When an older adult has a caregiver come to their home to assist them with everyday tasks, the possibilities for staying and aging at home are greatly extended. With the help of client service managers, homes can be updated for safety and accessibility, medical needs and appointments can be consolidated to minimize and simplify care, nutritious meals can be prepared or delivered, and an in-home caregiver can be present for as many hours as needed to offer an older adult companionship and assistance. These services can ensure each client—and each family—has what they need for successful aging in place because care plans are designed specifically for each individual’s unique situation.
Stewart lives in Memphis, far from his aging mother in San Francisco. It’s important to her to continue living at home, and it’s important to him that she has everything she needs to live safely, actively, happily.
Helen, on the other hand, lives only eight minutes away from her aging mother in the East Bay. Helen works long hours and has no other family to rely on to help care for her mother, who still lives alone in an apartment.
Both Stewart and Helen are in need of reliable Bay Area home care so their parents can continue to live and thrive in place. Helen may be nearby and Stewart may be far away, but the process and quality of care won’t look too different. The care plans will be personalized, however, so that each of the older women will feel supported in the ways that they want and need to remain at home.
What Does Professional Home Care Entail?
A great home care program starts with a comprehensive care assessment. A professional Client Service Manager oversees this evaluation and considers the individual circumstances of an older adult living at home. This means taking into account a broad spectrum of considerations, including medical, nutritional, emotional, functional, safety-related, economical, and end-of-life issues in order to foster a holistic approach to care. Because every case is different, these professional evaluations result in thoughtfully crafted, individualized care plans.
Throughout this process, the Client Service Manager will include family members, caregivers, and especially the aging adult themselves in discussions about the kind of care necessary to support each client. Today, these inclusive conversations can even take place remotely, on the phone or through video conferencing, if a family member lives far away, as in Stewart’s case.
The goal of these home care plans is to facilitate the safest, healthiest, and most fulfilling home conditions for an aging loved one—but also to prevent isolation and promote opportunities for socialization and community involvement around the Bay Area. To the greatest extent possible, a Client Service Manager wants to nourish a senior’s independence. High-quality assistance programs, as well as technological advances, can help create an empowering situation where an older adult can continue living independently for as long as possible.
The services provided by home care programs might include:
- Specific recommendations for home safety improvements
- All-inclusive health care services
- Diverse behavioral health services
- Meal planning and preparation or delivery
- Transportation
- Assistance with errands and light housekeeping
- Home care assistance on whatever level will enhance an aging adult’s quality of life
- Activities of daily living
- Medication reminders
- Personal laundry
These services can be provided on a part-time or full-time and overnight basis depending on the needs of each individual. In all cases, the aging adult will be carefully matched with a home caregiver who has the skills and the temperament to offer a client the best care and companionship.
Why Bay Area Home Care is the Best Choice for Your Family
As our loved ones age and transitions seem to be forced upon us, it can be a frustrating and dispirited time or it can be a creative and empowering experience. It’s important to know that there are so many valuable resources, programs, and services available for adults going through transitions in later life, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area where community partners are committed to promoting the best quality of life for seniors. All it takes is getting connected to these resources, which can make such a powerful difference in your aging loved one’s life and the whole family’s dynamics.
It’s commonly the case that older adults would prefer to remain at home after retirement and through other transitional phases rather than be uprooted to an assisted-living community. Not all families have the ability to give the necessary care themselves for aging in place, but creative solutions abound and the leading professional home care programs in the Bay Area can help you to create a supportive environment for graceful aging at home.
Getting connected with local home care services also means opportunities for socialization and community involvement. Having a regular home care companion for an aging loved one to bond with can pave the way for activities to promote physical, emotional, and social health. Social day programs are another great opportunity for an older adult to socialize with other adults going through similar transitions, challenges, and joys. These on-site programs offer an alternative to home care in some cases but can also just be a weekly chance be involved with the local community and to make friends.
Ultimately, an individualized care plan can be the most compassionate and well-rounded approach to aging in place. The Bay Area is a great location for aging adults to thrive because of the dedicated services and resources available. Not only is it possible for your aging loved one to continue living at home with the right home care assistance, but it is also likely that they can lead a more bright and rewarding life than you might expect.
Institute on Aging promotes aging at home with dignity and personalized attention. If you’d like to learn more about our services for older and disabled adults, caregivers, and families, contact us at 415-750-4111.
