What Is Senior Home Care?

With senior in-home care, (also called non-medical home care) the caregiver is able to help with activities of daily living such as bathing and helping clients take their medication.

Caregivers also provide custodial care for elderly people by providing them food, assistance with dressing or walking, and companionship when they are feeling lonely.

Home care aides are not only caregivers, they also provide companionship and socialization for seniors. Family members who take on the role as family caregiver often use home care services when their schedules make it difficult to fulfill those duties or in times of personal emergency.

Home care aides offer a valuable service for adults who are not ready to go into an elderly care community. They also give those in need of minimal assistance the opportunity to stay where they feel comfortable and maintain their independence while receiving help when necessary.

What Services Do In-Home Caregivers Provide?

If you or a loved one is experiencing mobility issues and require assistance with daily activities, there are different options. Two common choices for in-home care include home health aides and personal care assistants. Home healthcare aides provide help with light housekeeping, grocery shopping, meal preparation, medication reminders, grooming and other tasks needed to maintain safety as well as the independence of the individual they're caring for.

Personal care assistants provide more hands-on attention due to their background training from becoming certified nursing assistants (CNA)s who focus primarily on providing personalized services such as bathing, dressing/undressing anyone requiring some level of physical support; assisting them into bed at night; giving medications if necessary; changing bandages where applicable; applying ointments when needed.

Some of the options for in-home care and home health care services can be found below.

Home Care Services

Personal care assistants are not medical professionals, but they can provide tailored specific individual needs. Available services include:

• Assistance with ADLs
• Assistance with mobility
• Grocery shopping and meal preparation
• Housekeeping and cleaning services, including laundry
• Transportation to doctor’s appointments, social activities, and more
• Companionship, social engagement, and cognitive stimulation
• Medication management (but not administration)
• Respite for family caregivers

Home Health Care Services

Home health care aides provide a range of medical services that are more detailed and complex than those provided by personal assistants. Whether or not one needs any specific service will depend on their own physical condition, but typical tasks include:

• Taking vital signs such as pulse rate, blood pressure, weight etc.
• Monitoring water intake to prevent dehydration
• Giving medications/taking vitals including temperature measurements

RNs, LPNs, PT, OT and Speech Therapists provide:

• Skilled nursing, first aid, and wound care
• Post-surgery recovery care
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Respiratory therapy and assistance with oxygen tanks and tubing
• Assistance with maintaining and cleaning feeding tubes, catheters, and other medical devices
• Medication administration, including injections
• Assistance managing and monitoring chronic conditions
• Blood withdrawals

How Much Does Home Care Cost? 

The cost of in-home care varies. In some cases, it ranges from $24 to $25 per hour for 20 hours a week or 40 hours respectively. That would mean around an average monthly price range of approximately between $1,950 and 3,900 dollars depending on the number of weekly visits needed at home with your loved one(s).

It's no surprise that in-home care costs differ from state to state. For example, the cost of 20 hours per week of home care can range from around $400 a month (Vermont) all the way down to just $463 dollars (Louisiana).

Financial Assistance for In-Home Care

When you're faced with having to pay out-of-pocket for in-home care, many people are afraid that they cannot afford home assistance. Luckily there is a multitude of resources available to help make the cost more manageable including:

 

Long-Term Care Insurance: The purpose of long-term care insurance is to help pay for personal assistance when the person in need can no longer take care of themselves.

In such cases, standard health insurance will not cover these expenses but some LTC policies may provide this service.

Rates usually depend on your age and how much coverage you purchase when signing up for a policy; however, be aware that there are many variations depending on individual circumstances so it's important to get an idea upfront as well as keep checking back with your provider if changes occur (just like any other type of insurance).

Medicare: Original Medicare does not cover standard in-home care as it is considered “custodial care” and not medical. However, it may cover personal care assistance if it is delivered with home health care services from the same provider. Additionally, some Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans may cover in-home care services.

Medicaid: Medicaid does not cover custodial care, which includes standard in-home care. However, many states have some form of Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver, designed to expand the state’s Medicaid benefits to cover additional services such as personal care assistance. Medicaid does always cover home health care for those who meet both medical and financial eligibility requirements.

Life Insurance: Though one’s life insurance benefit is intended to be accessed after they pass, in some cases it makes more financial sense to access the funds early and use the life insurance payment to finance long-term care. This may be in the form of an “accelerated death benefit” from the insurance provider, or you may look into selling the policy to a third party for a cash payment. Look into the specifics of your loved one’s policy to see if this option makes sense for your situation.

Veterans Benefits: In addition to a VA pension, some veterans are eligible for the Aid and Attendance (A&A) benefit, an additional monthly payment intended to be used towards paying for long-term care. One of the eligibility terms is needing help with one or more ADLs, so most veterans in need of in-home care will likely qualify. You can learn more about the benefit and apply directly on the VA website, or apply in person at your local VA office.

