You likely want to stay in your home for as long as possible, and you are certainly not alone – data shows that 77% of adults 50 and older want to remain in their homes for the long term. However, without the right support plan and resources, chronic pain, complex medical conditions, cognitive decline, and other challenges of aging can make living at home difficult. Fortunately, there are options that can give you the assistance, companionship, and support you need to thrive in your home.
At-home services are an excellent solution if you are living at home, whether it is a single-family home, an apartment, or even a home in a senior living community. Here is what you need to know about at-home services to determine if they are a good solution for you:
What Are At-Home Services?
You might have heard the phrases “home care,” “home health,” “in-home,” and “at-home.” But what do all these similar sounding services mean? They generally mean bringing support from an outside agency into the home of your choice. At WesleyLife, our at-home services are split between healthcare and in-home assistance. Our healthcare option includes medical services, whereas our in-home assistance is non-medical.
For most services brought into your home, a caregiver, nurse, or other professional will visit you a designated number of hours per week to provide personalized support with tasks. But before that can happen, you will receive a thorough assessment from the home care agency. This assessment initiates communication about what you need extra assistance with and helps the agency develop a personalized plan to meet your health and well-being goals.
Benefits of At-Home Services
The biggest benefit of home care services is that you will receive the support you need where you feel most comfortable. Other benefits are the increased choice when setting your schedule, the peace of mind and relief to family caregivers, and the decreased risk of hospital readmissions or falls. When you receive just the right amount of assistance with daily tasks or chores, you can feel more energetic, less stressed, and more independent.
Receiving at-home services in a comfortable setting also provides an opportunity to learn more about the senior living network in your area, which can make future planning easier.
More About Non-Medical In-Home Services
Non-medical in-home services provide support without providing skilled nursing care. At WesleyLife, these services are called our in-home services.
Non-medical services are often provided by a visiting caregiver and can include light housekeeping, meal preparation, grocery shopping, or transportation to and from appointments or events. Caregivers providing non-medical services can also offer you support and hands-on assistance with bathing, dressing, or other activities of daily living. In many ways, in-home services are similar to that of a personal assistant: they can take care of any chores you’d rather not do (wash dishes or walk the dogs on a rainy day) or tackle random seasonal tasks like wrapping Christmas gifts.
Perhaps most importantly, visiting caregivers provide companionship. With an in-home caregiver, you can play games, take strolls around the block, and share inside jokes. This type of companionship reduces the health complications that come with isolation or loneliness, which are common among older adults living at home alone. In most cases, agencies work hard to keep your caregivers consistent so you can develop a relationship of trust.
Non-medical home care services are typically paid for out of pocket, but there are ways you can offset the costs if needed through Veterans Aid and Attendance benefits, third-party insurance, or community waivers.
More About Healthcare Services
Perhaps you need more specialized medical help or care brought into the home. In these cases, medical or healthcare services are required.
Healthcare services are typically provided by a visiting nurse, therapist, or other clinician. Examples of healthcare services include injection administration, post-surgical rehabilitation care, wound care, diabetes or other chronic condition management. Physical, occupational, and speech therapy sessions can also be brought into your home.
In most cases, healthcare services require a prescription from your physician and can last for a short period — like after a hospital stay — or for a longer duration as needed. There are different ways you can pay for home health services, including Medicare, Medicaid, third-party insurance benefits, or Veterans Aid and Attendance benefits.
WesleyLife at Home
WesleyLife at Home provides both non-medical (in-home) and healthcare services to clients throughout the 15 counties in the Iowa area. Our team of experienced caregivers and clinicians ensures that you receive the personalized support you need to meet your health and well-being goals.
At-Home services can come to you in any type of home, whether that is in one of our Communities for Healthy Living or in the surrounding community. We are here to serve you and give you the support you need, no matter where you live.
Wondering if WesleyLife At Home is the right fit for you? Get started by completing this assessment to tell us more about your situation.
