5 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Home Agency to Take Care of Your Loved One

For many families in the United States, looking for an unemployed friend or relative is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about home care. In many cases, the “friend” receives some allowance for their services. The pay is usually cheaper than hiring a professional agency.

You might find yourself in this situation at some point. However, many things could go wrong if you hire a private person. Read on to learn more.

Options When Hiring a Caregiver

You are probably looking for home care assistance because your loved one cannot handle some basic tasks alone. Elderly home care is quite common in the United States because most people live up to 78 years. In other cases, the patient may have suffered an injury or a severe illness.

Companies that offer home care services are quite efficient if you need someone for the job immediately. You do not have to settle for an individual that you do not trust. If you feel that something does not sit right with a candidate, they will be replaced without any questions.

Service Quality and Supervision

If you call too many times, your hire will feel micromanaged. You will be walking on eggshells even when you need to ensure that things are in order. Home care agencies take it upon themselves to check up on patients and their families to ensure that everything is okay. If your mom, dad, or older parent does not like the services offered by the professional caregiver, a replacement will be sent immediately.

Additionally, home care agencies will always provide you with a contact person because they know that elderly home care services are quite sensitive. You can reach out to them and ask questions any time.

Conducting Criminal and Background Checks

Most likely, your caregiver is an acquaintance or a relative that you may know quite well. However, everyone has a secret! Some individuals are legally concealed by the government while others by the medical systems.

It is impossible to know whether the friend was arrested at some point in their life. Understandably, you may also feel a little disrespectful asking them whether they have any contagious diseases.

Home care agencies are obliged to dig deep into their workers’ backgrounds. It is the only way to get clients to trust their services. While discrimination of any kind has no place in many home care agencies, the needs and lives of the clients are critical.

Accident Injuries May Get You Sued

You may not know it now, but if the person taking care of mom or dad is injured in your home, they can sue you, your elderly kin, or the entire family for the medical bill. Home care agencies have workers compensation insurance for their workers.

It implies that you and your family cannot be touched if something goes wrong. The caregivers are fully insured against workplace accidents and injuries as part of home health care.

Failure to Show Up

You may sit at home waiting for the person you have hired to show up. Many people will be satisfied with a call that confirms that the individual will be at your place by a particular time. Things happen, and people do not show up as intended. He or she may change their mind when least expected, decide to go on a date or feel too bored to work.

Home care agencies will not expose you to this problem since they offer round the clock home care. If a caregiver cannot show up, another one will be at your home by the designated time. Your plans for the day will not be affected in any way.

Final Word

Most families need home care services at some point to take care of their elderly while fulfilling their professional mandates. If you are in this situation, do not be tempted to hire a relative or a friend. A lot could go wrong from failure to show up to potential lawsuits against grandma or grandpa. To learn more about home care agencies and the services they offer, call us today.

Simple Ways Seniors Can Exercise in Their Homes

Exercise is a vital part of living a happy and fruitful life. However, it’s especially important for seniors who live alone or require home health care. Getting up and moving your body for even 10 minutes a day can make a huge difference in your overall mobility, strength, and confidence. To learn more about the importance of physical activity, and how to implement it in little ways as a senior, read on.

The Health Benefits of Exercise

Seniors over the age of 65 should be getting around 2.5 hours of exercise every week. Brisk walking outdoors for 30 minutes is ideal, as it exposes you to the sunny benefits of vitamin D, allows you to get some fresh air, and gets your heart pumping. However, if you or your loved one has a hard time leaving the house due to moderate to severe health issues, these next small exercises around the house will do just fine.

Proper Exercises

Below, you will find easy exercises that can be done around the home.

Sofa Leg Lifts

Sit down on a couch or sofa. Next, straighten your legs and bring them up towards the ceiling, with your toes pointed up. Then, bring them back down to the ground after a couple of seconds. This exercise, when performed routinely, should improve your core strength and stability.

Walking Up and Down the Stairs

If you live in a house with stairs, walk up and down the first few steps to get your daily dose of anaerobic exercise. Do this for two minutes, take a break, and continue for another two.

Chair Sits

For this next exercise, practice getting up from a chair in the kitchen or living room, walking around it, and sitting back down.

Weighted Exercise

Lastly, purchase some hand weights to add some resistance to your workout. These dumbbells are usually between one to two pounds, making this an easy way to incorporate resistance training without a gym membership. If you don’t have hand weights, you might be able to use household items like soup cans or other weighted containers. Perform bicep curls for your upper body.

When You Need Round-the-Clock Home Health Care

However, health encompasses a lot more than just exercise alone. After a certain age, you also have to consider your diet or your prescribed medication if you take any. Therefore, if you or a loved one is in need of home health care, contact us today to learn more about our home health care services for the senior in your life. There’s no shame in asking for help. Contact Alarys Home Care today.