Nursing Homes Aren't Your Only Assisted Living Option

As you get older, you may begin to realize that it won't be long before you'll have to attend to your parents' needs. It happens to everyone. As people reach their senior years, they may become physically frail or they may experience cognitive decline. In many cases, physical and mental health decline together. When this happens to your parents, you'll realize that they just can't take care of themselves without help and it will be up to you to decide what action to take.

For many people, the first thought is often to confine their elder loved ones to a nursing home. In addition to this being an expensive option, it often has adverse effects on the individual seniors. After being thrust into new and unfamiliar surroundings, they usually begin to experience anxiety and develop depression. Fortunately, assisted living at home services can provide the necessary care without creating these adverse circumstances.

Since at-home care services can be customized to suit the family's needs, these services are much cheaper than the cost of a nursing home stay. In many cases, families simply need someone to provide companionship and supervision on a daily basis. This helps ensure your elderly loved one doesn't feel lonely or abandoned, when the rest of your family is too busy to visit.

For elderly individuals with more severe physical or emotional problems, it's possible to request a higher level of care. You may need a home care aide who can help your loved one with basic hygiene rituals, such as bathing and dressing, and someone able to prepare nutritious meals for your senior parent. Often, this type of service is helpful in making sure the individual is taking medication at proper times and not missing doses.

Your ability to customize at-home care services helps you stay within your budget, while ensuring your elder loved one is receiving needed care. Left alone, seniors often injure themselves in an attempt to do simple housekeeping chores or they may forget to brush their teeth, bathe, or change their clothes. Hiring a home care aide helps you make sure your elderly parent stays safe and healthy when you can't be there.

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