A Better Quality of Life with In-Home Care

As seniors age, many families seek in-home care solutions to help their loved ones remain safe and comfortable. However, the terms "home care" and "home health care" are often used interchangeably, leading to confusion. While both services offer valuable support, they serve different purposes. In this article, well break down the key differences between home care and home health care, helping you determine which option best suits your needs.Understanding Home CareHome care primarily focuses on non-medical assistance to support seniors in their daily lives. These services aim to improve the overall well-being and quality of life for aging adults who need help with routine tasks.Services Provided by Home Care:Personal Care Assistance Help with bathing, grooming, dressing, and toileting.Meal Preparation and Nutrition Support Assistance with cooking, meal planning, and feeding.Companionship and Emotional Support Providing social interaction and companionship to prevent loneliness.Light Housekeeping Cleaning, laundry, and maintaining a tidy home.Transportation Services Assistance with errands, grocery shopping, and medical appointments.Who Benefits from Home Care?Seniors who need help with daily activities but do not require medical care.Aging adults who want to remain independent in their own homes.Individuals with mobility limitations who need support with basic tasks.Understanding Home Health CareHome health care, on the other hand, provides medical services that are typically prescribed by a physician. It is often required for individuals recovering from surgery, illness, or managing chronic conditions.Services Provided by Home Health Care:Skilled Nursing Care Medication management, wound care, and medical monitoring.Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy Rehabilitation services to help regain mobility, speech, and strength.Medical Equipment Assistance Training on the use of medical devices and home modifications.Chronic Disease Management Support for conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and COPD.Post-Hospitalization Care Help with recovery following surgery or a serious illness.Who Benefits from Home Health Care?Seniors recovering from illness, surgery, or injury.Individuals managing chronic medical conditions.Patients requiring professional medical care in a home setting.Key Differences: Home Care vs. Home Health Care Feature Home Care Home Health Care Type of Care Non-medical assistance Medical care and therapy Provided By Caregivers or home aides Licensed nurses & therapists Main Focus Daily living support Medical treatment & recovery Requires a Doctors Prescription?      No Yes Who Pays? Private pay, long-term insurance        Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance     Choosing the Right OptionDetermining whether home care or home health care is the right fit depends on your loved ones needs. If they require assistance with daily activities, home care is a great choice. However, if medical care is needed, home health care will provide the necessary treatment and monitoring.Understanding the distinction between home care and home health care is essential for making informed decisions about senior care. Whether your loved one needs daily support or medical supervision, finding the right service is key to their well-being.For expert guidance on home care and home health care providers, reach out to Seniors Blue Book. Our team is here to help you navigate the senior care landscape with ease. Email us at hello@seniorsbluebook.com or call 800-201-9989 today!

Our risk of falls climbs as we age nearly one in four adults age 65 years or older suffer a fall annually. While aging might be inevitable, falls are not. It's a myth that all older adults will suffer a fall. With the appropriate mindset, preparation initiatives, and safety precautions, you can help prevent falls.This article discusses the most common causes of falls in older adults and critical prevention tips. We also offer tips for convincing your aging parents to use walking aids or an assistive device to keep them safe as they age in place. Tips for Convincing Your Aging Parent to Use a Cane or WalkerUsing a walker or wearing a fall-detection device might not appeal to your loved one immediately. They may believe that using a cane or walker would symbolize the beginning of the loss of their independence, causing them to put off adopting these potentially life-saving devices.However, most older adults find that walking aids improve mobility and increase their confidence and desire to be physically active. Increased mobility and physical activity are vital for their long-term health and ability to maintain an independent lifestyle.If your loved one struggles with the idea of getting a cane or wearing a fall-detection device, try these strategies:Discuss with your parent the medications they take and their side effects and how this contributes to their fall risk.Ask your loved one to discuss the types of assistive devices available and their benefits with their primary care physician.Discuss the potential consequences of a fall on their ability to remain independent and age in place.Most Common Causes of Falls in Older AdultsHelping your loved ones understand how common falls are can be key to convincing your aging parents to get a cane or walker. Fall prevention begins