Springhill Care Group: Misconceptions towards Home Care

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1.    A Home Caregiver Can’t Provide the Expertise and Level of Care a Senior Nursing Facility Can.

A 24/7 care can be provided by a quality home care, this include round-the-clock check-ups of vital signs and caregivers monitoring medications of the elderly.  A home health caregiver is able to pay all his attention to his patient because he is just responsible to a single patient.
In turn he will always be present in any emergency and the best thing is that they are trained professionally in dementia care.  Grooming and hygiene are never a problem since they practice one is to one caregiver-patient relationship, you are sure that your love one is well taken care of.  Their nursing services also include grooming, bathing, transportation, housekeeping, diet management, and senior companionship.

2.    Home Care Is Only a Good Solution When a Loved One’s Condition Worsens.

As much as you wanted to handle the care of your aging loved ones without professional guidance and as much as you wanted to believe in that it is not always the case.  It is best if you take home care for consideration sooner, find a quality in-home senior care service before your loved one suffers from a fall or his or her condition worsens and until you are unaware of what to do.


3.    Home care is more expensive than institutional living

This is a common misconception; home care is more expensive than institutional living that’s why they are left with no option but this isn’t true.  Home care expenses is more manageable because it is billed per hour, meaning you will only pay for the certain amount of hour your patient needs.

It is better to hire a caregiver without an agency

You can hire caregiver on your own and you may think that you can save money on agency fees, while also providing the caregiver with a higher salary.  But actually agency require much more to you and to the caregiver as well.  Agencies utilize backgrounds checks, provide training and make sure than certifications are up to standard. They also provide caregivers with workers compensation in case of injury.

5.    All home care services are the same
                                                 
Different agencies offer different kinds of service, it will depend on what type of care you require.  It will be best to check out on different agencies that will fit your standards.   Their services include companionship, homemaking, skilled care, specialized care and live-in care.
6.    A nursing home is just an extension of the hospital

Just like a hospital home care offer nursing care 24/7/365 but unlike hospitals a skilled nursing community also has different goals:

• Rehabilitating the resident and, if possible, returning the individual to their home
• Delaying physical and emotional deterioration
• Providing physical and emotional support for patient and family

7.    Once you enter a nursing home, you’ll never leave.

Skilled nursing communities are often temporary option for residents who need weeks or months of assistance recovering from surgery or any sickness.  Their goal is to rehabilitate the resident until they are ready to live again on their own or with their family.

8.    All residents in nursing homes are confused.

They only have physical shortcomings or they have become forgetful. But these conditions can be improve by social stimulation, exercise, good nutrition and properly controlled medication.

9.    Nursing homes smell.
Skilled nursing pay close attention to residents’ hygiene so should not have musty or stale odors.  And the facility is furnished so that it won’t absorb odors and made sure that have been cleaned effectively.

10. Nursing home costs will bankrupt you

Truth is nursing home care is expensive, but comparing the cost of similar care in a hospital or at home shows skilled nursing communities to be a sensible financial option
Other misconceptions are:

11. Nursing home food is terrible.
12. Medication will make you lose control of thoughts and actions.
13. Nursing home staff uses immobilizing restraints.
14. Nursing homes have no privacy.
15. Family and friends don’t visit nursing homes often.