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According to the Administration for Community Living (ACL), about 16% of the U.S.population comprises senior citizens.Moreover, about 1.5 million and 1 million American seniors live in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, respectively, as reported by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

While these places help many seniors age more comfortably, they have limitations that greatly inconvenience the residents as well as their loved ones.For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic led to many nursing homes banning visits, and this took a toll on most of the residents in those facilities, per the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).Heres an in-depth look at why aging in place with home care is the best option for your parents, especially during the pandemic.Benefits of Home CarePhoto by Kindel Media from PexelsAs your parents age, they become less independent.

Worse still, they will be vulnerable to health conditions such as arthritis, hypertension, Parkinsons disease, dementia, and diabetes.Currently, the coronavirus is also a threat to the elderly largely due to their weak immune systems.This shows just how much you have in your hands and how the decision you make can impact your parents aging process.

You may be considering taking them to a nursing facility, which is not such a bad thing.However, your parents will likely be happy and age gracefully if you give them a chance to stay in the community.In other words, home care could be everything your aging parents need.

To make an informed decision, here is a look at some of the key benefits of home care for the elderly.Enhanced ComfortNothing is probably more comfortable than spending time in familiar surroundings.Sleeping in your own bed, using your own cutlery, using your own bathroom, and watching your own TV gives you much-needed comfort.This is what your aging parents will primarily enjoy when you keep them at home instead of taking them to a nursing home.

Even better, comfort and familiarity are great aspects of an optimum healing environment, as per the University of Minnesota.In other words, your parents will be able to recover faster or easily manage their illnesses at home in case they are suffering from diseases such as dementia.Ensures SafetyApart from comfort, a familiar setting makes you feel safe.This is unlike a strange place such as an assisted living facility, which can make your parents feel homesick.

Take note that physical safety is also a factor when it comes to nursing homes.More specifically, most nursing homes are overcrowded with senior citizens, some of whom suffer from certain illnesses, including communicable diseases such as COVID-19.Typically, your parents will be vulnerable to contracting diseases from their fellows or even lack personalized care for their own diseases.

As such, ensure your senior parent feels safe both mentally, emotionally, and physically by keeping them in the home they have built and lived in for many years.Cost EffectiveThe average cost of nursing home care in the US is high enough to cause financial distress, according to the US News and World Report.This is especially because, in a nursing facility, your aging parents will have to pay for everything from beddings, food, healthcare, personal attention, privacy, recreational facilities, and general accommodation.With this in mind, be ready to pay top-dollar in case you opt to take your parents to a nursing home or an assisted living facility.

On the contrary, home care will save you some money, considering you will not necessarily have to pay for the available necessities such as beddings, entertainment, food, and toiletries.Instead, you will only incur the costs of hiring a home care aide and health care, which can both be cheaper depending on the type of aide you hire and the healthcare required respectively.Upholds Dignity and Self-EsteemPhoto by Georg Arthur Pflueger on UnsplashHaving been strong, hardworking, and independent their entire lives, your parents will most likely feel unworthy when they grow old and cant fend for themselves anymore.While this is a normal feeling for most seniors, assurance from family keeps them going.

Just being around their loved ones and participating in family dinners, thanksgiving celebrations, birthday parties, and family get-togethers can make them feel part of the family.This maintains their dignity as useful and valued people in society and enhances their self-esteem.If your parent is already struggling to go through the aging process and accepting that they cant be independent anymore, taking them to a nursing home will make them feel like a burden, something which will lower their dignity and self-esteem.Time with Loved OnesNursing homes are institutions with rules and schedules to be followed strictly.

Each facility usually has a limit on the number of visitors allowed, and this can limit interaction with loved ones.Worse still, the visiting time is also limited to only a few hours.This means that taking your parent to a nursing facility will be denying him or her the right of spending limitless time with their loved ones, something which home care gives in plenty.

Your senior parent will definitely want to watch their grandchildren grow, see them off on their first day of school, take a ride with them to the park, and watch their favorite cartoon series together.Home Care Offers Personalized CareThe elderly are generally prone to age-related health problems such as dementia and age-related macular degeneration.This means that in an assisted living facility, you may find, say, 10 different seniors battling varying conditions, meaning each of them needs to receive personalized healthcare, which is something that can be difficult to achieve in an overcrowded facility.While some seniors only need help using the bathroom, others need constant monitoring and attention, particularly those suffering from terminal and mental illnesses.

At home, your home care aide will be able to provide customized care to your aging parent and help them recover faster.For example, if the parent only needs home care for a few hours, the aide will be able to provide that for the specified number of hours or even days.Maximized AttentionPhoto by SHVETS production from PexelsThe federal government required a minimum ratio of 1 nurse to 5 residents in a nursing home during the day, as reported by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).Clearly, this number is already big for a senior citizen who needs more attention and extensive care.

It is worth noting that putting your parent to home care services will guarantee them maximum attention considering the ratio will be 1:1.As such, your aging parent will be more comfortable, less stressed, and well attended to.Promotes IndependenceWith home care, your senior parents will be able to remain more independent.They will be able to choose what clothes to wear, what food to eat, when to take a bath, when to go to bed, and even how their meals should be cooked.

Those who can drive will also have a choice of when to drive and where to go.By taking charge of their lives, they will grow more independent, unlike in assisted living facilities where the rules and schedules determine their lifestyles.Time with Their PetsResearch indicates that a majority of Americans are emotionally attached to their pets.If your aging parent falls in this category, taking them to a nursing facility will be robbing them of their animal companion.

