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Live-in Elderly Care

Today’s seniors are living independently for longer periods of time and more successfully than elderly people ever have, yet there comes a time in most seniors’ lives when it becomes impossible for them to manage personal and household tasks by themselves. When this happens, many families choose to place loved ones in retirement homes where they can have access to round-the-clock care. However, seniors are notoriously resistant to leaving their own homes, and sometimes this suggestion is met with fierce opposition. For seniors who have the ability to do so, hiring live-in elderly care can be the perfect option.

The Caregiver Advantage

A personal support worker, or PSW, can support an elderly person in various ways. The four general areas where PSWs provide help are:

• Health. Under the supervision of an RN, caregivers can organize and administer several home care services, medications, provide monitoring of blood sugar, blood pressure, or other vital signs, offer wound care, or perform tasks such as putting on pressure stockings. Taking clients to medical appointments also falls under this category.
• Personal. A PSW home care assistant is trained to safely bathe and toilet those who require these services. They will also help to dress and groom clients.
• Home. Seniors often become overwhelmed by the demands of maintaining their home. PSWs can make nutritious meals and perform basic housekeeping work such as laundry, dishes, vacuuming, bed-making, etc.
• Companionship. A PSW home care assistant can become a cherished companion, providing conversation and engaging the senior in activities such as hobbies, card games, or social events.

It’s typical for a home care PSW to begin by providing a few hours of home care assistance per day. As the situation evolves, the senior may require more continual home care support. It’s not always possible for the original caregiver to become a live-in PSW, but it does sometimes happen. More information about accessing home health care can be found on these websites:

• –Ministry of Health for Ontario
• –CCAC

Trust Is Essential

When you’re choosing a caregiver for a loved one, it’s important to know that you can place your complete trust in the individual. Key to this is selecting the right home care agency. Some of the characteristics of a good home care agency include:

• Qualified personnel. Choose a home care agency that requires all employees to have PSW training and certification. Also ensure that the agency carefully screens employees, insures them, and pays them adequately.
• References. A good home care agency will willingly provide you with references or testimonials from current and past elderly care clients.
• Choice. Don’t go with a home care agency that can’t offer you a choice of caregivers. A good home care agency will send several candidates for interview, allowing you to choose the one you think fits best with your family. Premium home care agencies have a diverse range of caregivers working for them, so finding a PSW who shares your loved one’s mother tongue, culture, or values may be possible. Of course, shared sense of humour or shared interests may be just as important!

Finding the right live-in caregiver for your elderly family member who requires home care can make a huge difference to everyone’s quality of life. The client feels secure with support and companionship on-site at all times and family members have peace of mind knowing that their loved one is cared for.

Living Assistance Services – Senior Home Care