with risk awareness, but one National Library of Medicine study shows fall risk awareness is low in older adults. Here are some of the most common causes of falls for older adults:Health conditions: Health conditions like arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, and heart disease can cause weakness or instability and increase fall risk.Cognitive impairment: Confusion or shakiness caused by dementia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease can also raise your loved one's fall risk.Physical pain or impairment: Trouble walking due to chronic pain, limited mobility, or weak muscles can significantly increase fall risk.Medication side effects: Certain medications can cause headaches, dizziness, and confusion that contribute to falling.Home safety hazards: Safety hazards within the home like loose rugs, poor lighting, fixture leaks, and electrical cords cause many preventable falls.5 Fall Prevention Tips for Aging Family MembersIf you're concerned about an older family member falling, here are five fall-prevention tips to share with them and to keep in mind yourself. Stay Physically ActiveConditions such as sarcopenia a gradual loss of muscle mass, strength, and function as we age and osteoporosis put older adults at a higher risk of falls. However, keeping our bones, joints, and muscles strong by taking a daily multivitamin and staying physically active can significantly reduce this risk.Encourage your parent to combat muscle loss with regular walks around the neighborhood or by heading to your local gym a few times a week. They can also use light weights and muscle bands while watching television or reading a book. They should always check with their doctor before beginning a new exercise program. Maintain a Tidy HomeMany falls occur within the home. For this reason, it's essential to keep your parent's space as tidy and clutter-free as possible. You can also schedule a home safety assessment with an occupational therapist or social worker. These professionals will identify trip, slip, and fall hazards so you can make small adjustments that instantly enhance your loved one's safety.Here are some adjustments you can make today to reduce fall hazards within the home:Install secure handrails on stairsEnsure there is adequate lighting throughout the homePlace no-slip strips beneath rugsInstall grab bars near the tub and toiletRemove electrical cords from walkways Check Eyes and EarsAging can affect our eyesight, hearing, and reflexes, meaning our reactions might not be as quick or sharp as they once were. Delayed responses and missed hazards due to impaired hearing or eyesight significantly increase fall risk.If it's been a while since your parent has had their eyesight or hearing checked, consider visiting the doctor's office. An up-to-date glasses or hearing aid prescription can reduce the likelihood of preventable falls. Use a Cane or Walking DeviceIf your parent has trouble walking, they may try to navigate their home by holding onto walls and furniture. However, this strategy can slow them down and make them more unsteady as they focus on moving from one piece of furniture to the next. Plus, larger open areas may not have anything sturdy to rely on.Using a walking cane or another type of walking aid frees up their focus, preventing trips, slips, and falls. If your loved one is hesitant to adopt a walking device, discuss options with their primary care physician or a physical or occupational therapist. A professional can recommend a system that best fits your parent's needs and lifestyle.If your parent adopts a cane or walker, ensure it's the right size by checking its weight, height, and grip. A walking device only enhances safety if used correctly. Install a Medical Alert SystemWhile adopting a walking aid is an effective fall prevention strategy, accidents happen. If a fall occurs, your loved one must have a backup plan. Installing a medical alert system or wearing a fall-detection device can save a life.For example, a medical alert system can connect your parent with a highly trained life safety consultant who communicates with them through a two-way speaker after they press the alert button. These operators can dispatch emergency services if your loved one needs assistance. Automatic Fall detection devices can often sense sudden drops and alert emergency services without pressing a help button. Like all technology, nothing works 100% of the time, so a medical alert device should always be pushed if a fall occurs to ensure that you're connected to your loved ones or an emergency response team. Prepare for Emergencies with Medical Guardian Alert SystemsAssistive devices and medical alert systems can improve your parent's mobility and confidence while aging in place. At Medical Guardian, our mission is to help older adults live a life without limits. We've designed affordable medical alert systems to fit any lifestyle. Whether your parent is interested in installing a home-based system or wearing a sleek, stylish device that moves with them, we'll help you select the best option for your loved one's needs so they can age in place safely, gracefully, and confidently. Contact us today to speak with one of our representatives and learn more about our mobile and home-based medical alert systems. Otherwise, take our product quiz to discover which home medical system is best for your parent.

