When a loved one chooses to age in place, you naturally want them to thrive in the comfort of their own home and enjoy the highest possible quality of life. You’re already doing what you can to help them feel supported and connected to the community around them, but sometimes your family member needs more than you can provide.
Non-medical home care services can make all the difference by assisting with personal, household, and companionship needs. Also referred to as “private duty care” or “concierge home care,” these services do not include therapeutic or medical care. From light housekeeping and meal preparation to assistance with personal hygiene, non-medical home care gives your loved one the support they need to maintain independence while feeling safe and comfortable at home.
Whether your family member experiences limited mobility, manages a chronic illness, or is recovering from surgery or hospitalization, non-medical home care can provide the support they need.
Aging comes with physical changes, so your family member may need assistance with personal care tasks. According to studies, more than 26% of people over age 60 experience some degree of difficulty completing activities of daily living (ADLs) such as dressing, bathing, and personal grooming.
Tailored home care services address these difficulties, preserving your loved one’s independence and dignity while adapting to their health and physical changes. Caregivers can lend a hand with personal tasks such as dressing, bathing, brushing hair, or shaving. They can also help with light exercise such as walking and stretching to maintain mobility and balance and decrease the risk of falling.
Older adults can have unique nutritional needs, and eating the right foods can decrease the risk of diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease, high blood pressure, and even cancer. When it comes to chopping ingredients, operating kitchen appliances, or driving to the grocery store, a helping hand can make all the difference in ensuring your family member enjoys healthy, delicious food.
Non-medical home caregivers can assist with any or all of the steps in providing well-balanced meals that cater to dietary restrictions, such as low-sodium, diabetic-friendly, or heart-healthy diets. They also can keep an eye on hydration and appetite, ensuring that your loved one is eating and drinking enough each day.
Mobility challenges can make cleaning and organizing a house difficult, and clutter increases fall risks. In fact, more than one out of four older people experiences falls each year. Maintaining a tidy, dust-free home also improves long-term health by decreasing the risk of allergies, asthma, and lung infections.
To help ensure your loved one’s home is tidy and safe, consider housekeeping services that come to your family member’s home to clean weekly, monthly, or as needed. Whether they’re mopping floors, dusting shelves, or tidying closets, housekeeping services help create a safer and healthier physical space.
If your loved one’s home environment needs more in-depth attention, a personal organizer can help. Housekeeping usually comes on a regular, ongoing basis, whereas personal organizers are hired for a set period to address specific organizational and safety issues. These professionals provide guidance and hands-on attention for decluttering and arranging the home with safety and convenience in mind.
Although non-medical caregivers cannot offer clinical evaluations or make diagnoses, they can play an integral role in your loved one’s care team by paying close attention to physical and cognitive health. They provide insight into changes in mobility, coordination, behavior, and daily functioning — for instance, difficulty walking, unusual fatigue, decreased appetite, and other changes that may hint at underlying health changes. A proactive approach with help from non-medical caregivers can prevent accidents and promote overall health management.
If your family member juggles multiple prescriptions or requires a complex medication schedule, they can be at risk of taking the wrong pill at the wrong time. Non-medical caregivers can organize your loved one’s medicine into clearly labeled pill boxes, sorting by days of the week or times of day to help them follow their recommended dosage. Caregivers also can offer gentle reminders to take medications on time, lowering the risk of an incorrect or missed dose.
By providing this service, caregivers decrease medication errors, which is especially important if your loved one is managing a condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease. Plus, caregivers can let you know if your family member experiences any side effects.
As your family member ages, they can face challenges when leaving the house to run errands, attend appointments, and visit family and friends. Whether they’re constrained by mobility issues or an inability to drive safely, the resulting isolation can cause real harm, including a higher risk for heart disease, depression, and cognitive decline.
Non-medical caregivers provide vital transportation support, helping with trips to medical appointments, grocery stores, social outings, and more. By providing reliable transportation, they ensure older adults maintain independence and remain connected to their communities, preventing isolation that can lead to health complications.
This support is not just about transportation; it’s about ensuring your loved one can live with dignity, continue to engage in necessary activities, and retain their autonomy in everyday life.
More than half of people 50 and older own a pet. Pet ownership provides a variety of benefits for older adults, from decreasing blood pressure, cholesterol, and anxiety to increasing opportunities for socialization and overall mental well-being. If your family member owns a pet, you probably already know how essential their companion is in day-to-day life.
Non-medical home care providers can help with pet care tasks. From walking the dog to scooping cat litter, caregivers can handle aspects of the routine that may be difficult for your loved one, whether they experience mobility issues or are recovering from a medical procedure.
Non-medical home care services are designed to be flexible and tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual, including their passions and interests. Whether assisting them with a passion project or offering support during social outings, caregivers help your loved one continue to engage with what brings them joy. This extends to everyday tasks such as wrapping gifts for special occasions, writing cards, or making arrangements for celebrations.
The benefits of non-medical home care services are clear, but you want to ensure you hire the best people for the job. After all, they will be in your loved one’s home, building a caregiving relationship. To find and vet providers for non-medical home care services, take the following steps:
Start by researching home care agencies in your area that specialize in non-medical services. Look for providers with strong reputations, positive reviews, and relevant experience assisting older adults. Consider reaching out to local senior centers for recommendations.
Your family member’s health care team can assess the care they need, provide guidance on the types of non-medical home care services that will meet those needs, and even recommend reputable agencies.
In-home care costs will vary based on the services your family member requires. Non-medical home care services generally are not covered by Medicare, but some long-term care insurance policies, Medicaid, or other insurance plans may provide some coverage. Contact your insurance provider to verify the specifics of your family member’s coverage and eligibility.
Once you’ve identified a few potential providers, schedule interviews to discuss your family member’s specific needs. Ask about caregiver training, supervision, emergency procedures, and how they tailor services to individual preferences.
Rita knows firsthand the benefits of reliable non-medical home care — she calls it a blessing. She receives regular home care services, including housekeeping, organizing, and light meal preparation. And after a surgical procedure, her home care aide was more essential than ever. "I have lymphedema, I can't sleep at night, and I have a hard time walking, and after surgery, my needs were even more pronounced," Rita said. "I like my apartment to be very neat and clean, but there is no way I could be living in a place that's so clean without help. And living in an unclean place would certainly impact my health."
Iris experienced the perks of non-medical care after a diabetes diagnosis and hospitalization. With help from a home care provider who cooks healthy meals and keeps her home clean, she’s thriving and independent. "When I visited last time, Mom was showing me pictures of the nurse and the aides who come help her!" her adult son said. "She has them up on the refrigerator with the pictures of me and my kids. She calls her helpers 'my girls' and, boy, does she look forward to seeing them. And they care about her, too; they have my cell number and call me anytime there's something they're concerned about."
Want to learn more about non-medical home care services and how they can help your older loved one who is aging in place? The Complete Guide to At-Home Services dives deep to answer all your questions.