Health and Safety Benefits of Having In-Home Care for Seniors

Posted By Rose Smith

Sponsored by New York for Seniors | Home Care

Seniors often experience different health challenges, including physical injuries as a result of falls and mental issues due to emotional distress. Health and safety are the primary concerns that necessitate the utilization of measures such as home care for the elderly. In many cases, older adults wish to remain at the comfort of their living space, but their safety remains a top priority. Home care enhances the health and safety of the elderly due to various elements such as individualized and customized care, facilitated help, constant monitoring, and healthy eating. 

Home care reduces  incidences of falls among the elderly. Falls are among the most significant health concerns for the elderly because it may cause adverse physical, psychological, medical, and social consequences. Research shows that every 11 seconds, a senior citizen is treated in an emergency room for fall-related injuries, and within every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from it (Hamed et al., 2018). Home caregivers can identify and reduce fall risks as well as other risks for older people who wish to live at home. Home Caregiver prevents fall prevention in various ways. For instance, spilled water or milk increases the fall risk for an older person, but with a caregiver at home, such simple things are addressed. The caregivers are trained to ensure there is extra safety and support for the seniors through easy home modifications. They monitor the elderly person and help them walk to prevent falls. Besides, home caregivers ensure that the elderly stay active through simple outdoor activities and regular exercises that improve their muscle tone and strength. Studies show that home care significantly reduces the incidences of falls among the elderly (Lopez et al., 2016).  Therefore, home care minimizes fall risks and associated health problems. 

Home care helps improve the mental health of seniors. According to the CDC, 20 percent of seniors aged 55 and above have different psychological concerns, with only two-thirds receiving treatment (Grundberg et al., 2016). Some of the factors that may contribute to mental concerns include emotional distress and lack of early diagnosis. Studies show that loneliness can be a significant factor that worsens or cause a range of mental health conditions (Muramatsu et al., 2018). These issues are adequately addressed through home caregivers. The caregivers offer companionship to reduce loneliness. Due to individualized care in home care, the elderly persons are engaged in meaningful conversations to enhance intellectual stimulation to help them maintain their faculties longer. The home caregivers with appropriate training can identify early signs of mental issues to ensure that they are addressed early. Dementia, depression, and anxiety can be missed in an early stage when treatment can have real benefits which helps to decrease mental health concerns. However, the caregivers can pick some of these signs to enable timely professional assistance. Caregivers are trained to promote the participation of the elderly in different activities that keep them happy and satisfied, for instance, physical exercise and listening to music (Grundberg et al., 2016). Overall, home care allows the seniors wishing to stay in their living spaces to do so; thus, it eliminates stress and anxiety that may arise because of being sent to a nursing home.

Home care promotes the health of senior citizens because of customized nutrition and health care. Caregivers are trained to provide special nutrition and healthy diets for the elderly. They offer food that is rich in nutritional value to boost the health of the senior citizens. For instance, if an individual suffers from a given disease, the home caregivers will ensure that he or she eats the foods recommended by their doctors. Besides, caregivers ensure that senior citizens have their meals at the right time.  The home caregiver also makes sure that senior citizens take their medicines at the right time and appropriate quantities. They help monitor the health conditions of the elderly and help them seek immediate help whenever there are issues. Home caregivers can easily identify when a senior person under their care is sick (Muramatsu et al., 2018). This ensures that the older citizen gets timely medical assistance. 

Home care enhances the health and safety of senior citizens. It helps reduce preventable health issues such as injuries and medical complications arising from fall risks. Besides, it promotes individualized and customized health care in terms of nutrition and administration of medications. Home care also reduces mental illness by keeping the elderly engaged, happy, and satisfied.  With proper, and adequate home care and support the overall quality of life for that senior citizen is enhanced.

For a one on one consultation about having Home Care go to New York for Seniors | Home Care

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