Age at Home Safely with One-on-One Home Care

As aging loved ones find themselves requiring more assistance in their day-to-day lives, we have many options to choose from to help meet their individual goals. While senior care facilities can be a great solution, studies show that most people prefer to age at home, where things are familiar and they feel most comfortable. In particular, most people prefer one-on-one home care, which enables them to receive personalized care that is specially designed to accommodate their unique  needs.

What are the benefits of one-on-one home care?

The fact is that there is no more effective care than one-on-one home care from a professional home health care agency. When adults choose to age at home, they are afforded the comfort of the familiarity and security of home. This option avoids the potential shock of leaving their lifelong home to move into a care facility with new surroundings and new people.

There is also a level of control and flexibility that receiving personalized care at home offers that cannot be accommodated at a care facility. Being able to regulate when the caregiver comes in and out of the home, how long they stay, and what they do while they’re there gives the aging adult some control as they receive care that can make their healthcare transitions less stressful. 

It also means that the aging adult can still see their family, friends, and pets as often as they want to as they receive the care they need. This care model also creates an opportunity to prioritize family-centered care, in which the aging adult can receive care from loved ones they are comfortable with to work harmoniously with the work their professional caregiver does.

On top of these more obvious benefits, choosing to use one-on-one care also means:

• The aging adult will be able to develop a meaningful bond with their regular caregiver(s), easing the tension of home care.
• The caregiver will get to know their individual and unique care needs in more detail, providing more consistent, adaptable care.
• The older adult can enjoy peace of mind after building a rapport with the caregiver, creating trust that they are the best caregiver to fulfill their care needs.

How do I start the one-on-one home care journey?

Starting a home care journey takes some courage to take that first step, but we can help make it easy from there! There are some relatively simple factors to think through as you begin searching for a one-on-one home care arrangement that will be the best for you or an aging loved one. 

Ask yourself about the following details as you begin to search for one-on-one home care:

1. What are the care needs? Some people need help with bathing, using the bathroom, and other personal care needs, while others may need companionship or transportation. Is there a need for skilled nursing services now or in the future? We do that too. Determine what level of care is needed now and in the future so that you can search more efficiently for the right services.
2. How often do you need help? Are everyday tasks beginning to become too much of a challenge, or do you just need a helping hand every now and then? Deciding how often you need care for a loved one can help you create a more accurate budget for home care and prepare the aging adult for how often they’ll have help around the home.
3. Speaking of budget, how much do you want to spend? Home care costs can vary greatly depending on the agency and the services you use. There are also many avenues to pay for one-on-one home care, such as private pay, long-term care insurance, etc. Draw up a realistic budget to make sure that the agency you choose won’t break the bank.
4. What’s the aging adult’s comfort level with home care? Welcoming a caregiver into an aging adult’s life as they enter a vulnerable phase of adulthood can be a process. Make sure you consider the senior’s comfort level so they aren’t overwhelmed as they begin this journey. We can assist with easing the transition and discuss how we have helped other families overcome this hurdle in the past.

After you consider those questions, then you’ll be ready to start finding the perfect care agency to provide home care as an aging loved one begins to age at home. If you want only the best one-on-one home care in Massachusetts as a loved one begins to age at home, My Personal Home Health Care has the professional, compassionate caregivers to help!

If you want to learn more about our home care in Lexington, Weston, Concord, Sherborn, Brookline, Newton, Hingham, Boston, Plymouth, Norwell, Belmont, and Mashpee, contact us online or at 508-386-3065. See all the communities we serve throughout Massachusetts!