Non-Medical Home Care: An Industry Update

Author

Elderlink Home Care, Inc.

Posted on

Apr 03, 2018

Book/Edition

Colorado - Denver Metro

When the Seniors Blue Book was first published 35 years ago, there was no category for non-medical home care.
Back then, if a person needed ongoing assistance with daily living activities, a nursing home was often their only option. Through the years, seniors became more vocal in their desire to stay home, and companies emerged to fill this need. Elderlink Home Care, Inc., which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, was the first non-medical home care agency to be listed in the Blue Book.

A lot has changed in 35 years. Currently there are nearly 100 agencies locally and over 13,000 agencies nationwide providing non-medical home care. There are numerous reasons why the home care industry is seeing such accelerated growth, including: an increase in demand, the affordability of home care compared to institutionalized care, and the desire of seniors to remain in their homes as they age.

Until 2008, the home care industry was unregulated by the state. In 2008 that changed. For the first time, legislation was introduced, and later passed, to regulate the companies providing non-medical home care. This allows the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to monitor the agencies that provide these services to help ensure that Colorado seniors are receiving safe and quality care.

Moving forward, the biggest challenge facing the home care industry will be a shortage of qualified caregivers. In coming years, the rapid increase of people over age 65 will drive the demand for workers even higher, and with little growth in the number of workers entering the field, the supply of home care workers will likely fall short. Nationally, the shortage of caregivers is being called a crisis. The risk of doing nothing is that potentially thousands of people will go without needed care.

Regardless of the challenges facing the industry today, one thing is clear: Non-medical home care is here to stay. Efforts are being made to turn things around. We are confident the necessary steps will be taken to preserve this service that is so important to millions of seniors and their families.

This article was submitted by Karen Moorehead, CSA. Karen is the president of Elderlink Home Care, Inc. and can be reached at 303-734-0641 or by email at karen@ElderlinkHomeCare.com

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Non-Medical 9878 West Belleview Avenue, Littleton, Colorado, 80123

For more than 37 years, Elderlink Home Care, Inc. has been offering metro-area seniors superior home care services. We are a family owned business and have spent the last three decades perfecting the art of home care and giving us the ability to provide you access to the best care available, at the best price available. At Elderlink Home Care, our team of caregivers is dedicated to offering you personalized care solutions that are tailored to your needs to ensure that you get the support that you need. We offer our services so that you can grow old in the manner of your choice, and in the comfort of your own home. We offer in-home care services to residents in the greater metro-Denver area.  Elderlink provides services that are tailored to meet the various needs of our clients. Caregivers are there to help with a number of tasks, including:Personal Care Assistance: Caregiver assist with all activities of daily living, including bathing, dressing, toileting, ambulation, meal prep, light housekeeping, laundry, transportationm medication reminders and more. Companion Care: Elderlink Home Care gives companionship to seniors and other individuals who may be alone and without company. Caregivers participate in conversation, activities, and other forms of companionship that help with the emotional aspect.Respite Care: It is only normal for family caregivers to run out of steam and need some time off to attend to their own needs. Our services give family members a break from caregiving duties, giving them some much needed time off to rest and regroup while ensuring their loved ones continue to get the care they need.Post-Surgery and Hospital Discharge Care: After surgery or being discharged from the hospital, it can be a challenge for people to readjust to their daily activities. Elderlink offer post-surgery and hospital discharge care that entails helping with medications, mobility, and personal care to speed up the recovery process. Dementia and Alzheimers Care: For families who have dementia or Alzheimers disease, caregivers give kind and understanding care to help with symptoms, boost cognition, and prevent accidents.Chronic Condition Management: Caregivers are there to provide medication reminders and encourage activities that are healthy for people with diabetes, heart disease, or any other chronic disease.End of Life Care: Elderlink dedicated to offering kind, considerate, and dignified end of life care to our clients and their families. Caregivers offer emotional and physical support as a way of helping you and your family through this hard time. Elderlink Home Care is proud to serve the Denver community and assist seniors to achieve their goal of living at home as they age. It is our passion to offer individualized care and kind service that has made Elderlink is a trusted choice for families in the Denver metro area. If you want to know more about our in-home care services or if you want to set up an appointment, please visit our website at www.elderlink.com or call us at 303-734-0641.   At Elderlink we are passionate about what we do and absolutely commited to providing you with a positive home care experience.