5 Essential Things to Consider When Selecting Personal Care Services for the Elderly
It has been duly established that the elderly in many cases require extensive care within their daily lives, with regard to hygiene, mobility and other essential services. When selecting home-care companies, your relative will be provided dignity, high quality of life and reduced burden on family members. Here are 5 useful tips which will guide you in choosing the proper personal care services for elders:
1. Assess Your Loved One’s Needs
First, define further what needs of your loved one will have to be met and possibly what diagnosed needs they have. Use the checklist below:
- Are they in need of help to be bathed, combed or help when putting on clothes?
- Is it important not to throw obstacles in the way of a wheelchair bound person, or are there too many life threatening fall risks?
- Should they take someone’s help to take their medications?
- Can they feed themselves, or do they need help in order to do it themselves?
- Understanding these needs is crucial to ensure you identify a service provider that offers tailored at home care services equal to their needs.
2. As important as having knowledgeable adult children, is choosing experienced and compassionate caregivers.
In personal care services always give priority to those that employ highly trained caregivers. Check for:
- Special training in care of the elderly and first aid certifications.
- Training in senior hygiene care especially if your loved one has a special need such as arthritis or dementia.
- Understanding nature which is useful in treating elderly individuals most especially those with low understanding ability.
- Companies such as Music Valley Senior Advisors in Nashville Tennessee boast of independent staff filled with competent and sensitive workers who have prior knowledge on issues to do with seniors.
3. Ensure Services Are Tailored to Seniors’ Preferences
It is critical that whoever is implementing and/or responsible for service delivery pays attention to the fact that it should reflect seniors’ preferences. Unfortunately, fixes that could work for any other age group do not apply to seniors in most cases. The kind of personal care services that a person needs should be in harmony with his/her preferences personality, habits and cultural beliefs. Use this checklist to evaluate flexibility:
- Does the senior’s preferred schedule for hygiene be respected by the caregivers?
- Is there any relationship between meal preparation services and any type of diet needed by the individual?
- Will they adapt it depending on the senior’s needs?
Personalized in-home care ensures that your loved one receives the attention they need while respecting their individuality.
4. Make Sure You Have Transparent Communication
Communication involving a caregiving relationship is open and consistent. Look for a service that offers:
- Up to date on the health of your loved one.
- Clearly spelled out protocols for reporting any changes in health or behavior.
- Support that you can access to deal with your problem or request.
- Strong communication with families is the key to good oversight implemented by Music Valley Senior Advisors, and everyone involved has a sense of what’s going on and being supported.
5. Think of Location and Availability.
Make sure to choose a service localized to your area if you don’t want to waste time and wait days for things. Especially if it’s an emergency, or it’s a service you need in a hurry that you don’t have on staff. If you’re in Nashville, TN, then Music Valley Senior Advisors provides reliable in-home personal care services specifically for your area.
Why Should You Choose Music Valley Senior Advisors?
Unlike most agencies, Music Valley Senior Advisors provides a full service which includes everything from personal care services to preventative care. Family caregivers are relieved of daily caregiving pressures while seniors have their hygiene, dignity and comfort maintained, by their team. So whether it’s bathing, grooming or support with their mobility, their skilled caregivers are standing by to lend a helping hand.
Sum-up
Since deciding on personal care services for the seniors can be a daunting task, you need to have the right approach and with a reputable pro like Music Valley Senior Advisors, you are assured your loved one gets the best the care they deserve. You can ensure a quality of life for your loved one through informed decision making by prioritizing experienced caregivers, by assessing needs, and by delivering personalized communicative services. If you’re a Valley Senior Advisor asking about options or taking the first step toward better care for your loved one, why not contact us today in Nashville, TN.
