What is Senior Home Care?

Senior home care is a service that enables aging individuals to remain in their homes by getting help with some basic activities of daily living. Home care is sometimes also referred to as companion care, and is different from home health care in that it consists only of non-medical services. More A growing number of seniors are relying on home care to help them stay in their own homes longer as they age, instead of moving into senior living communities.
People who use home care services are typically those who are in good health and able to live independently, for the most part, but who benefit from different kinds of assistance with either activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), or some of both.
Examples of ADLs include bathing, dressing, personal hygiene and grooming, toileting and use of incontinence products, and what is referred to as transference or ambulatory assistance, which generally means getting around and moving about, say from chair to walker, or from bed to toilet.
IADLs, by contrast, have less to do with personal body care and are more focused on household or schedule management. This means things like housecleaning and home upkeep, shopping for groceries and preparing meals, adhering to a medication schedule with the proper dosages and prescriptions, scheduling appointments, balancing checkbooks and paying the bills.
Senior home care services can be arranged fulltime, part-time, short-term or long-term, depending on the circumstances and the extent of the senior’s needs. For instance, you may wish to set up fulltime senior homecare on a temporary basis in the event of a medical crisis such as a sudden illness or injury, to help out until the senior regains his or her strength and mobility. Alternatively, a senior living at home with an adult child may need long-term in home care, but on a part-time basis, to help out when the adult child is away at work.
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Finding Good In-Home Care

Here at Years Ahead, we strongly advise arranging for home care services only from reputable homecare agencies, preferably ones that are licensed, bonded and insured. More Individuals or companies that advertise homecare services independently may not have the same credentials or qualifications as caregivers working through home care agencies. By using an agency, you can feel more secure that the professional who is providing care for your aging loved one has gone through a background check and is specifically trained in home care for the elderly.
Years Ahead is proud to provide a nationwide network of high-quality homecare agencies to meet the needs of families seeking care. Each Years Ahead home care provider has a detailed profile with comprehensive information, including photos, experience and capabilities, pricing, reviews, and more, so it’s easy and convenient to check them out before contacting them. As always, Years Ahead is free of charge to you, and you can use it as much as you need or want. We are dedicated to helping families understand, evaluate and find the right care for their aging loved one.
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Does Your Loved One Really Need Home Care?

We know it’s not always easy to determine exactly what kind of care your family member or loved one may need at this time. More How can you tell if home care services are enough, or if your family member might really need to consider moving to an assisted living facility? One easy way to find out is to take our guided Care Path Assessment survey. By answering a few basic questions, you can quickly discover whether senior home care will best suit your aging loved one’s needs.
The Care Path Assessment Tool really makes it easy to decide the type of care you’re looking for. Developed by industry experts from the University of Southern Florida’s Department of Aging, it will determine where your aging loved one falls on a 5-point independence scale, and provide a detailed description of their personal independence level and specific care needs. It also serves up tailored solutions based on the specifics of your aging loved one’s situation, and can give you the contact information for licensed home care agencies in your area.
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