Help You Need, Right at Home
Maybe you’ve noticed some deferred maintenance at Mom and Dad’s house: floors are dirty, laundry not done. Or perhaps your sister’s health is declining; she’s growing older and forgets to take her medication at the scheduled times. Whatever the signs may be, you’re starting to question if your loved one needs assistance in the home. Our Companionship care and homemaking offer just that: nonclinical assistance for those who need it, without leaving the comfort of home.
What Is Companionship Care and Homemaking?
From doing the normal chores around the house like laundry and taking out the garbage to leisure stuff like reading out loud or playing card games, our professional staff in companionship care and homemaking will serve as another body within the home. They’re available to help remind patients to take their medications when scheduled, keep up around the house and even be the transportation to a doctor’s appointment. Both services differ slightly in how they work.
Companionship Care
The purpose of our companionship care is to accompany patients and offer friendship. Companions may help with certain household chores, such as laying out towels before a shower, but their primary purpose is to spend time with the patient. Grown children may want to hire companions to keep an eye on their aging parents, for example. Some of the services offered by companionship care include:
- Transportation
- Reading a book aloud
- Playing games
- Accompanying the patient for a walk outside
- Letter writing
- Monitoring the home
Homemaking
Think of homemaking as an addition to our companionship care. With a homemaker, patients will receive all the benefits of a companion— such as transportation— but with additional focuses. Homemaking services include the roles such as cooking meals, cleaning the home and even shopping for groceries and supplies. Some of the services offered by homemaking include:
- Laundry
- Cooking
- Taking out the garbage
- Light housekeeping
- Organization
- Respite care
Less Expensive Than Home Health Aides
Companionship care and homemaking do not include personal, hands-on care. For example, companions cannot help patients bathe or take their medications. Instead, they can have the bath water ready and remind patients to take their medications when scheduled. Most states require additional licensing for personal, hands-on care.
With that said, bringing on companions or homemakers will cost less than hiring a home health aide, who will need the additional training and a state license to provide hands-on care. The difference in cost can run $40-$75 less per day.
What Are The Benefits of Companionship Care and Homemaking?
From friendly games of cards to ensuring proper nutrition, companionship care and homemaking have many benefits for patients. If you suspect your loved one isn’t keeping up with proper nutrition, for example, having a homemaker available to prepare nutritious meals can return your family member to positive health.
Here are just a few of the benefits these services offer:
- Mental (cognitive) stimulation
- Increased mobility due to transportation services
- Socialization
- Improvement in health, both physical and mental
- Safety supervision
We Can Help
When you call At Home Care For Seniors, one of our care professionals will visit your loved one’s home and provide a free no-cost assessment to determine your needs. Our senior care professionals are very flexible and will accommodate to your family and determine the best schedule for companionship care and homemaking visits. Want to see how we can support your loved one in the comfort of his or her home? Contact us today, or call us at (801) 825-5503