Reverse Mortgage Loans: Reverse mortgages are a loan that one can take against the value of their home, essentially converting part of their home’s value into a cash payment while they continue to live there. The only federally-insured, and thus most reliable, form of a reverse mortgage is the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), available to adults age 62 and over to help finance long-term care or other expenses. No matter which type of reverse mortgage one chooses, the loan will need to be repaid with interest once the home is eventually sold.

What Are Some Signs That It May Be Time for In-Home Care?

Challenges with Mobility

When your loved one struggles with mobility, it can be difficult to complete ordinary activities of daily living. This makes in-home care a much-needed help for those who need assistance getting around the house or out on errands and social visits. For many people, this leads to problems such as fall-related injuries or malnutrition which is why home caregivers are so important during these times when trouble walking becomes too tough an obstacle for our family members and friends.

When faced with any type of injury that limits their ability to walk, most individuals find that routine tasks like showering become more challenging than they would imagine at first glance due to how quickly everyday physical activity accumulates until ultimately reaching a tipping point.

Challenges with Hygiene and Grooming

There are plenty of ways to tell that your aging parent needs help. The most telling sign is when they start neglecting their hygiene and grooming habits, like not bathing or cutting their hair for a while. This usually happens because either the person has lost the physical ability as well as cognitive abilities, making them unable to keep up with these small tasks themselves anymore

Maintaining one’s hygiene and grooming is considered an activity of daily living. Many people work with a home care provider to assist their loved ones. Sometimes the tasks can be physically difficult for some clients such as bathing or toileting on their own so they need assistance from others. In-home aides often provide this service and also help stick to more regular routines, like shaving or putting makeup on every day. 

Physical Challenges

The way your aging parent feels in a hug may also be telling of their declining health. You might notice that they feel thinner and frailer than before, or you have spotted bruises on them; these types of physical symptoms are signs to look out for when making sure an elderly loved one is safe at home

When giving hugs to someone close to us who's getting older, can help shape our perception as we take note if the person seems physically different from how they were months ago--say less sturdy—or has new wounds such as cuts and scrapes. These changes could signify that there’s some kind of problem going on in terms of not only emotional but mental acuity (such as forgetfulness).

Memory Challenges

It is common for people to forget things from time to time. But if you or your loved one experience increasing incidents of memory loss, they may need home care help with their tasks and activities. A physician can determine whether it's a sign of cognitive decline by assessing the extent that forgetting has impacted day-to-day functioning and well-being. Working with an in-home caregiver will ensure that important tasks are completed while providing assistance where needed.

Challenges with Housekeeping

A person with an aging parent may notice that their care is struggling to keep up at home. They could have mobility issues, cognitive decline or even depression- all of which are common signs they need some help around the house.

Your loved one may be struggling to keep up with the housework if they are neglecting their home. This could include dust, dirt, or grime in areas that were previously clean, excessive clutter from junk, and other things piled on surfaces such as countertops and tables; piles of dirty dishes in some rooms rather than just the kitchen sink area for example. In-home caregivers can help your loved one by providing assistance like cleaning counters & appliances (keeps them less cluttered), sweeping floors/vacuuming rugs so there is a more orderly appearance throughout the entire space including bedrooms where many piles will accumulate.

Loss of Interest

Have you noticed that your loved one no longer seems to enjoy many of the hobbies they once loved? Maybe their previously well-tended backyard garden has been neglected, or their weekly card game with friends has gone by the wayside. You might notice that your mom or dad is even giving up more sedentary activities such as knitting, reading, and watching a favorite TV show.

An aging parent who was formerly quite social may become withdrawn from society in general.

Social isolation can have negative effects on physical health as well; it could be dangerous for someone like an aging person who relies heavily on others for help if prevented from having contact with them at all times when needed.

Losing interest in hobbies and activities can be a sign of numerous underlying problems, notably depression. While an in-home caregiver won’t be able to solve these medical or mental health issues, they can help ensure that your loved one adheres to treatment plans, has regular social interaction and companionship, and can provide much-needed help so that your mom or dad is still able to enjoy favorite pastimes.

How Do I Find an In-Home Caregiver?

When you start the process of finding in-home help for a loved one, doing some homework on your candidates will not only ensure that they are trustworthy and reliable aides; it can also be an emotional relief. You should take caution when going about this search by using ApprovedSeniorNetwork.com's expansive directory to find such professionals near you who have been vetted by other families before so as to know what kind of aide is best suited for your needs.

ApprovedSeniorNetwork.com offers a comprehensive directory of both non-medical home care agencies and home health agencies. You can search the directory to find local agencies and read consumer reviews about their quality of care.