You may have heard about senior placement agencies, but if you are not sure how they work or what they do, you arent the only one. Most families are not sure how to help elderly loved ones when they need to find an assisted living community or how to choose nursing homes that will provide loving care and have reasonable occupancy rates.Heres what you need to know about making an informed decision about communities in your local area so your elderly loved one can have the best possible living situation. Keep things like cost, personalized assistance, and quality of life in mind. How Online Senior Placement Agencies OperateIn todays world, its natural to research products and services online. However, when it comes to researching assisted living and memory care options for your loved one, beware! It can be confusing to understand how online senior placement agencies operate. When youre not clear on what senior placement services will do for you and your loved one or whether senior living placement services have your loved ones best interests in mind, its best to take a step back and do some additional research before committing to an agency. Whether you want to move your loved one into an assisted living community or somewhere else, heres what you need to know. An Example of Assisted Living ConfusionWhen you search for assisted living communities in your search engine, you may see numerous websites that are not assisted living facilities. Rather, theyre online agencies contracted with multiple assisted living providers in the given area. As you access their website information, you will notice that you are not reviewing the services and amenities of a specific assisted living or memory care community.If you call or enter your contact information into an online agencys website, your information may be emailed to multiple assisted living providers. This results in numerous phone calls and emails inquiring about your loved one and inviting you for a tour. Additionally, you may never meet their senior advisor other than by phone or email.While this process may be perfectly acceptable to you, please remember that it can occur during a stressful period when you must make a quick care decision for your loved one. It could also happen when youre not ready to decide because you are just doing some initial investigating.Theres certainly no risk to searching an online agencys website. Still, a good practice is to click on their privacy link at the bottom of their homepage to understand how they will disclose your information before providing your contact information. Should You Just Pick an Assisted Living Community?Some family members will choose a random senior living community for their loved ones. The decision may be because the community advertises independent living, is close to home, or the reviews look good. Unfortunately, thats not really a good way to select a senior care facility.Theres much more to finding quality independent or assisted living communities than a quick search. In general, you should look at senior living options with an eye toward medical care, financial burden, quality of senior care, living arrangements, desired location, and whether they can create a smooth transition for your loved one.If you think that sounds overwhelming, youre not alone. Making informed decisions can be hard, especially with so many senior living option considerations. Many seniors cannot safely make their own choices and rely on a family member to help them. Even if you do your own research, you may still not be confident that you are choosing the best place to support your aging loved one. How CarePatrols Senior Care Advisors Are Different Trying to go it alone when choosing a senior living community can be too difficult, but what if you dont want to give your contact information to senior placement services that are going to inundate you with calls during an already stressful time? Are those the only two ways you can find a senior living space for your loved one?Fortunately, theres a third option: CarePatrol.At CarePatrol, your contact information is treated confidentially until you wish to disclose it to a senior living provider to whom we introduce you. We offer a local, personalized, hands-on approach by preferring to meet with you in person, pick you up and accompany you on tours, and meet with your loved one at home, the hospital, a rehab facility, or wherever they are.Were not your typical senior placement agency. Were highly focused on helping people find assisted living communities or other senior living options for their loved ones. Our goal is to provide you with a stress-free process that doesnt add to your confusion or concern during an already difficult time.Our free service was started by a social worker after seeing the trauma inflicted on a family whose loved one was placed in the wrong kind of facility for their needs. We worked hard to become the pioneer organization and referral agency for placing loved ones in senior care, and we continue to focus on seniors and their families when they need us most.As a national network of local small business franchise owners, CarePatrols mission statement is to provide safer care options for seniors. What You Can Expect from Working with UsOur local senior care advisors are franchise owners who understand the value of protecting older adults and want to provide them with essential care options to meet their needs. If you have a loved one ready to move to a senior care community or need more than in-home care can provide, working with us can give you information and options.The aging process is complex, and many factors work together to influence the outcome of a senior living decision. We can help you navigate social, health, and financial concerns to find the right care option. Our local senior care advisors pre-screen all our facilities, so youll know what youre getting when we connect you.Working with us takes all the guesswork out of finding the right care options for your senior loved one so both of you can relax and enjoy more time together. Were honored to provide the value we offer to seniors and their families and are deeply committed to ensuring that your loved one will get the care they need in a comfortable place they can truly call home. Ready to Learn More?Reach out to us at CarePatrol of Western PA to discuss senior care options in your area. Our placement agency offers a free service to help you and your loved one find the right senior care option for their needs. The senior care industry can be difficult to navigate at times, especially for older adults, but with a little extra help, valuable insights, and a free consultation, you can decide if CarePatrols help is right for your loved one.Reach out to us today at 724-631-4950.