Providing good care for older people becomes increasingly popular with an ageing population. Ireland’s population is growing as is the number of people aged over 65. To give you an example: In 1961, the number of people over 65 were 315,000. In 2011, there were 535,000. It is estimated that by 2041, there will be 1.4 million people over 65 in Ireland, comprising 22% of the population. The demand for more home based care is going to grow.
But why is home based care so important?
- People want to stay living in their own communities, seeing their neighbours and friends on a regular basis and being able to live independently.
- Many people need minimum help to enable them to stay in their own home, for example, meals on wheels, medication reminders, companionship, or help with washing and dressing. Much can be achieved within a 30 or 60 minute visit per day.
- An elderly person may live with other family members who are away working during the day so they may need a visit during the day to check on them.
- Family members sometimes need a break be it a carer to look after a parent when they are on holiday or give them a rest during the week or a chance to go shopping or out for a daily walk. This also means that they can discuss the level of care with a professional and get a second opinion from another carer. Respite care can be a godsend for family carers as it is important they look after their own mental and physical health too.
- People often find it difficult to find the motivation to cook for just themselves so getting a home cooked prepared meal helps their emotional and physical wellbeing.
- Security is an issue for those living on their own and knowing they will be visited every day brings comfort and reassurance to the client and their families.
- Mental stimulation daily is important too so whether it is chatting about the events in the news headlines or doing the daily crossword with someone, the company can make it more enjoyable too.
- The average age of care recipients in Ireland is 76 (2009). Having home based care means they can stay in their own homes for many years.
- By staying in their own homes, people can retain much of their habits and hobbies such as being able to watch their favourite TV programme when they want, keep a pet and stay in the same community.
Can you think of any other reasons? Care in a nursing home has its place in society of course but most older people can manage very well with just a little weekly or daily help in their own. With the increasing ageing population, there is going to be more demand for home based care.
Providing high quality care for our clients in Ireland is a top priority for Comfort Keepers. With the increasing numbers of people requiring care, we are currently recruiting for home carers in many of our seventeen offices. If you feel that you would like to work for Comfort Keepers as a home carer, do contact us via our website or Facebook page.
