Family members who need to look after their aging relative often find themselves between a rock and a hard place: they lack the time and energy to be a proper caregiver themselves, but they don’t want to leave their relative alone for the day. But the truth is, in-home caregiving and elderly day care centers are fairly popular and responsible choices; but bear in mind that the two solutions each have distinct pros and cons.
A wide range of services belong in this category, but most often it refers to the help provided by a caregiver. There are countless agencies that lend a helping hand for seniors, helping them to age comfortably in their homes. Caregiver duties usually include cooking, cleaning, running errands, handling medication and even bathing the elderly. In-home care’s greatest benefit is that the person receiving care will have access to professional supervision even after regular work hours. Depending on the senior’s mental and physical condition, the hired aid may visit on a weekly or even daily basis or if the situation calls for it, and can stay for the night as well. A caregiver’s presence can also grant family members some much deserved time off.
On the other hand, caregiving isn’t the most stimulating in terms of social interactions. Meeting a new, reliable friend may shake up things for the aging person, especially if they previously lived an isolated life far from other relatives. Worse still, getting round the clock service in the comfort of their own home gives them even fewer reasons to go out. This is coupled with the high fees of a caregiver. The hourly payment depends on the service type and the length of stay, but employing a caregiver on a daily basis is rather expensive, especially since very few insurance plans cover such costs.
Adult day care centers are safe and friendly environments for seniors, where they can participate in social events with other people of the same age. There are only around 4,000 senior day care programs available in the country, but the number steadily grows. Day care centers operate within normal work hours, and the price for taking care of your beloved relative is rather flexible. The biggest draw of the service is the fact that there are a wide variety of programs that seniors can participate in alongside their peers, such as cooking, crafting, physical exercises, music therapy and even field trips. Day care centers also provide regular meals and medical monitoring. Unfortunately family members may oppose the idea of ‘dropping off’ their aging relative and leaving them in someone else’s care even though day care centers are manned by professional caregivers. The other negative is the low availability: many day care centers are closed outside of work hours or on weekdays.
Whether you choose in-home care or a senior day care center, equipping your loving senior with a medical alert button is a viable option. Keeping an eye on the person 24/7 is impossible, not to mention it heavily restricts their privacy. However, a caregiver pager just doesn’t cut it in terms of features. Operating the help button is easy, even if the wearer suffers from Alzheimer or dementia. The monitoring agents can be instructed to make specific calls when an emergency signal is sent, such as notifying the family members or calling the caregiver. Plus, the fall detection button boosts the elderly person’s confidence and puts their mind at ease.
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