With 17% of Australia’s population coming from over 65s demographic, aged care is an issue that most people will have to consider at some stage. Elderly home care is the best solution for seniors who need some assistance but want to retain their independence by far.
However, elderly home care is only successful when the right strategy is in place. Above all else, you must ensure that the approach to aged care (or disability care) is tailored to the individual. Nevertheless, the following tips should point you in the right direction.
#1. Understand Your Loved One’s Situation
No two people have identical elderly home care requirements. However, the vast majority need the same solution. For the best outcome, they will need assistance in all daily activities where they struggle but nothing else. In turn, your loved one will gain the benefits of removing daily challenges while simultaneously maintaining independence.
A large percentage of people who need help will find that elderly home care is more than enough to satisfy their needs. Some of the activities they may get support with are –
- Homemaking duties
- Personal hygiene
- Daily errands
- Administering medicinesÂ
- Food preparation
- Finding and attending suitable social events
#2. Know Who Can Help
When looking at elderly home care packages, it’s also important to consider whether they only require daily assistance and domestic assistance or whether their conditions require more complex care. This could extend to dedicated dementia care and behavior support.
Over 2.65 million Australians provide ongoing care to a loved one. As a primary caregiver, you can also lean on other friends and relatives for support or respite. However, when juggling elderly care with a career and other responsibilities, working with a team of professionals is advised.
Nursing homes are an option. When hoping to help a loved one retain their independence, though, home care packages designed for seniors are the better choice.
#3. Research Home Care Packages
If you are planning to reach out for help on behalf of your loved one, it’s important to consider the financial aspects. Home care packages supported by the Australian government are available on 4 levels, depending on how much support a patient requires. This subsidizes the care they receive while also lifting a weight of stress.
An eligibility assessment is the first step towards gaining the right level of funding, which means future elderly home care will be guaranteed and stable. The levels are –
- Level 1: For basic care needs, coverage of up to $9026.45 a year.
- Level 2: For low care needs, coverage of up to $15,877.50 a year.
- Level 3: For intermediate care needs, coverage of up to $34,550.90 a year.
- Level 4: For advanced care needs, coverage of up to $52,377.50 a year.
#4. Adapt the Home
Your loved one deserves to be blessed with safe and comfortable home surroundings. After all, they will be spending more time at home than ever before. Research shows that 70% of senior hospitalizations are caused by incidents in the home. This stat alone should highlight the need for you to modify the home so that it is suitable.
Home updates can potentially take many forms. While the right solutions for your loved one will be dictated by circumstances, some of the popular updates include but are not limited to –
- Accessible bathtub installations
- Stairlift installations
- Ramps at the front or rear of the home
- Wider walkways and furniture to add stability
- Visual and audio alert systems
- Lower workstation heights
- Systems to alert carers that they are in trouble
#5. Encourage Social Interactions and Integrations
Enabling your loved one to remain independent in the home is a great starting point. However, interactions outside of the home will remain integral to their overall health and happiness. When they feel able to independently enjoy a social life, their quality of life will be greatly improved.
For many Australian seniors, loneliness is a major concern. However, adapting elderly care to incorporate social activities with other seniors can soon put an end to this issue. It is something that can be arranged by primary caregivers or professional home care teams who know the local area.
As well as joining community events, their inclusion in family events can be hugely beneficial.
#6. Teach Skills
Just because a loved one is older, it doesn’t mean that they can’t learn new tricks. Whether it’s help around the home, cooking, or navigating the local area doesn’t matter. Any new skill that helps them retain their independence is a step in the right direction. This could also extend to using mobility aids.
Teach them how to help themselves in daily situations, and their reliance on outside support will be reduced. It can also help slow cognitive decline and impairment while simultaneously aiding your loved one’s sense of self-confidence and self-worth.
Frankly, it is the least that they deserve.
#7. Help Them Embrace Modern Tech
When seniors are supported by modern tech, it can have a telling influence on their lifestyle and independence. While many seniors won’t actively reach out for help, they will accept the support that you offer. As a tech-literate user, you can take control of the situation by developing tactics that are designed to guide seniors and beginners.
Learning how to use modern tech properly can help your loved one in many ways, with some examples being –
- Improve their interactions around the home thanks to assistive tech
- Stay in touch with loved ones through messaging and video calls
- Learn new hobbies and keep their brain engaged
- Manage their online banking
- Learn about community events and stay in touch with friends
#8. Focus on Clear Communication
Finally, it’s imperative that you maintain clear communication with all parties at all times. Elderly home care services should be coordinated so that your senior loved one has support available at all times. If nothing else, this naturally promotes a patient-centric approach to aid their health as well as their independence.
Clear communication should also enable primary caregivers to arrange respite care as required. More importantly, it means that elderly home care can start out, as the minimum possible service before subsequently evolving, as your loved one’s needs change.
When ongoing elderly home care is underpinned by clear communication and a desire to make any modifications that may be needed over time, your loved one’s quality of life will look far brighter.
