The Best Option for 24-hour Home Care for Elderly Adults in Their Own Homes
Written by:
Jeffrey Grossman
Published:
June 14, 2021
24-hr care in your own home is the best way to ensure elderly adults can age in place and receive the assistance they need at all hours of the day. It also provides peace of mind and caregiver relief to spouses or family caregivers.
But when it comes to home care for the elderly in their own homes, things can get a little confusing. Some in-home care providers offer 24-hour care in your home, some offer elder live-in care, and some offer both.Is there a difference between live-in help for the elderly and 24-hour-a-day care at home? If there is a difference, what is it and which one is best? In the home care world, live-in care and 24-hour care are different services. Keep reading to learn more about these two services, how live-in care works, and whether live-in care or 24-hour care is best for you.
The Importance of Home Care for Elderly in Their Own Homes
Based on a recent AARP survey, 90% of adults aged 65+ desire to live independently in their homes for as long as possible. Another 80% believe that their current residence is where they’ll live for the rest of their lives—aging seniors want to age in place.There are many benefits of aging in place, including:
Familiarity and comfortability
Continued access to close relationships
Ability to see the same medical provider
Emotional attachment and joy of your own home
These are all significant advantages, and it isn’t hard to see why seniors want to stay home as they age. However, independent living can quickly become complicated with a decline in health or the need for serious hands-on attention and care.Spouses or family caregivers can provide some care, but prolonged caregiving or a severe decline in health can become significant roadblocks for spousal or family care. That’s where a trained elder caregiver can come in handy.Caregivers possess unique skills that allow them to provide quality care and companionship for aging adults. They can help with tasks such as:
Dressing and grooming
Meal prep or feeding
Incontinence support
Transportation to and from appointments or social events
When a loved one wants to age at home but needs regular assistance with daily tasks, full-time elderly care at home could be the solution.
Live-in Elder Care vs. 24-hr Care in Your Home
If your aging spouse or parent requires hands-on care to live independently, home help for the elderly is a great option.But should you choose a senior live-in caregiver or a 24-hour caregiver?Live-in care and 24-hour care sound similar, but they have unique differences. Below we’ve detailed how each of these home care services works to help you better understand them.
How Live-in Care Works
Live-in care is a home care service that some home care companies offer. It’s a way to provide your loved one with hands-on assistance during daytime hours.With elderly live-in home care, an individual caregiver lives with your loved one at their place of residence. Every few days, a new caregiver will come to take over the duty of care. The caregivers will assist with activities of daily living and ensure the safety of your loved one throughout the day.Each day, a live-in caregiver is allowed a place to sleep for up to eight hours without interruption. Families looking for a live-in caregiver for elderly seniors usually have aging loved ones that sleep through the night.However, many seniors may require assistance during the day and night, especially those with dementia, sleep problems, or mobility issues.
How 24-hour Care Works
When your aging loved one needs attentive care during the day and night, 24-hour home care is the best solution.Similar to live-in care, 24-hour care in your home provides aging adults with a trained in-home caregiver. But unlike elder live-in caregivers, 24-hour caregivers aren’t allowed to sleep during their shift. 24-hour-a-day care at home ensures that your loved one always has quick access to a trained and alert caregiver.The ability to sleep or not sleep is the most significant difference between live-in care and 24-hour care.24-hour home care for the elderly in their own homes is great for anyone with loved ones who:
Struggle with incontinence
Have recently undergone a major surgery
Experience sleeplessness or other sleep problems, like sleep apnea
If you look into 24-hour care, it may be helpful to know that some of its other names include:
Full-time elderly care at home
Overnight home care for seniors
Around-the-clock care
With overnight home care for seniors, your loved one will receive quality care all day long. It will also provide you with peace of mind and relief from the burden of care.
Expert Advice on Full-time Elderly Care at Home
Aging adults have a strong desire to age in the comfort of their homes. They want to keep and have access to what’s familiar to them. But as they age, it may become more difficult for them to perform daily tasks independently. Fortunately, live-in care and 24-hour care both offer seniors the opportunity to receive hands-on assistance in the presence of their homes. Live-in help for the elderly provides aging adults with trained caregiver help during daytime hours. The caregiver lives in the elderly adults’ home for convenience. However, a senior live-in caregiver is given a place to sleep and up to eight hours of sleep each night. On the other hand, 24-hr care in your own home provides aging seniors with a caregiver that’s awake and alert during all hours of the day. Your loved one will have access to trained in-home help as soon as they need it. At Commonwise Home Care, we’re experts in elder care. We offer a wide range of in-home care services to suit you and your aging family member’s needs:
Respite care for family caregivers who need a break from caregiving
24-hour in-home care for seniors who need assistance during the day and night
In-home Physical Therapy for elderly adults
Contact our Richmond, Williamsburg, Charlottesville, or Charleston office to talk to a Care Advisor today.