More seniors are choosing to remain in their homes as they age. Is In-Home health care for you?
Caregiving today can be a challenge, given the busy schedules of family members who have a limited amount of extra time. Finding the right in-home personal assistance for your loved one can be difficult.
At Home Atlanta is a leading provider of Health Care Services for the protection, well-being and safety of individuals we serve in their homes and facilities. We provide services to clients that are non-medical. These services are intended to assist clients with activities of daily living (ADL) that would include but not limited to, daily living support, personal care, medication reminding, housekeeping services, personal laundry, cooking, shopping, assistance in getting to and from appointments, maintenance of household records, and companionship. Services provided may be daily, weekly, short or long term as defined by the client’s needs assessment.
What Are the Different In-Home Senior Care Options?
There are different types of In-Home care to accommodate Seniors with different needs. The levels of care span from basic companionship and light housekeeping to skilled medical care administered by specially-trained Home Health Care professionals.
Companion Care Services
Companion care providers do just what the name says: provide company for older adults, especially those who are isolated at home because of frailty, cognitive impairments (such as mild- to moderate-stage Alzheimer’s disease). We have specialized caregivers trained in accident prevention, personal care/hygiene, nutritional monitoring, family reporting, and maintaining consistent routines for loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other dementia.
Sometimes called “elder companions,” these aides keep a watchful eye, drive clients to appointments, safeguard someone unsteady on his or her feet, read aloud, play cards, prepare light meals and snacks, and otherwise function as an extra set of hands, eyes, and feet for your loved one.
Companion care is ideal for someone who would otherwise have to spend part of the day alone and who requires some light assistance. Companion care also provides a valuable social benefit, decreasing isolation and improving mood. Warm relationships are often formed when a consistent companion is on the job.
Light housekeeping, meal preparation and transportation can become frustrating tasks to those affected by aging. We provide assistance for numerous daily activities, as well as basic peace-of-mind services.
- Grocery shopping, meal planning and preparation
- Light housekeeping, dust, vacuum, change linens, make the bed, keep client's bathroom clean and sanitized, client laundry, floor care
- Empty trash and set it out for pickup
- Assistance with pets
- Care of house plants
- Assistance with organization, closets, cabinets, calendar, photos, coupons, mail
- Transportation with clients to/from appointments, shopping, errands, out to lunch, special events, visits with friends
- Good conversation and companionship
- Special activities, reading, games, projects, correspondence, crafts
- Stand by assistance for safety
Personal Care Assistance (PCA)
In addition to providing companion care, home care aides offer assistance with all kinds of activities of daily living (ADL), from grocery shopping to non-medical personal care like toileting, dressing, grooming, and bathing. They can also provide temporary respite care for families.
Many families enlist personal care assistants to solve problems in their home care situation, such as a small woman hiring a strong aide who can lift a spouse for bathing, or a son concerned about privacy hiring a woman to bathe his mother. Personal care assistants can also fill a need for seniors who are starting to have difficulties maintaining their home or completing all ADL independently, but who do not yet need the full-time assistance available at an assisted living community.
In addition to assistance with ADL, personal care assistants can arrange for meal preparation, escorts to doctor visits, and any other type of non-medical assistance your loved one may need in order to live at home longer. If you need to get away for a few hours a week or overnight, in-home care can ease the worry, especially if the in-home caregiver is familiar to your loved one because he or she provides regular services.
For those suffering from the physical effects of aging, we can help throughout the day in a number of ways. At Home provides quality caregivers, which is rare in the environment today. We provide a personal, hands-on relationship with each and every person cared for - starting from the very first day.
- Ambulation assistance; getting in and out of beds, wheelchairs, bathtubs etc.
- Checking vital signs; blood pressure, pulse and temperature monitoring
- Providing hygiene care such as assistance with bathing, dressing and using the toilet
- Bathing, shower, tub, bed bath, or sponge bath
- Grooming, dressing, shaving and personal appearance
- Toilet needs: bedpan, urinal, briefs and diaper
- Oral Care: teeth, dentures and oral hygiene
- Nails: Clean and file
- Skin care and prevention of skin breakdown
- Shampoo, comb and brush hair
- Assistance with mobility: cane, walker or wheelchair
- Transfer to and from chair, bed, toilet, car
- Exercise: accompany on walks and physical activities
- Repositioning and body alignment
- Range of motion exercises
- Preparation of nutritious meals
- Assistance with eating, feeding, fluids and proper nutrition
- Medication reminders
- Accompanying to social activities and appointments
- Observe, report and document client status
- RN supervision and home assessment every 90 days
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
In addition to providing personal care, a CNA provides care to patients in homes, hospitals or residents of long-term care facilities. CNA’s work under the supervision of Registered Nurses and follow care instructions provided by RNs or Doctors. They also monitor vital signs and may even dispense medication, depending on the environment and experience level. CNA skills and qualifications include:
- Excellent attention to detail
- Great written and verbal communication
- Ability to carefully read and follow directions
- Flexibility in work duties and schedule
- Ability to lift and move patients
- Good foundation of clinical skills and knowledge
Nursing Services / Home Health Care
Home Health Care is a type of in-home care that involves higher-level medical care and therapy. Unlike personal care assistants, who are not able to perform any medical care, home health aides must undergo specialized training and/or have a nursing degree or certification to perform skilled nursing tasks such as administering injections, maintaining oxygen tubes and catheters, and conducting physical or occupational therapy.
Note: Home Health Care is the only type of home care that involves skilled nursing or therapy services.
Standard home care does not include any type of medical services. Those in need of skilled nursing care, medication administration, or physical or occupational therapy should look into Home Health Care rather than regular Home Care.
