In-Home Care Makes Staying At Home Possible And Positive for Seniors Who Need A Helping-Hand

Blog  |  June 18, 2020

Choosing in-home care for your senior parent has many benefits.

As our parents and family members age, they often need more care and day-to-day support to maintain a good quality of life. For many of us, providing the care the seniors in our lives need isn’t possible because of responsibilities at work or living at a distance.  While many families make the choice to transition their senior parents into a retirement home, there are significant advantages to arranging in-home senior care for them. These advantages include more independence, better mental-health, and an overall higher feeling of comfort and joy. 

In-home care fosters more independence among seniors. 

Despite needing extra support with the tasks of day-to-day life, seniors continue to be vibrant and capable people. Helping seniors live as independently as possible is a very important part of ensuring a good quality of life. The continued ability to take charge of their own lives adds to a sense of self-worth and purpose that is so important, especially to seniors. 

Ideally, in-home caregivers will work with seniors and their families to create individual care plans. A personalized care plan allows seniors the opportunity to age in place, safely and securely. Even more importantly, recognizing that every senior’s needs are different ensures that it isn’t only the practical aspects of life that are being attended to; comfort and joy should be factored into the plan, too.  From companionship and tackling the daily To-Dos to personal care and comfort, the in-home care offered by Comfort Keepers Peterborough Caregivers always has the best interests of seniors at heart. 

It is natural to worry about our ageing parents and family members. However, often, what seniors need most is companionship and helping hands. This is exactly why in-home care providers, like the ones Comfort Keepers Peterborough offers, can make such a difference. Practical help with chores, errands, personal care and transportation can be provided by a family member or an in-home caregiver. This hands-on support makes life so much easier and more enjoyable for seniors and helps them maintain both dignity and independence.  

Staying home longer allows for better mental-health among seniors

It is an unfortunate reality that seniors are often affected by declining mental health.  Social isolation, the loss of a spouse, mobility problems and memory loss make seniors vulnerable to depression and loneliness. Making sure our ageing parents and family members feel connected and cared for is very important to their overall wellness and quality of life. Ageing at home can help. 

Keeping seniors living at home for as long as possible has been identified as a priority in maintaining their mental health by organizations such as the CMHA. In-home care from family members or in-home care services like the ones provided by Comfort Keepers Peterborough are identified as a key element in supporting mental health and ageing at home for seniors. In their publication Backgrounder on Seniors Mental Health, the CMHA states: 

“The role of home support services in promoting the mental health of seniors living in their homes cannot be overemphasized. These include meal preparation, shopping, housework, yard work and transportation services. The researchers heard consistently across the country about how important these services are to help to maintain seniors’ independence, self-sufficiency, sense of autonomy and empowerment.” 

While there is certainly support, community, and care available in retirement homes, it may not meet the needs of every senior. As we have seen, in-home senior care can be personalized and tailored to the practical, physical, and emotional needs of each individual. It isn’t surprising that the familiarity and comfort of home with the compassionate and hands-on support of a caregiver can help foster positive mental health among seniors. 

The simple comforts of home foster joy and a higher quality of life for seniors.  

We all know the saying “Home is where the heart is.” In the case of seniors, this may be especially significant. Staying at home isn’t only emotionally comforting, it has practical benefits as well. 

It is not hard to understand why the seniors in our lives would prefer to stay in their home. Home is a place where they have created memories. In their own home, seniors know the location of all necessities, furniture, light switches, and restrooms. There is an ease in staying home where things are familiar. This can be especially important for seniors living with dementia or memory loss. 

For some seniors, moving to a retirement home or community is the right choice. Retirement homes  offer new opportunities for building community and often eliminate the responsibilities of property maintenance. They can be quite comfortable for an active and independent senior. That being said, building a new life in a new place comes with challenges that may not be agreeable to all. With the right in-home care, staying home offers seniors a level of comfort, joy and autonomy that is without comparison. 

If the senior in your life wants to age at home, Comfort Keepers Peterborough can help with compassionate in-home care. 

When your ageing parents or family members reach a stage of life where additional care and support are needed, know that you have options. Make sure to include them in the conversation. Fully understanding their abilities and needs will determine what kind of support and care you will need to access.

Independence, physical and emotional health, comfort and joy can all be achieved with the support of an in-home caregiver. 

Comfort Keepers Peterborough is dedicated to providing professional and compassionate care for the seniors in our community. Contact us to find out more about how we can help.

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