After your father passed away, maybe your mother was totally independent. When things changed and you could see that more help is needed, perhaps your mother made it very clear that she would stay right at her own home as long as she could. The only concession she might have made was that she would accept the services of an in-home caregiver. Maybe you are at the point now where you are beginning the process of having the home care services started very soon. You might wonder exactly what that service will provide.
Talk With Her
Think of sitting down with your mother to ask her what she thinks she needs help with. When you put the responsibility on her, she probably won't feel like she is losing her independence. She will actually be part of the decision making, which will probably reassure her. Maybe she will tell you that she would be most comfortable with a female caregiver. That can certainly be arranged.
Decide What Chores She Can Do
Maybe your mother will suggest that, even though she can still feed herself, it would be helpful for the in-home caregiver to help prepare simple meals. It might be that your mother feels very comfortable doing light dusting, but vacuuming has become too hard for her. Even though the caregiver won't be expected to do heavy housework, they will be more than happy to help with those areas of housework and even more.
Your mother might be very happy to have somebody help her to bathe and to wash and style her hair. Though she might still be able to dress herself, it might be helpful to have somebody who can tie or buckle her shoes.
Get Help With Medications
One very important thing the caregiver will do is to make sure that your mother takes her medications as needed. The caregiver will even clean out the refrigerator to make sure there is no spoiled food that your mother might eat by mistake.
Ask About Other Services
Find out if the in-home caregiver will be willing to run errands and to take your mother to places like the grocery store or out to lunch. You will be able to trust the caregiver with any money you leave for shopping or for any other expenses. Probably the most valuable thing the caregiver will do is to provide companionship. Walks taken together, puzzles put together as a team, game nights, or watching a favorite television show will be some of the best medicine your mother will get.
For more information about in-home care, reach out to a provider like one at Cool Waters Home Care.
Share29 June 2020
In the past, when I thought about home health care, I pictured an elderly man or woman stuck in bed just waiting to take his or her final breath. What I have recently learned is that there are people of all ages that can benefit from home health care specialists. When my niece was diagnosed with a rare liver disorder, our family rallied and did everything possible to make the new way of life as easy for my sister as possible. We spent hours over at her house helping with the baby, but then, my sister said she didn't need us as much --She had hired a home care aid. I hope this helps you in the future.
