“In Home Care in Hackensack, NJ offers senior citizens companionship in their golden years.” That is the title of a recent article in The New Jersey Journal. According to the report, “The senior residents in our care have many reasons for wanting companionship. Whether they are healthy enough to do it all on their own, or would rather have someone there to share their senior years with, most of our residents’ concerns are easily addressed through in home care.”
According to the same article, “The cost of in home companionship ranges from as low as one hundred and eighty-nine dollars for a one month term to four hundred and fifty-five dollars for a monthlong term.” ” caregivers provide basic personal care such as bathing, dressing, feeding, walking, using the bathroom, playing with the patient’s toys, and helping with activities of daily living such as shopping, meal planning, light housekeeping, and using the telephone.” Also included is professional personal care such as help writing letters, reading the patient’s newspaper, conducting massage, preparing meals, shopping, and accompanying the patient to doctor’s appointments. Most services are provided by licensed professionals who perform their own exams and evaluations before offering a service. All services are insured, certified by state boards, and approved by Medicare.
In home companionship also includes companion care. This is a combination of daily companionship services and professional care given to an elderly citizen by another person. Companion care is most often provided by family members or friends who know the needs of their elderly loved one. These services might be as simple as watching the senior citizen’s eye balls when they leave the home and sharing meal and conversation time. Companion care is becoming increasingly common for senior citizens because it allows them to continue with their normal, independent lifestyle outside of the home while receiving the professional care they need.
Most people assume that companion services mean visiting the senior citizen’s place of residence. However, companion services can take many forms. It might require the elderly citizen to stay in an assisted living facility or nursing home. It might mean visiting the senior citizen in an unfamiliar city. Or it might mean scheduling errands and having the elderly person do errands at home while she goes to an activity of interest. Anywhere that the senior citizen spends more time at home than at their facility is considered a companion service.
Companion care is an important part of a successful senior care agency. The reason is that without the companionship, the senior citizen can face significant difficulties dealing with day-to-day life. Although living alone can be challenging, it can be made easier with the companionship of another adult who can help to keep them motivated, get them away from the home and give them encouragement when they are falling down or simply need a pick me up. A companion can help the senior citizen deal with depression caused by the change in surroundings and support them through the emotional changes that may occur as they move into a new phase of their life. In many cases, elderly companions have already developed an emotional support group, thus making it possible for them to rely on the other person for emotional support when they need it most.
Companion care also makes it possible for the elderly citizens to maintain their independence. Companion care ensures that the elderly care recipient maintains the ability to do what they want, whether that is walk to the grocery store, cook a meal or take a bath. The personal care provided by the other adult (most often the younger adult) helps the elderly citizens retain their independence. This helps them live independently and avoids them developing the dependency associated with staying in a home alone.
If the residential care recipient lives alone, it can be very difficult for them to continue to live as independently as they would if they had a companion to help them. They may feel overwhelmed by the changes in their environment. A companion can help to provide emotional support as they adapt to living as an older adult. Having a companion to accompany them to the doctor’s office or the supermarket can also provide emotional support as they begin to meet other people who also live alone.
Many caregivers shy away from hiring home care agencies in order to avoid the appearance of an employer. However, agencies often provide more personalized caretakers, which make them better candidates for getting hired. A good agency will screen all of its employees before hiring them, including applying to work at home in a medical environment. Having an employee that works in your home helps to ensure that you are not only meeting your legal needs, but that you are also meeting the needs of your caregivers in order to best care for them.