What Kinds of Home Help are Available for the Elderly?
You can get almost any type of help you want in your parent's home—often for a cost. The following list includes some common things people need. You can get more information on many of these services from your local Area Agency on Aging, local and state offices on aging or social services or nearby senior centers.
Personal care. This includes bathing, washing hair, and dressing.
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Homemaking. Does your elderly parent need help with chores like housecleaning, yard work, grocery shopping, or laundry? Some grocery stores and drug stores will take orders over the phone and bring the items to your parent's home. There are cleaning services you can hire, or maybe someone you know has a housekeeper to suggest. Some housekeepers will help with laundry. Some dry cleaners will pick up and deliver clothes.
Meals. Some home health care agencies provide homemakers who can cook meals. Also, look into programs like Meals on Wheels, which bring hot meals into elderly people's homes. These services are available in most communities.
Money management. Is your parent paying bills late or not at all because it's tiring or hard to keep track of them? Are doctors' bills and health insurance claim forms confusing? Financial counselors, or geriatric care managers can help. Just make sure you get the name from a trustworthy source, like your local Area Agency on Aging.
Medication management. Does your aging parent forget to take their medicine? There are devices available to remind mom or dad when it is time to take it. Home health care workers who visit the home at a set time each day can give your parent his/her medication. Medicare might pay for a home health aide to come to your home.
Getting around—at home and in town. If your aging parent has trouble walking, or getting in and out of chairs, consider an electric chair or scooter. These are sometimes covered by Medicare. If your parent needs someone to go with them to the doctor or shopping, volunteer escort services may be available. If your parent can no longer drive a car, free or lower-priced public transportation and taxis may be offered in your area. Home health organizations also provide these types of companion services and transportation.
Medical and health care. Registered nurses (RNs) provide skilled medical care, including giving medications, monitoring vital signs, dressing wounds, and teaching family caregivers how to use complicated equipment at home. Therapists work with patients to restore or maintain their motor, speech and cognitive skills.