If you look at the reasons older adults start losing their independence, a few things pop up. One, they have to stop driving due to worsening vision or health. Two, their mobility changes how much they can carry or how long they’re on their feet. Three, cognitive skills can start to diminish requiring a need for around-the-clock supervision.
Is your dad dealing with any of that? You know it’s his goal to remain in his home for the rest of his life. Don’t push him to move into a new community. Instead, arrange to have senior home care help him maintain his independence.
Transportation
When your dad no longer drives, it doesn’t mean he has to stop going out and doing things outside of the home. His caregiver can accompany him on shopping trips. If he has an appointment, his caregiver can drive him there and back. He might want to go out to lunch, and he has a caregiver to join him on outings of that nature.
Meals
Your dad needs to eat a healthy diet, but he doesn’t like to cook. Hire home care aides to cook his meals and prepare his snacks. His caregivers will talk to him about the things he wants to eat, plan the weekly menu, shop for missing ingredients, and make the meal when he’s hungry.
If your dad is tired of eating alone, his caregiver can join him at the table. Research finds that older adults eat more if someone joins them for a meal, so this can be a very important aspect of senior home care.
Laundry and Linens
Each week, your dad’s towels need to be swapped for clean ones. His sheets need changing, and his bed has to be made. All of those dirty linens and your dad’s clothing need to go into the hamper and get washed. His caregiver can carry things to the laundry room, do the laundry, and put it away when it’s dried and folded.
Housekeeping
Your dad has a hard time using his vacuum due to its bulk and weight. The cord trips him up. He’s happy doing tasks like dusting, but he’s not as good at seeing the grime on counters.
Arrange to have senior home care aides do the housework. They can wash and dry the dishes, put clean dishes away, and load and unload the dishwasher if he has one. Caregivers can dust, sweep, and vacuum. They’ll clean counters, handles, and faucet knobs, too.
On trash day, his caregivers can make sure his bins are at the curb and that the recycling and trash are in the bins in time to get collected. After the haulers have been through, his caregiver can bring the bins back to the house.
Companionship
With caregivers stopping by, your dad has much-needed companionship. He doesn’t have to be alone and isolated all week. He has someone to talk to and accompany on walks.
Ambulation
The final service to talk about is ambulation assistance. Caregivers can support your dad while he steps in and out of the shower. They can help him stand up from his bed or favorite chair. They’ll support him while he gains his balance and starts walking forward. His caregivers can also help him if he has to walk up and down the stairs.