Staying at home is one of the dearest wishes of seniors. Indeed, it is normal to want to stay at home, in the comfort of one’s home and enjoy a reassuring setting in which one has experienced very beautiful moments. Fortunately, in the majority of cases, it is possible to stay at home, especially with the assistance of a home help. Even with the loss of autonomy or health problems, most seniors can stay at home with dignity and maintain a pleasant, secure and decent lifestyle.
Home help to stay independent
Despite the effects of advancing age, seniors often remain independent. They manage to take care of themselves and practice different activities to occupy themselves. However, the presence of another person, available and caring, is sometimes necessary. This is even more essential when the elderly person has special problems. With diminished sight, loss of balance and discomfort, the risks are numerous and the most innocuous gestures can lead to accidents (falls, injuries while cooking, etc.). To protect seniors from these various risks, it is not compulsory to place them in a specialized accommodation establishment.
Indeed, as soon as the need for daily assistance begins to be felt, some children decide to opt for a home help service. Most of the time, theassistance for the elderly at home ensures a safe and quality living environment thanks to the presence of a life assistant. The services provided by home helps vary a lot and adapt to all needs.
If the senior is still independent, the home helper will simply ensure their safety and help them with the daily tasks that they can no longer perform. In case of loss of autonomy, she can take care of the senior and carry out the various household tasks for a healthy, clean and pleasant accommodation. This benevolent presence also helps to fight against isolation, depression and other psychological problems caused by being alone. Families are even entitled to various financial aids to ensure the home support for the elderly.
How is home care going?
Home care follows a rhythm imposed by the state of health of the elderly person. I’home help ensures that the care are carried out in the best conditions on a daily basis. These include hygiene, well-being, comfort and medical care. Apart from the well-being of the elderly person, care is provided to delay the person’s entry into a medical establishment as much as possible or to reduce the length of stay in hospital when necessary.
Depending on the case, the home helper can come to the house during the day or in the evening, for bedtime. Care is often provided every day, without exception, especially for people with partial or total loss of autonomy. For seniors in great shape, theintervention of home help can be periodic. To equip the house and make it safer, it is often necessary to:
- have non-slip coverings installed, in particular for the toilets and the bathroom,
- install support bars for easy and safe movement,
- install command buttons to notify others in the event of a problem,
- install a bed and adapted armchairs for more comfort.
Note that the most difficult in terms of care is hospitalization at home. Indeed, it is more complex to set up, especially with the need to install various specific devices and equipment. Note that in this case, the intervention of health professionals such as nurses is necessary. Indeed, thehome help does not provide medical care.
What services are offered by the different structures?
Various home help agencies for the elderly offer their services in France. Their services are very broad, but in general, they all offer services that allow a home support for the elderly. A home helper can thus carry out tasks of daily living such as:
- Household chores,
- washing and ironing,
- the kitchen,
- groceries,
- preparing meals…
She can also help and assist the elderly person to get up, washing, getting dressed, taking meals… His intervention varies according to the degree of dependence and the needs of the senior. She also ensures that the medications are taken, at the right frequency and in strict compliance with the doctor’s prescriptions. Some companies even offer well-being and beauty care such as facial care (scrub, mask, etc.), hairdressing and manicure.
Furthermore, thehome help accompanies the elderly in the activities of social and relational life. It can help the person to take a few steps outside to greet the neighbors, practice hobbies or simply be there to listen. It is an essential task for the senior to feel good, thus avoiding the harmful effects of being alone all day long, while the rest of the family is at work or at school. The home help service also includes the preparation of meals according to the recommendations of a nutritionist or a doctor. Indeed, the senior can have specific menus established according to his nutritional needs and his restrictions.
It is very common for a senior to follow a strict diet, in case of diabetes, hypertension or other health problems. These companies can also offer services related to remote assistance. This is a solution that brings real relief to families. If the elderly person is security while home help is there, the risk of an accident increases when she is home alone. This service then consists of providing the senior with a tool that allows them to warn others in the event of discomfort or a fall. The remote alarm or remote assistance allows immediate intervention in the event of a problem.
The importance of home care for the elderly
Home care ensures that the elderly person maintains a life that is as pleasant and peaceful as possible. The home helpers ensure that the person lives their last years in joy and tranquility despite their shortcomings. They have the advantage of adapting to all needs, depending on the degree of autonomy or dependence of the person. Not only will the elderly person stay in a clean and tidy home, but they will also have a friend to talk to, especially since companionship is one of the most important elements in avoiding or delaying mental breakdowns. She can help the senior to do appropriate exercises to stay in shape and regain energy. For people with reduced mobility, the intervention of home help is a real relief. They no longer need to shop or travel to prepare meals or clean up.
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Advice for families considering home care for an elderly loved one
You have an elderly loved one and you plan to use the services of a home help ? The first piece of advice we give you is to talk about it with your aging parent. Explain to him that the person will be there to take care of him and ensure his well-being. She is a caring person, a friend he can trust. You must also present this option as the key to staying at home. You can ask him to list his needs and the tasks for which he needs help or assistance. Then, choose the agency you are going to use carefully. Compare offers, learn about the experiences and qualifications of the team.
You must also check that the services offered correspond to your needs. Indeed, as we have mentioned, the needs of elderly people at home vary a lot. Likewise, choose an agency whose services can evolve as your needs change. The more flexible the working conditions of the team, the better. For example, in the event of illness or absence of the children, the home helper should ideally be able to organize themselves for interventions during the night. In addition, find out about the financial aid to which you are entitled. They can help you benefit from more complete and better quality care, and lessen the impact of this service on your finances.
The main aid dedicated to the elderly is the personalized autonomy allowance or APA. It is not subject to a means test. It can be attributed to all people over the age of 60 who have a level of dependency of the GIR 1-4 type. If the elderly person does not fall into this category, inquire with the social assistance services. It may be that there are devices adapted to his situation. Note that the recourse to a home help organization gives you access to a tax credit equivalent to 50% of the costs incurred. This advantage is granted even if the senior in question is not taxable.
