For many people, a nursing home is their final home. Knowing this, many seniors want to avoid it as much as possible, and we can’t say we blame them. While there are many great nursing homes and assisted living facilities, the mere idea of having to move to one can send shivers through their bodies (even here in the Sunshine State!).

So, with the desire to retain some independence and not head to a nursing home anything soon, many seniors are considering senior companion care. While they might not like to admit that they are in need of help, most of them are willing to accept some if it means that they’ll be able to stay in their home or condo a bit longer. Let’s take a look at the many benefits of the elder care services we offer.

General Help

This is the first thing that many people think of when they think about elderly companion care: helping out around the house. Seniors tend to slow down as they age, which means that previously simple tasks can suddenly become huge burdens.

We’re happy to help. Our elder care services can assist with basic household chores such as laundry, house cleaning, getting the mail, and even helping out with remote controls. We can also help with medication reminders to ensure that the client is taking the prescriptions they need. Oh, and let’s not forget about meal preparation. Too many seniors end up eating poorly because low-nutrition meals are often the easiest to make. With our help, the seniors we provide companion care for will be eating healthier thanks to our meal prep services.

It Lets Seniors Stay At Home

It’s important to remember that not everyone goes through the same stages as they get older. Some people will head directly from a regular house to nursing home, while others might take a much longer route: big house, smaller house, condo, assisted living, and then a nursing home. Since most people aren’t interested in getting to the nursing home any sooner than they need too, it’s important to look at the steps that can be taken to keep them in their home.

The senior companion care we offer is a great step that prevents seniors from moving into assisted living before they’re interested. In short, it allows them to stay independent for longer, which can be a great morale booster!

Companionship

As we recently detailed in this article, people move to Florida for many reasons. But when they move here, few of them are moving with family and friends. While they’ll certainly make new friends once they’re here, those friends age as well. This causes loneliness, which can actually lead to deteriorated health.

Humans crave personal interaction, and that’s where senior companion care comes in. We can provide the companionship that all people crave, especially to those who aren’t able to leave the house very often. Our companion care professionals can check on seniors every day, helping them with minor tasks or even with hobbies, especially those requiring fine motor skills. We can also help our clients with writing letters, or just hang out and talk with them.

There’s one more advantage of companionship: the ability to vent. While we might eventually become friends with the client (more on that in minute), the senior also knows that they’re allowed to vent their frustrations with our elder care workers. While they might never complain to their children or old friends, they can openly tell their problems to a helping companion. We hear about everything from doctor’s visits to the frustrations of getting old. No problem, we’re here to listen! While we can’t provide the mental care of a psychologist, we’re more than happy to lend an ear.  

It Allows Children To Have Nicer Contact

A senior parent deciding to stay in their home can be frustrating for their adult children. Those children might think “if Mom would just head to assisted living, she’d have all sorts of people to help her out. Now I have to drive across town just to do Mom’s laundry.” At the same time, the senior might be thinking “I truly want to stay in my home, but I don’t want to burden my children with my simply household tasks.”

We can see it from both angles. The parent wants to remain independent, because they’re not yet ready to head to a place that takes care of all their needs. On the other hand, the child most likely has their own children to deal with, as well as a spouse, a job, and hundreds of other activities.

Now imagine if all that unspoken tension simply went away. Every time the adult child stops by, they won’t have to help with anything; they can simply visit. They won’t be burdened with meals or laundry or other tasks that might take time away from conversing with their senior parent.

Peace of Mind

Now that the adult child and the senior themselves are happier with each other, here’s something else that elder care services can offer: peace of mind. With a professional checking in on the senior regularly, everyone can rest easy knowing that they’re not alone and that problems can be remedied quickly.

As the child of a senior living alone, this can be a true joy especially if you live far away from your parent. Sure, you might talk to your parent on the phone often, but they might not want to burden you with their problems. There’s a chance that they might sound fine on the phone but are secretly having problems keeping their house in order. When an elder care service comes around, they can see (and remedy) any problems that a phone call wouldn’t reveal.

Friendship!

We hire our senior companions based on many criteria, and one of them is to get along with as many different types of people as possible! That’s important, because there are as many different kinds of senior as there are seniors.

The fact is, true friendships are formed between our caregivers and the clients. When a senior is confined to their home due to age, most of their friends are as well. This means that our companion often become their friends, which is just fine with us!

Elder care service really gives a senior the best of all worlds. Not only are they able to keep a certain level of independence while staying in their home, but they’re also watched over by someone who can help them with basic chores and keep the company at the same time.

If this sounds like the perfect solution for you or your loved one, contact Specialized Nursing Services today!

 

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