Finding the appropriate senior homecare means not only making a decision about

agencies and service plans, but ensuring that the individual caregivers who will

become such an important part of your loved one's life are the best possible match.

The kinds of qualities to look for in the caregiver will depend upon the kind of services

they are providing. Some senior home care providers will drop by for a few minutes to

provide medical services, while others may spend several hours a day with the senior in

less formal circumstances. In the latter case, a professional relationship may become a

personal relationship that can last for years.

If your loved one needs medical care, they will likely need the services of a licensed

professional nurse or a certified nurse's assistant. Alternatively, they might work with an

occupational or physical therapist. Visits from these caregivers are typically either of

short duration-15 minutes to half an hour-or of a limited time-frame, such as a few

months. In evaluating the particular individual providing this type of skilled care,

it is most important to ensure they are properly certified.

If the care provider is Medicare-certified,

the home health aide will automatically need to meet professional licensure

requirements. Additionally, many senior home care agencies require their personnel to have the appropriate

licenses, which can vary from state to state.

Personal care workers, on the other hand, provide the kinds of services that invite not only questions about their professional qualifications, but personal characteristics, as they will be intimately working with your loved one. Personal care services can include help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, and feeding. This care worker may also help with shopping and cleaning, and even general entertainment.

These senior homecare workers often spend at least three hours at a time with their clients. They may come one day a week, or every day. Over time, they can develop a close personal bond with the seniors they care for. They'll develop very close relationships and sometimes love their care giver more than anyone.

Because of this, it is important to ensure that the personal care giver is not only a professional expert, but gets along well with the character traits of the senior. Some people switch three or four times before they settle on someone. Personal care is about companionship.

For this reason, one of the most important steps a family can take to ensuring their loved one is receiving adequate care is ascertaining the nature of their relationship with the caregiver.

Effective ways of doing this include being on hand to observe the dynamics between the two, and being sure to have follow-up conversations. Family can come by when the caregiver is there, and observe them interacting. Because the personal care worker often comes to occupy a place of trust with the elderly person, families also need to carefully evaluate his or her qualifications and background. The caregiver should be professionally trained in tasks such as bathing, moving patients in their beds, and helping with prescription medications. Caregivers most often either attend specific training schools or are trained by their in-home care agency.

Families may also want to ask for information about the caregiver's preceding employment history, and call those references. In addition, many states offer background checks on criminal history. Senior home care agencies typically perform these kinds of evaluations on their employees, Autrey says, and in many cases clients are able to obtain this information by simply asking the agency, if they have decided to work with one.

In addition, senior home care agencies work to monitor the relationship between the caregivers and the elderly. The agency should routinely send in supervisors to evaluate the working climate in the home.

HomeCare Senior Living caregivers are key to helping our clients maintain quality of life wherever they call home. Be it an apartment, assisted living space, or a house they have lived in for years, home is where the heart is.

Our caregivers are committed to helping seniors and older adults maintain their lifestyle when the normal changes that come with aging and/or medical conditions become challenging. Caregivers provide the extra help necessary to keep up with the tasks of daily living. When family and friends can't be there due to distance and schedules, we can. Our person-centered care provides the physical, emotional, and spiritual support that everyone deserves.

More older Americans are living alone in their homes, but a startling number of those seniors are experiencing social isolation and dementia symptoms. The results of a decades long study from the University College London on the impact of loneliness and isolation has shown that both loneliness and infrequent contact with friends and family can, independently, shorten a person’s life. Living alone may be more dangerous than we thought.

It may not come as much of a surprise that nearly 90% of people over age 65 want to stay at home for as long as possible, according to a 2011 survey by the AARP. Living at home and staying in a familiar community may offer benefits to seniors’ emotional well-being—but research indicates that a staggering number of seniors who should be receiving assisted living care services are still living at home—in many cases, alone. To some of us, the answer may seem obvious: make the move to an assisted living facilitywhere social activity, health monitoring and medication management is all included. However, moving to a senior care facility can be an emotional and difficult decision, particularly if your loved one is not keen on moving. For more information on the topic, read our guide to assisted living vs. in-home care.

More Seniors At Risk of Living in Social Isolation

The Administration on Aging reports that about 29%, or 11.3 million older adults lived alone in 2010. The percentage gets even higher for those over 75: almost half (47% ) of women aged 75 and older lived alone. For the oldest old—centenarians, who have lived to age 100 or older—about a third live alone, according to U.S. Census data.

