As the United States people age, the focus on the number of looked for services will have to line up with the quality of the care rendered. For many years a spotlight has been placed on how well residents who reside in a nursing home are treated. Some understand that the level of care an individual obtains is dependent on how much family members are involved. Some mature children have trouble with placing their senior parents in a nursing home because of the negative press. Price is also a part in making this choice. An alternative to nursing homes is senior home care services, which allow a person to stay put in their home and receive the level of care that they will need.
Along with determining the price and care, the types of elderly home care services are chosen based on an individual’s situation. Insurance companies have sought ways to trim down the costs of hospitalization and therapy services, which has opened the door for service providers who concentrate in giving these services at an individual’s home. This reduces health care costs and allows an older adult to remain in their homes. The home care landscape has grown into a cutthroat business, giving greater options for people to choose from.
The advantages of having home care services rather than staying in a nursing home cannot be miscalculated. The intellectual portion of being able to keep some level of liberty can go a long way to improving the excellence of life for numerous elder adults. Most elderly only require assistance with regular, daily activities which may include transportation to doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, or bathing. Still, others may require more steady care, depending on their disease and how far it has developed.
A person who receives senior home care services can have more private attention than someone who lives in a nursing home. In a nursing home, a partial number of personnel must attend to a number of different people with varying degrees of needs. Receiving care at home can cost less than it does in a nursing home because of equipment costs that are factored into nursing homes. The annual costs of a nursing home differ by state, but in most cases, the costs far go above and beyond the median income of many older people. Those with Medicare soon find out that it only covers a little portion of long-term care, and that treatment is limited to the sort and number of days. The people that cannot come up with the money to supplement the costs of a nursing home could want to give home care services serious thought.
Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness that is caused by flu viruses. The symptoms usually come on suddenly and can include fever, headache, fatigue, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that 5%-20% of United States residents will get the flu. The flu spreads mainly from person to person in respiratory droplets of coughs and sneezes. It can also spread when a person touches their own mouth or nose before washing their hands.
Seniors and those receiving personal home care, as well as those with chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease are at added risk of complications from the flu. Complications can include pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus/ear infections. The flu can also make chronic health problems worse.
For those that receive in-home care, some steps can be taken to reduce the spread of the flu. First, it's important to protect those not sick. Avoid contact with the sick person, especially if you have a chronic medical condition. The sick person should always cover their mouth when they cough and wash hands often with soap and water. The CDC recently increased the amount of time you should wash your hands from 15 seconds to 20 seconds. It's also a good idea to remind other members of the household, especially children, about the importance of keeping hands clean. The elderly, especially those with chronic conditions, can ask their health care provider if they should take an antiviral medication to prevent the flu.
The CDC also provides the following recommendations to protect other person in the home:
- the sick person should not have visitors other than necessary caregivers
- when possible, have only one adult in the home provide care to the sick person.
- avoid having sick family members care for seniors at high risk for complications.
- everyone in the household should wash their hands with soap and water after every contact with the sick person.
- when possible, use paper towels for drying hands after washing. For family members living in the household, designate a different towel for each person.
- when possible, leave a window open for better ventilation in shared household rooms such as the bathroom and kitchen.
- keep surfaces clean by wiping them with a disinfectant.
- throw tissues and other disposables such as diapers in the trash and wash your hands after touching tissues and similar waste.
- wash lines and towels on a hot setting. Wash your hands after handling soiled linens and towels.
- dishes and eating utensils used by the sick person should be thoroughly washed before being shared.