 | Carla Shepherd owns the Right at Home franchise in Wichita. Right At HOme is a licensed Home Health Agency providing In-Home Care for individuals needing assistance to remain in their home. Carla is a former manager with Via Christi Health Services with over 20 years of health care experience. Also a Member of the National Privacy Duty Association. You can visit Carla at Right at Home, located at 7438 W. 21st St, Suite 123 in West Wichita. Call (316) 721- 6001, e-mail cjshep@ rah.kscoxmail.com or visit the website at www.rightathome.net/wichita |
Senior Living
2005-09-01 07:39:00
When to consider in-home care?
: When should families consider in-home care for senior citizens
ANSWER: For families - especially those with young children - who provide in-home care for senior-aged loved ones, schedules become even more hectic during the fall. As students return to school, days quickly pass with sports practices, recitals and other activities. As a result, the care provided to senior-aged family members may cause stress for families and seniors.According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, one in every four American households is involved in the caregiving of an adult age 50 or older. With such high numbers, families should make an honest assessment of the care they can provide - and the assistance they possibly need. Families should examine the level of care their loved ones need, and the assistance they can realistically provide. In some cases, families will feel a sense of guilt if they cannot or do not do everything. Once they utilize outside help, however, the family is put at ease and the senior citizen obtains consistent care.In many cases, families often find themselves "parenting a parent," in addition to caring for their own children. Several tasks, such as meal preparation and cleaning, are completed in two homes. Outside supportive care for the senior can relieve families of this stress.Families may benefit from in-home supportive care if they:• Have difficulty making sure their loved ones are eating proper meals.• Miss family activities and events because they're providing care.• Spend the majority of their time concerned about their senior-aged loved ones.• Feel overly stressed from the care they currently provide others.• Consistently receive calls from senior citizens that require immediate attention.• Regularly take time off work to care for senior-aged loved ones.• Put off routine household chores to complete chores for the senior.When families utilize in-home supportive care for loved ones, they are able to spend a higher quality of time with these individuals. Instead of washing the dishes or administering medicine, these families can chat with their loved ones without disruption or distraction. Families need to learn it is healthy and acceptable to relinquish such care to an outside party. In doing so, families can still remain active in the care of their family members.Society conditions us to provide vigilant care for our parents as we age. We need not feel guilty when we ask for help, especially when trying to maintain two households.
