Today we are going to answer some questions you may have regarding home care. Sometimes the decision to arrange home care is a gradual one and can be made over many weeks with plenty of time to ask questions and do your research. However, it can happen that home care provision is needed within days and you may not even know what questions you should be asking.
What is Home Care?
Home care is when a person receives care from other people. It enables the individual to stay living in their own home with the assistance of a family member or a professional home carer. The reason for it may be a temporary one, for example, a person may need assistance with washing, dressing and cooking for a few months if recovering from a fall or a broken limb. In other cases, it becomes a long term situation where a person receives supportive care which equips them to remain living in their own home.
The care can be medical or non-medical. Examples of non-medical home care include companionship, home-making and personal care.
Who provides Home Care?
Sometimes home care is provided by family members and sometimes it is provided by a professional home care company such as Comfort Keepers. At times, we work together to provide a family member with respite. We often provide home care for six days a week and family members visit on a Sunday.
Is there a minimum or maximum for the hours of Home Care?
We are extremely flexible when it comes to home care arrangement, we can provide care for half an hour, hourly, daily or weekly visits. Many of our clients have hourly visits for most days of the week. We also provide overnight care.
I Am Lonely – Is Home Care a Good Idea?
Living on your own is a huge adjustment for most people, particularly if they have grown up with siblings, been married and had children. It often happens that the first time they are living on their own is when they are elderly so it is understandable that it can take time to get used to. Some older people avail of day care centres and visit them a couple of times a week. Others may need a little help with personal care and the home visit provides company too. Companion care can make a huge difference to a person’s day – apart from providing conversation about the news, have fun doing a crossword together and listen to stories, the home carer can be an exercise buddy and go for gentle walks with you or help with some daily tasks.
I don’t know if my mother requires home care or a nursing home? How do I decide?
Medical professionals will help you make that decision. We will also advise during consultation too. All of our client care managers have either a social care or a nursing background so you can rest assured that we will help you make the right decision. It might happen that your mother will maintain her independent living for months or years if that decision is made. At Comfort Keepers, we review the care for every one of our clients on a regular basis (every three months) and will review at any stage if we deem it necessary.
How do I know I can trust the Home Carer?
All of our carers are garda vetted and undergo various training such as attending an induction day, Moving and Handling care, Dementia care and Personal care. Continued education and training is provided regularly. We monitor all carers too, each carer has to log in and out and fill out a report on each visit. The telemonitoring system means that office staff can see instantly if anything is awry.
Can I claim Tax Relief on my Home Care?
You may be entitled to claim back up to 41% on the cost of our home care services. The relevant form can be accessed here.
If you have any other questions regarding home care for yourself or a family member, do contact us.