At the same time, it’s estimated that over 12% of seniors 65 and older—more than 5 million—need assistance with long-term care to perform activities of daily life (Kaiser Family Foundation). Some estimates are even higher. Those seniors who are low-income or live in poverty are even more likely to live at home rather than in a facility, even if they require more care. The numbers for individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia are, quite frankly, startling: of the 60-to-70% of seniors with dementia living in the community, 25% live alone, reports theAlzheimer’s Association. Andrew Steptoe, a professor of psychology at University College London, says he was surprised by the results of the social isolation study. “Both social isolation and loneliness appeared initially to be associated with a greater risk of dying,” he says. “But it was really the isolation which was more important.”

When Living Alone is Unsafe for Seniors

If we want our loved ones to remain safe and healthy, it’s important to make sure their environment is appropriate to their physical needs—particularly if they’re showing early signs of cognitive impairment. If you notice that your loved one needs help with daily activities such as eating, bathing and dressing, they may have decreased cognitive functioning associated with early or middle stage dementia. Even in their own home, the combination of poor eyesight and minor safety hazards can put seniors at risk for falls, broken hips and even death. Keeping track of physical symptoms, mental health, and senior nutrition is of critical importance. Warning signs that living alone is no longer safe for an older adult:

Medication management issues
Poor eyesight
Social isolation
Forgetting appointments
Unable to keep up with daily chores and housekeeping
Poor nutrition or malnutrition
Home safety hazards such as poor lighting and loose carpeting

Specialized skills to assist with Alzheimer’s and Dementia are available from our trained staff.

In-Home Care Services by HomeCare Senior Living

Well tained and experienced caregivers at HomeCare Senior Living are here to help your family and your loved one.

Homecare services available for both short and long term periods.

Our Caregiver Professional Development

We work to engage the hearts and minds of our Caregiver associates so that they arrive at our clients’ homes feeling excited about what they’re doing, appreciated for their contributions, and entirely equipped to handle whatever situations may arise.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT SENIOR HOMECARE

AND IN-HOME ASSISTED LIVING CARE

Professional and Dependable

Local Caregivers

Choosing the right home care options for your family.

When it becomes necessary to seek in-home assistance for a senior family

member, whether on a daily basis or for monthly visits,

success hinges on finding just the right caregiver in your area.

And while each client may require a different level of help,

they all deserve the highest level of responsiveness, compassion and expertise.

Personalized senior care: it’s all about the individual.

At HomeCare Senior Lving we match caregivers to clients based on their specific

personalities, experience and skill sets, and we have a proven track record of hiring

compassionate and dependable employees.

We understand that this life stage can be a major change to a senior’s lifestyle.

And for them to continue to feel happy and independent, they must be completely comfortable with their caregiver. Fortunately, with your input and our proven selection process, we are able to determine the caregiver relationship that is right for you and your loved one.

Professionalism you can trust: it’s what sets us apart.

Allowing a caregiver into your loved one’s home is a major decision that requires ultimate trust. Thanks to our demanding hiring requirements and stringent local supervision, you can feel 100% confident in every staff member we place. HomeCare Senior Living hires caregivers based on their professionalism, enthusiasm and compassion for seniors. Each and every caregiver is:

• Licensed (where applicable), bonded and insured

• Thoroughly screened and evaluated in person

This commitment to hiring quality caregivers is one more way we relieve your worry and stress. It is about more than just responding quickly to your needs, it is about finding respectful, courteous professionals to put your mind at ease.

Caregiver Credentialing & Training

At HomeCare Senior Living, we place the utmost importance on ensuring our caregivers receive the latest training and are fully credentialed.

Screening

Our caregivers are thoroughly screened before they can become employees of Senior Helpers and each has the opportunity to participate in the Senior Helpers University program to attain additional education.

Credentialing

HomeCare Senior Living complies with all national and licensing requirements so you can be assured that our caregiver is properly credentialed to perform the level of care that your senior loved one needs.

Training

This ongoing training program enables our caregivers to provide superior home care while enhancing their job performance and ultimately create an exceptional customer experience for our clients.

All of our caregivers have the opportunity to participate in our continual learning program and receive credits towards the Senior Helpers Certification. Those in the program are required to complete a minimum of 8 training modules per year on a variety of topics:

Understanding Fall Risk Factors
Food Preparation and Safety
Understanding Alzheimer's and Dementia