In-home care in the DMV Area: An overview
Who needs in-home care?
There can be many reasons a person needs in-home care. As people get older, a number of age-related conditions can make the everyday tasks of looking after themselves and their home increasingly difficult and tiring. Decreased mobility and reduced vision can make living at home unsafe and place the person at risk of falls and other injuries. Mental or physical disability and chronic conditions such as cognitive decline, heart conditions, breathing difficulties, Parkinson's disease, and arthritis also increase the need for extra help and support. In addition, many adults temporarily require some degree of in-home care after surgery or following discharge from hospital. In the US, over 12 million people currently use professional home care services.
Recognizing when an older adult needs help at home.
The signs a senior loved one needs assistance at home can be obvious or they can appear gradually over time. After a lifetime of independence, it is hard for many aging parents to admit to needing help from their children and other family members. Reduced function due to cognitive decline can go unnoticed for a long time, especially if the person lives alone.
Here are some of the signs that may indicate an older loved one needs extra help
- Falling behind or abandoning everyday activities and chores such as laundry, house cleaning, and paying bills.
- Deterioration of personal appearance points to problems with personal care and grooming.
- Weight loss and an empty refrigerator can indicate that cognitive or physical disability is limiting trips to the grocery store or the person's ability to cook adequately nutritious meals for themselves.
- Difficulty getting in and out of chairs without assistance or an unsteady gait when walking around the home. These are signs a person is at risk of falls and help is needed to ensure safe mobility and transfers.
- Loneliness, depression, and cognitive decline. These can all point to an unmet need for company, socialization, and meaningful activities.
- Most people recovering from an illness or returning home after a hospital stay or surgery will have some reduction in normal activities. However, for an older adult, this can be much more significant. Temporary help in the home can offer a bridge back to normal health and fitness.
Regularly check in with older relatives and friends and now and then tactfully ask if they are having any problems with everyday activities. This will allow time to forward plan if help is going to be needed.
Washington DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland In‑Home Care from OndeCare
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In-home caregivers
Home care services are delivered by caregivers who come to the person's home on an ad-hoc, regular or temporary schedule. In-home caregivers, OndeCare Heroes, have a variety of professional titles, qualifications, and state licensures:
Personal care aides (PCAs) are usually unlicensed and have varying levels of experience and training. They are companions, can help with basic personal care, as well as do light housekeeping, shopping and errands.
Home health aides (HHAs) provide help with all activities of daily living (ADLs) including toileting and incontinence care and can take vital signs (pulse, blood pressure, and temperature) of care recipients that are being monitored at home.
In addition to services offered by HHAs, certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and state tested nurses assistants (STNAs) can also perform a range of medical-related tasks under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN). Such tasks include catheter care, assistance with physical therapy, and administration of certain treatments.
Direct support professionals (DSPs) are usually licensed by The Department of Developmental Disabilities and can perform all the tasks performed by CNAs and STNAs.
When skilled medical care is required in the home this is provided by licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and Registered Nurses (RNs).
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