Though practical support is the bread and butter of home care, there are many other reasons a relative can benefit from having a little extra support. Whether it’s help with getting in and out of bed or simply putting on the washing machine, care is such a wide area.
And there are several other ways that home care support can help your loved one.
Having someone to talk to
In August 2018, a campaign to end loneliness found that over nine million people in the UK feel lonely either often or always. That’s greater than the entire population of London. And one in 10 people aged 65 or over also report feeling lonely on a regular basis.
There are many reasons why a relative becomes affected by loneliness. For instance, they might have friends who have either moved to a new place to be closer to their own families or have sadly passed away.
Or, they might find it physically difficult getting to social events as a result of mobility problems or other long-term conditions such as dementia or anxiety. These can all lead to a loved one feeling isolated and withdrawn.
Companionship and social interaction goes hand-in-hand with home care, either in the form of regular home visits or a live-in carer. Whether it’s just the carer and your loved one having a cup of tea together or the former helping them to visit friends and attend local events, having someone to share stories with can make a huge difference in their lives.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle
We’re all prone to missing the odd meal from time to time or forgetting to keep the fluids topped up. However, this can be dangerous especially if your relative lives with diabetes or becomes easily dehydrated.
As well as meals, it’s also important for people of all ages to keep as physically active as possible in order to reduce the risk of conditions such as cardiovascular disease or experiencing strokes. Even light activities can go a long way in helping a relative stay healthy.
And the encouragement offered by a carer can help to inspire them. Many carers are trained to give gentle prompts when it comes to specific activities while still being on hand to assist if needed. Carers go through nutritional training, so you can be sure that your loved one will always have a nutritional meal that is suitable for their needs.
Furthermore, your loved one might also have to attend regular health appointments but might find it hard getting to the doctor’s or remembering that they are due to see them, and so you might consider having a carer to help them keep on top of these appointments or even accompany them.
Helping couples to stay together
It can be hard for a husband or wife to see that their partner needs additional support. They might be caring for them on their own without the help of other family members around, and yet are still reluctant to bring in additional support.
This can lead to many considering residential care, however this also means leaving behind the home comforts they are both used to.
Live-in care for couples is not only possible, it can even work out to be cheaper than paying for two beds in a residential home. Most importantly though, it means that couples can stay together, in their home, with the little touches to make them feel completely comfortable while still having the support that they need.
In addition, home care allows a couple to be a ‘couple’ again rather than one person looking after the other.
A focus on independence
A large part of peoples’ resistance to care is that they feel it is taking their independence away and will prevent them living life the way they are used to. But the fact of the matter is that home care can actually do the opposite. It may take some time for a loved one to realise that a carer can help them stay in the comfort of their own home, living life the way they want to.
Limitations due to mobility issues, illness or even exhaustion could prevent someone achieving the smaller details in life, such as what they would like for dinner, or how they would like to spend their day. Daily choices that can seem impossible are very easily be reinstated by the implementation of a carer.
It is important to remember that a carer is there to help, support and maintain day-to-day life as opposed to taking away freedom. A carer should slot in to your loved one’s daily life, causing no disruption; but instead creating a comfortable and safe environment and maintaining quality of life, this can also be maintained with a night care assistant.