This is because some nursing facilities do not allow pets to reside in their facility.While some may allow visiting, your parent wont have enough time to bond with a pet he/she has kept for many years.Home care will not only allow your parent to live with their favorite pet full-time, but will also enhance their aging process.

This can even be better if it is an emotional support animal.Support from FamilyWith home care, you can choose to hire a full-time, part-time, or even a sleep-in home care aide depending on the needs at hand.For instance, if you hire a home care aide part-time you and other family members will be able to take charge whenever the aide is off duty.You can still offer support even when the home care aide is present as this will make your parents feel more valued.

In turn, this will enhance their healing process if they are sick and help them age more comfortably.Duties of a Home Care AideIn general, a home care aide is necessary to help senior citizens manage common challenges encountered in their aging process.The aide can help cook, clean, and run errands for the elderly who live in their homes.That said, the following are the duties of a home care aide: Monitoring HealthSenior citizens, particularly those suffering from serious illnesses, are always in constant danger.

Unfortunately, they may sometimes be oblivious of their health status, especially if the illness is mental.Even when fully aware, they will most likely be unable to call for help.A home care aide solves this problem by being there to monitor their health and call for help whenever required.

Even better, a trained and certified home care aide can offer basic healthcare services such as monitoring vital signs and administering first aid.Keeping CompanyA study at the University of California revealed that at least 40% of senior citizens experience loneliness.If your parents feel lonely, their health can deteriorate, more so if they are not able to handle it well.A home care aide not only keeps everything moving at home but also keeps your parent company, especially if there is no one else at home.

If you work overseas or just far from home, a home care aide can keep your aging parents company and prevent loneliness and depression from kicking in.Sticking to a ScheduleSchedules apply both in nursing homes and at home, only that home care schedules are more flexible.For instance, at home, your parent can take meals at her own convenience, unlike in assisted living facilities, which have specific meal times.However, some activities such as taking medications, getting injections, and going to doctors appointments may require a strict schedule even if your parent lives at home.

As such, another home care aides role is to ensure that your aging parents follow important schedules that may affect their health.More specifically, the aide should remind seniors on when to take medications and when the next doctors appointment is due.Take note that skipping some medications can have severe consequences, and hence, a home care aide is important.Monitoring NutritionPhoto by Andrea Piacquadio from PexelsWith age, the immune response becomes slower, and thats why the elderly fall sick more often, per the US National Library of Medicine (NLM).

With proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits, the elderly can still manage to improve their immunity and stay healthy.A home care aide is the best person to prepare meals and monitor dietary requirements for your aging parents.Take note that apart from consuming a balanced diet, some seniors also need to follow specific dietary rules depending on what diseases they are suffering from.

For example, diabetes patients are supposed to consume a diet rich in nutrients and low fats, according to Medical News Today.Providing Emotional SupportBy keeping them company, cooking their meals, and running their errands, a home care aide can help improve the mental health of senior citizens living under home care.He/she can also offer emotional support whenever needed.Typically, the aging process is not an easy journey, and some seniors get depressed easily.

With the right emotional support, your parents should be just fine even if you are away from home.Helping with Daily TasksCommon tasks in a household include, among others, cooking, cleaning the house, doing laundry, arranging things, and running errands.Considering their old age and probably ill health, your aging parents will not be able to perform these duties by themselves.A home care aide can do the chores for them and give them support whenever they need it.

To improve their health and enhance their physical fitness, seniors should also participate in performing duties such as gardening if they can.Benefits of Boca Home Care ServicesPhoto by Andrea Piacquadio from PexelsConsidering the many benefits of aging in place, forget about nursing homes and opt for home care services.This is likely the best option for your aging parent since at least 90% of the elderly prefer living in their home to going to assisted living facilities, per the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).Boca Home Care Services is a service that offers high-quality home care services to seniors in Broward and Palm Beach counties in Florida.

(Also Miami Home Care Services serves seniors in Miami-Dade).At Boca Home Care Services, we pride ourselves on ensuring that every senior citizen gets the most out of their old age by keeping them safe, comfortable, and independent.Below are just a few of the benefits your parents will get with our home care services.Tailored Home Care ServicesAt Boca Home Care Services, we understand that no two senior citizens require the same services.

For instance, while your aging mother may need help with shopping and bathing, your friends mother may need help due to an injury or disability.In other words, we refer home caregivers that are specially trained to handle specific issues pertaining to home care.This means that your aging parent will receive tailored home care services depending on the type of help needed.Certified CaregiversBoca Home Care Services has been in operation for more than 2 decades now.

This means that we know what it takes to enhance comfort and improve lives for the elderly.To achieve this, we ensure that all our caregivers have the necessary credentials, which are reviewed from time to time for compliance purposes.As such, be sure you will receive a qualified home care aide into your home.Social Work PrinciplesIn our service delivery, we uphold social work principles to ensure that our clients receive the most professional home care services.

For instance, we consider the strengths of individual aging clients, work with their families and communities, assess and respond to situations with the needed urgency, and refer clients to other elder care professionals if need be.Flexible Home Care ServicesWe understand that your aging parents may need long-term, short-term, hourly, or live-in help.Our caregivers are flexible enough, allowing you to change from hourly to live-in home care aides for the period you want.For instance, if you intend to travel for a few weeks, our hourly home caregiver can move in to provide full-time support for the time you will be away.Medicare CertifiedBoca Home Care, our sister agency, is a Medicare-certified agency.

This means that you can use your aging parents Medicare insurance to pay for the home care services rendered.This will save your costs while keeping your parent comfortable.It is worth noting that home care services will help your aging parents age more gracefully.If you need a certified and professional home care aide in Broward and Palm Beach counties, Florida, call us today for a free consultation at (561) 989-0611.

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