When you and your senior first start looking at different types of care options for her at home, some of them might sound as if they are truly the same thing. Two types of care that often get confused with each other are live-in care and 24-hour home care services. Although they do sound similar, these two care options are very different from each other. To ensure that your elderly family member gets the help that she needs, it’s a good idea to get familiar with how exactly they differ from each other.
A Team of Care Providers vs. Individuals
One big difference between the two types of care is that live-in care involves typically one person who cares for your elderly family member. That person lives in the same location and offers help when your senior needs it, but they also take breaks and sleep. With 24-hour home care, on the other hand, there is a team of multiple caregivers who work in shifts. There’s one caregiver with your senior at a time, but different caregivers are there all around the clock.
Constant Supervision, but Two Different Types
That means that your elderly family member has constant supervision with 24-hour caregiving options. This is especially helpful if your elderly family member is facing cognitive challenges, like dementia, or has a significant need for assistance at all hours of the day. Live-in care professionals are there when your senior needs help as well, but it’s more complicated when they’re asleep and your senior needs that help right away.
24-Hour Home Care May Help When it’s Needed the Most
In terms of which type of care is right for your elderly family member, it might be good to look at when she is most likely to need help. If her needs for assistance are more unpredictable and tend to happen during times like overnight hours, 24-hour home care may be the better option. With this type of care, your elderly family member has someone there around the clock who is awake and aware of what is happening.
Assess Your Senior’s Needs
When you and your senior are working out what type of care is right for her, look closely at her needs. It might even be helpful to write out a list that you can refer to and compare with the types of care she’s considering. Accepting help from any type of elder care provider can be an important step for your senior, so it’s important to make sure that you’re addressing as many of her needs as you possibly can when you’re making that decision.
Keep your senior involved in the decision-making process as much as you can. Whether you opt for caregivers who live in her home or 24-hour home care providers, it’s so much easier for her to adapt when she’s involved in that process from the very beginning. It isn’t easy to grow older and to need more help, so if there are ways for you to make that easier, it’s truly helpful.