Finding A Home Health Aide For Your Aging Loved One

Holding the title of caregiver for an aging loved one comes with immense responsibility. One way to help you properly care for your loved one is by hiring a home health aide from a reputable home healthcare agency. Home health aides help individuals with day-to-day tasks, such as bathing, dressing, cooking, cleaning, and taking medications. They give your loved one the freedom of living in their own home while receiving the care they need when they need it.

Here is some helpful information on finding the best home health aide for your aging loved one.

Signs It’s Time to Hire

When is it time to hire a home health aide? You should look out for the following signs:

1. Your loved one is becoming forgetful. This can become harmful when it comes to forgetting to take medications, turning off the oven or stove, and more. You want your loved one to be safe in their home while daily tasks are performed. With the help of a home health aide, your loved one can remain safe and well-cared for each day.
2. Your loved one is struggling to groom themselves. Mobility issues can cause difficulty with daily grooming. Home health aides are trained to help elderly individuals with these tasks.
3. Your loved one can’t stand for long periods of time. This can make cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, and other tasks problematic and unsafe for your elderly family member.
4. Your family is overwhelmed. It can be challenging and burdensome for your family members to take turns caring for your loved one on a daily basis. Hiring a professional home health aide will help you enjoy and value your time with your loved one even more.

Qualities to Look for

If you’ve decided it"s time to hire a home health aide for your senior loved one, it’s important to find an aide that has the following qualities.

1. Experience. You want a home health aide that has the proper experience to care for your loved one. They need to understand how to help your family member in a patient, compassionate, and friendly manner.
2. Knowledgeable. The home health aide you hire must have a basic understanding of the medications your loved one takes, CPR, and basic safety precautions in the home.
3. Kind. Kindness goes a long way. You must hire a kind home health aide that will make your loved one feel safe, secure, and well-cared for. You never want your family member to feel like a burden to anyone.
4. Caring. A caring home health aide will ensure your loved one’s physical, mental, and emotional health are in check.
5. Flexible. Flexibility is key, especially when it comes to a worker that’ll be in your loved one’s home. Hiring a home health aide that can work around you and your other family members’ caregiving schedules will be helpful for all parties involved.

Keeping Your Loved One Safe

You may want additional protection for your loved one aside from hiring a home health aide. What are some options you can consider?

1. A medical alert system. Medical alert systems provide 24/7 protection for your senior loved one. If your family member were to fall out of bed in the middle of the night, they would be able to press their help button. The best medical alert systems will provide GPS-fitted help buttons and immediate assistance upon a call. LifeFone, for example, offers immediate assistance and alerts caregivers like yourself that an incident has occurred.
2. A security system with cameras. Security systems will give you and your loved one peace of mind. Finding a system that provides doorbell camera coverage as well as sensors and cameras inside the house will keep your loved one safe in case they were to fall or if a stranger were at their front door.

Your loved one’s safety and well-being are important. When it’s time to hire a home health aide, reach out to a helpful, passionate, and experienced home healthcare agency in your area. They have the resources to find home health aides that your family can interview and hire yourselves. With the help of advanced technology and a caring home health aide, you’ll finally have some peace of mind that your loved one is safe in their home at all times.