The vast majority of elderly have expressed a strong desire to remain in their homes as they age, yet many of them will not be able to live out their wishes. When age, illness, and infirmity set in, sometimes it seems like the only choice is a nursing home or assisted living facility.
The belief that nursing home care and assisted living are the only options for older adults who need extra assistance is so strong that many elderly simply accept the situation and leave their beloved family homes behind, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Far from being the only option for senior care, nursing homes can best be viewed as a last resort, a place to seek help when all other attempts have been exhausted. For many seniors and their loved ones who are left to care for them, in-home assistance can be a better option.
Aging at home and getting the necessary assistance for a stable environment has several important benefits, starting with enhanced care and individual attention. A nursing home can have hundreds of residents, and individual care in such an institutional setting is all but impossible. By providing one-on-one care for their clients, the medical professionals who specialize in-home care can provide the assistance needed in a comfortable and safe environment.
Receiving care in their own homes is best for the seniors involved as well. Without the need for a nursing home or assisted living, husbands and wives can stay together, family life is not disrupted and individuals with different levels of need can live out their lives safely and securely.
The benefits for seniors are clear enough, but in-home and at-home care provides many distinct advantages for family members as well. Adults often feel torn between the increasing care needs of their parents and the needs of their children, and they find it increasingly difficult to keep up with their duties as dual caregivers.
By relieving them of the burden of senior care, this unique form of assistance can prove valuable to members of every generation, from the elderly individuals themselves to their adult children to the younger kids in the family.
If you have been struggling to care for an older family member, or are increasingly worried about your safety as you age, do not be fooled into thinking that nursing home care and assisted living are your only options. No matter what your circumstances, chances are good that you can stay in your own home, aging in place while receiving the care and assistance you need to feel secure and protected.
