• The need for specialised meals. For example, it could be the doctors advised you against preparing specific meals.
• The need for special equipment such as wheelchairs, rails and ramps around the house. 

Prioritise Independence 

Although your loved one might need your help, you should encourage them to be as independent as possible. Independence helps avoid feelings of over-reliance on family members. So, how can you promote independence when providing home care? Start by asking your loved one what tasks they can perform independently. For instance,  they could make their meals or clean up. Then, assess the risks involved in performing these tasks. For example, your loved one could risk falls as they try to retrieve items from kitchen cabinets. Finally, initiate interventions to lower these risks. You could lower the kitchen cabinets and the working surfaces. 

Consider Professional Help

A challenge you could face as a primary caregiver is that you lack the skills to offer high-quality care to your loved one. For instance, you might not know how to turn them in bed, prevent memory loss or track their health. If possible, you should hire a trained caregiver to offer home care. Essentially, the professional acquaints you with the various aspects of providing care at home. Over time, you can transition into the primary caregiver. 

When planning home care, create a plan, prioritise independence and consider professional help.