Many seniors struggle with feelings of isolation as friends and family move away or their health worsens, yet home companion care services can help keep seniors active and give them a sense of being cared for.
Though they do not possess the credentials to provide hands-on care, companions can help clients to remember to take their medications and attend doctor’s appointments – which could prevent avoidable medical pitfalls.
Social interaction
Family members of elderly home care clients can become overwhelmed by their day-to-day responsibilities, particularly if their loved one suffers from memory loss, falls, or conditions that limit mobility. Companion care is here to help with that challenge –
Home care providers are increasingly adding companion care services to their offerings as a means of deepening client/patient connections and increasing client retention. Many caregivers can easily incorporate companion care duties into their existing schedule without additional training; this allows them to assist seniors who require socialization with mental and physical stimulation that could otherwise go missing, helping stave off depression, loneliness and improve overall quality of life.
Medication reminders
Home companion care can be an ideal solution for older adults needing reminders to take their medications or seniors having difficulty adhering to complex medication schedules, but it should be remembered that non-medical home health aides or homemakers cannot administer medicine directly.
Elderly individuals may require multiple medications throughout the day, with many doses taken before and after meals. Failing to take medication as scheduled could worsen your loved one’s condition; with periodic reminders from home caregivers or creating a Weekly Medication Schedule they can ensure they take their meds on time – helping reduce double or missed doses as well as improving overall quality of life for your senior loved one.
Companionship
Studies show that home care services must also include social support to combat loneliness and promote overall good health, so being able to connect regularly is absolutely crucial for seniors living alone.
Home companion services may be provided formally or informally by friends, family members, neighbors and community organizations as part of larger care plans.
Companions not only offer friendly faces at home, but can also accompany seniors on outings and help care for pets if required. They may take your loved one out walking, take them for litter box cleaning appointments or help clean the pet’s litter box if necessary.
Transportation
Mobility is key for seniors as they age, yet as mobility decreases with age, getting to community events, shopping trips, visiting loved ones or attending doctor appointments may become challenging or impossible.
Metropolitan areas provide many forms of public transportation options, from buses and trains to trolley lines and paratransit services that offer curb-to-curb service.
Uber and Lyft provide on-demand rides for people with mobility challenges, while programs like GoGoGrandparent connect seniors to ride services while enabling their family caregivers to schedule and pay for these rides on their behalf.
Housekeeping
Home health aides like Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and Home Health Aides can be invaluable resources for household caregivers, assisting with tasks like bathing and meal preparation. Unfortunately, however, their housekeeping services may sometimes be daunting to navigate for family caregivers and loved ones.
Housekeeping tasks that fall under light housekeeping include dusting open surfaces, vacuuming around furniture, sweeping and mopping floors, wiping down counters, cleaning bathroom sinks, tubs and showers as well as kitchen appliances; as well as washing, drying, folding and putting away laundry; straightening rooms as well as organizing drawers and closets.
Queens area seniors in need of assistance with daily tasks may benefit from companion care at home. Our individualized service plans enable clients to remain independent as they age in place – learn more about this cost-effective option for your aging loved one today.