Senior home care brings someone into the home to care for an elderly person. The services they provide may be minor, such as organizing medications, cooking a meal or simply making sure the older adult handles their personal hygiene. They may also be extensive, including bathing, helping someone get dressed, bringing in groceries, handling finances or other matters that the older person can no longer manage. Services are provided in the older person’s home so they remain in familiar surroundings where they are more comfortable.

The cost of senior home care varies greatly depending on where you live and the type of care you will need. The national average for in home senior care was $23.50 in 2020 which could add up to over $4,700 per month if the aide is needed 40 hours each week. This type of care includes someone to do housekeeping, provide transportation, prepare meals, provide companionship and assist with medications. The average cost for a home health care aide, however, is around $24 an hour, but they can provide medical care as they are often nurses or therapists. This type of home health care may be covered by Medicare if it is prescribed by a doctor.

The service you receive from an in-home health aide varies depending on what you need assistance with. The basic home care aide would help with chores or tasks the older person can no longer handle on their own, such as meal preparation, laundry, grocery shopping and transportation. Home health aides may be necessary if an older person needs assistance getting out of bed, walking, bathing or dressing. A medical social worker may provide assistance in the home if there are complexities involved. For someone who has recently had a medical issue that requires therapy, a home physical therapist can perform that therapy at home. If you need more advanced care, nursing home health care may be necessary. They may provide wound care, ostomy care, IV therapy or administer medications.

The most basic level of care is someone who will come into the home and handle routine tasks, including housekeeping, meal preparation, laundry and transportation. If the older person is less mobile, the next level of care would be a home health aide who can assist with bathing, dressing, organizing medications, cooking meals and other more advanced care. Therapists and nurses may be necessary if your require physical therapy, need wound care or must have IV medications administered at home.

Home health care offers companionship and a sense of independence. Because the aide is the home with the older person, they get one-on-one attention, keeping them engaged and active. The aide may play games, read aloud or just talk with the older person. Their main purpose is to help with routine tasks someone older may struggle with like housekeeping, laundry and food preparation. The care can be customized which is very beneficial if your loved one lives with you, but you work outside the home. Home health care is also less expensive than assisted living. However, assisted living may not mean an older adult is placed in a nursing home as there are many types of assisted living today, including apartments or condos with a staff that checks on them regularly. Many of those types of places also have communal meal locations, daily activities and more. However, they are much more expensive than home health care.

Memory care, also known as dementia care, may be offered at home in the early stages of a cognitive illness but often is provided in a 24-hour care facility. Memory care is a uniquely designed environment with a focus of improving the quality of life, reducing confusion and to prevent wandering. Some of the benefits of memory care include:

• Care that is person-centered
• Coordinated care with other healthcare providers
• Experienced staff with experience in cognitive care
• Resident-to-staff ratio is low
• Security that prevents wandering
• Supportive therapies for cognitive impairments
• Unique layouts to avoid confusion

Because cognitive impairments are often progressive which means an older person may not need as much care when they are first diagnosed as they do later. As the disease progresses, however, an older person may not be able to live independently as the symptoms become difficult to manage. When the illness reaches the advanced stage, 24-hour supervised care is necessary. They may have difficulty doing daily tasks like bathing, dressing or even using a toilet. Confusion, disorientation and even aggression are very common among dementia sufferers. It is often difficult for family members to provide the type of care necessary for a dementia sufferer which is why memory care may be very beneficial.

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