Home Care for Couples

Many people understand how home care for an individual can be necessary but fail to consider home care for couples. Many situations can benefit seniors even when they’re not alone. What are the pros and cons of home care for elderly couples compared to that of individual seniors? 

First, the average cost of home care for senior couples is less expensive than nursing homes, senior living communities, or assisted living facilities where you pay for two individuals to live in a facility or pay for two different residences if one stays home. But let’s examine some of the additional benefits of in-home care for couples.

Alleviates the pressures of daily tasks.

A couple’s care needs may simply include needing help with daily support around the house. A professional caregiver can alleviate some of the burden around light housekeeping, grocery shopping, meal preparation, and more for older adults who want to enjoy good health in retirement. Or perhaps they need additional support. 

The right home care provider can provide respite care for short-term options, plus long-term care options to meet the precise needs of couples who need a little help, or additional help around the house, including with tasks like medication management. 

Some health issues require around-the-clock medical highly skilled care.

One of the cons of home care occurs when around-the-clock highly skilled medical care is required. It isn’t as cost-effective as a facility and far more difficult to achieve. One individual may require different levels of care from various specialists, including therapists, registered nurses, and skilled practical nurses. The cost of staying at home, even if it’s possible, can become prohibitive with long-term care facilities when a care team is needed. 

Plus, a married couple has earned the right to stay together despite different care needs. Older couples deserve a higher level of care at one, while each person may need a different care plan to hit their quality of life goals.Regardless, a personal care professional can meet those varying needs, giving peace of mind to family members while allowing seniors to age together, in their own home.

If one partner is incapacitated and the other is functioning, home care may be the best solution.

Too often seniors don’t ask for help in caring for a spouse. It can be overwhelming. That can lead to exhaustion and illness. Home care specialists can provide respite for the healthier partner and often much-needed help. Depending on the situation, the home care worker can provide a social outlet, too. If both partners have limitations, the home care worker can be a perfect solution by filling in the gaps and doing the things that they can’t do.

Staying at home with help from a home care worker addresses mental health.

Moving from a familiar home and separating an elderly couple can lead to mental health concerns. That can increase the potential for deteriorating health and reduce life expectancy. Aging in place in a home familiar to them offers more than comfort. It offers more companionship and control. Children, friends, and relatives feel more comfortable visiting and there are no limitations. The television can play loudly without a problem. It’s simply a better option if health and mental capacity allow it.

 

• Couples may not need much care but may need a lift to the grocery or help getting to medical appointments. As seniors age, diminishing vision, slower response time, and other issues may make it difficult for them to drive.
• Having meals prepared ahead of time that only require heating and serving is one benefit of home care that can address many problems, such as nutritional needs.
• If each senior has different needs, finding a facility to accommodate both may be difficult. Home care agencies are more flexible and can provide services for both individuals.
• Each situation is unique. Seek help from professionals. Contact a home care provider and a care facility to see which meets your needs best.

 

For more information, call us at (405) 461-6175 or contact us today at LiveBetter At Home.