At-home services entail various forms of support provided to older adults who are not residents in a senior living community. These services include home care and Meals on Wheels. If you or your loved one has yet to take advantage of at-home services, then you may be wondering whether now is the time. You may find that these services make a great addition to your routine, enhancing your quality of life and independence.
Let’s look at some factors to consider as you determine whether it’s time to look into senior home services for yourself or your loved one.
Assistance with Daily Tasks
Senior home services offer an excellent way to maintain independence while receiving support with routine tasks such as:
- Light housekeeping
- Laundry
- Bathing and dressing
- Walking the dog
- Yard work
You can hire specialized professionals individually for the tasks you prefer to delegate. For example, you might hire a maid, lawn care service, and dog walker. However, for many people, this approach can feel overly complicated. Wouldn’t it be easier to access an extra set of hands when and where it’s needed? At-home services allow you to achieve that simplicity and receive the assistance you need with many routine tasks. An in-home aide can even vary the tasks they assist with on each visit to your or your loved one’s home.
Simplified Meal Prep
Even if you or your loved one enjoys cooking, meal prep can become tiresome. If you find yourself resorting to processed convenience foods or lackluster frozen dinners, consider a service like Meals on Wheels.
Knowing you’ll enjoy delicious and nutritious meals delivered routinely to your door can make mealtime something to look forward to and not something to dread. If you occasionally like making meals on your own, using Meals on Wheels a day or two a week can provide a break when you don’t feel like cooking. You’ll find just the right level of convenience and flexibility that makes sense for your schedule and preferences.
Medical Support
At-home services provide an excellent resource if you or your loved one is diagnosed with medical conditions that require ongoing management. For example, senior home services can help with:
- Health assessments
- Medication reminders and assistance
- Post-surgical rehabilitation care
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapies
- Diabetes and other chronic condition management
- Wound care
- Injections and lab draws
If your or your loved one’s healthcare needs exceed what's feasible in a daily visit from a home health aide, you may want to explore options such as assisted living, memory support, or long-term care in a community setting. Always talk to your doctor about your healthcare needs and discuss how your lifestyle and possible stay-at-home care can best support those needs.
Occasional Transportation
You may want to consider at-home services if you or your loved one feels stuck at times and would appreciate transportation help. A caring and competent aide may be able to provide transportation for outings like:
- Errands
- Grocery shopping
- Medical appointments
- Social events
Regular in-home services clients can count on their aide to take them where they need or want to go — and they can enjoy some conversation along the way.
Companionship and Community
Isolation can be a challenge for many older adults. In the US, 27 percent of adults ages 60 and older live alone, according to Pew Research. For these older adults, it can be easy to go days without interacting with others in person, leading to feelings of loneliness and depression.
At-home services don’t just provide practical help — they provide a source of companionship and community. Whether it’s the friendly face of a Meals on Wheels delivery person checking in or time spent chatting with an in-home aide, at-home senior services can enrich your life and give loved ones peace of mind, knowing you’re enjoying the company of others even when they’re not there.
Cost Management
The cost of various senior living services can vary substantially. When considering the expense and whether at-home services are affordable, be sure to think through the costs and benefits of both senior home services and possible alternatives.
For example, having a family member provide care may seem like a more cost-effective option, but this option isn’t “free” if that family member needs to decrease their job hours and income. Or if you’re eating out frequently to lessen the burden of cooking, Meals on Wheels can replace and even decrease those costs and fit comfortably into your budget.
Ready to Take Advantage of At-Home Services?
Would you or your loved one benefit from assistance with daily tasks, simplified meal preparation, medical support, occasional transportation, or companionship? If so, you may be surprised by all the options of home services available and how manageable the cost can be. At-home services can significantly enhance your quality of life and independence, offering a tailored and supportive approach to aging in place.
Take a moment to learn more about At-Home Services from WesleyLife!
