The Power of Home Care

Posted in: Blogs

Around the UK, thousands of families are embracing the power of home care to give their loved ones the support, companionship, and personal assistance they truly need.

The UK’s population is aging by the day. In many cases, families need an option for taking care of aging parents and loved ones beyond relying on the support of unpaid family caregivers, who often have younger children, full-time jobs, and countless other responsibilities to balance.

Why Home Care?
Home care is a flexible, reliable option for providing seniors with the support and attention they need to live life to the fullest – while also giving time back to the countless family caregivers who deserve the chance to rest and recharge.

Also called in-home care, respite care, or companion care, home care is typically significantly less expensive and far more convenient than other forms of senior care. With home care, an experienced, professional senior companion spends time with your loved one in the comfort and safety of their own home.

This companion can provide a wide variety of services designed to help empower your loved one to live independently, including:

• Helping with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as sitting, standing, and getting into bed.
• Providing help with grooming, bathing, and personal hygiene.
• Assisting with housekeeping and laundry services.
• Offering medication and exercise reminders.
• Providing transportation to family events, doctor’s appointments, social gatherings, and more.
• Assisting with shopping and meal preparation; and
• Spending social time together, including sharing meals, playing games, watching TV, going on walks, and more.

With home care provided by a passionate and attentive senior companion, you can connect the senior in your life with exactly the type of care they need, on a flexible schedule that suits their lifestyle – and your own. This way, your senior loved one can enjoy the life they want from the comfort of the home they love, without having to uproot and pay all the expensive fees associated with institutional care.

The Benefits of Home Care, By the Numbers

Home care is a dependable, convenient, and accommodating way to empower seniors to live healthfully, connect with their community, and nurture meaningful relationships. At the same time, it’s a powerful way for family caregivers to get some respite and focus on their own health and well-being.

Curious about the positive impact that home care may have for you? Consider these seven stunning statistics:

70% of Adults 65 or Older Will Likely Need Some Form of Long-Term Care During Their Lives

Even if the senior in your life is healthy right now, it’s important to consider the future. The vast majority of older adults will need to take advantage of long-term care at some point.

Research suggests that the average length of care for older adults outside of a nursing home is about 4.5 years, and that roughly 20% of adults over 65 will need long-term care for more than five years.

Home care can be an effective way to get older adults the support they need. It’s easy to get to started, endlessly flexible, and significantly less expensive and disruptive than moving into an assisted living facility.

9 out of 10 of those 65 or Older Want to Remain At Home for As Long as Possible

In a commonly cited poll, 90% of adults over the age of 65 say that they’d prefer to age in place in the comfort and safety of home, and 80% say that their current home is the only place they want to live.

Home care can be an easy way for older adults to remain socially connected and get the day-to-day assistance they need, while getting the chance to stay in a loving, familiar, and healthy environment.

Senior Using In-Home Care Services Report 25% Fewer Doctor’s Visits Per Year

Home care can help families spot “yellow flags” for seniors, before they become more pronounced. Even more importantly, the support of a caregiver can help seniors avoid slip and fall accidents, improve their nutritional health, and enjoy the health benefits of socialisation and companionship. As a result, seniors who use home care services report 25% fewer doctor’s visits, compared to those who do not. Among seniors with dementia, home care also led to significantly fewer hospital admissions – 58% among those with home care, to 65% without.

70% of Family Caregivers Report Feelings of Depression; Family Caregivers Are 20% More Likely to Have High Blood Pressure and 50% More Likely to Suffer Daily Physical Pain

For members of the “Sandwich Generation,” tasked with caring for older loved ones and younger kids at the same time, caregiving can be a lot to take on alone. As a result, many family caregivers report feeling stressed, suffering from chronic health conditions, and experiencing other symptoms of burnout. Home care can be an effective way to give these caregivers the support and relief they need to focus on their own health, and make time for the other important things in life.

Family Caregivers Spend an Average of 24.4 Hours Per Week Providing Care

By one estimate, there are thousands of unpaid family caregivers in the UK, and 80% work full- or part-time jobs, in addition to providing more than 24 hours of care per week, on average. One study also suggests that nearly a quarter of family caregivers (23%) are the “only” or “primary” caregiver for their loved one, despite living a long distance from family.
Home care can be an effective way to allow someone else to shoulder some of the responsibilities of providing for an aging loved one, giving you back time to work, rest, or recharge.

25% of Older Adults Feel Isolated, and 30% Say They Do Not Have Regular Companionship

A senior companion can help with ADLs, offer medication reminders, and assist with housekeeping. More importantly, a professional caregiver can also provide a senior with the invaluable chance to form a connection with a true friend. It’s hard to overstate the health benefits of staying social for seniors. For older adults, remaining socially connected has been shown to improve mental and physical health in many different ways, and even increase overall longevity. A companion can assist in many different ways, from sharing meals to providing regular transportation to community events, social gatherings, religious services, and more.

Ready to Get Started? St Margarets Homecare is Here to Help

If you have any questions about providing the best possible care for your loved one, don’t hesitate to get in touch with St Margarets Homecare today! We have been in care for 36 years and counting.

At St Margarets, empowering elders and their caregivers is our passion, and we’re happy to talk over any thoughts or questions you might have. We’re always here to bounce ideas off of, and help you find the best course of action for yourself and your senior loved one.

Wondering if your older loved one would benefit from in-home care? Don’t hesitate to drop us a line to discuss creating a personalised care plan for your senior.

At St Margarets, our mission is to help seniors live independently and with dignity in the comfort of their own home by empowering them to lead an active and enriched lifestyle and improve their quality of life – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Our carers are trained and can help provide a variety of services designed to help your loved one age in place with ease.

Don’t hesitate to contact us today via our website:

www.stmargaretshomecare.co.uk

Or give us a call at:

Harrogate 01423 276249

Selby 01757 210841

York 01757 210841

Email: enquiries@stmargaretshomecare.co.uk