The Benefits of In Home Care in San Francisco

When a person is no longer able to look after themselves due to age or illness, there are several options. The person could be placed in a long-term care facility, or a nursing home, or they could go live with a family member who becomes a caregiver, or they could stay in their own home and be provided with 24 hour live-in care. San Francisco residents have several options.

When a person chooses home care services in San Francisco, there are several benefits when compared to other forms of care. For family members, having professional care for their loved ones through in-home care in San Francisco removes the burden of having to provide care for a family member. It also helps to provide peace of mind, as the person knows their loved one is safe and being cared for.

For those who need an extra level of care, in home nursing care in San Francisco is also available.

There are also several other benefits. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Safety at home

When we talk about in home care in San Francisco, we are referring to care for elderly people. Although there are home care services in San Francisco available for other age groups and people with disabilities, for the purposes of this article we will talk about senior care.

When an elderly person lives alone at home, family members often express concerns for the safety of the person. Having a person in the home with them to provide care adds a level of safety in a couple of ways.

First, the house is less likely to be a target for people with bad intentions, especially if it is made clear, through various visual signals, that the elderly person is no longer alone. These signals could include a car in the driveway that isn’t normally there, or by the caregiver making sure to be visible outside around the house. But this is not as much of a concern as the other form of safety.

When a person requires in-home care in San Francisco, it is likely because they are infirm, which often comes with a risk of falling. For those of advanced age, a fall can be a traumatic event leading to broken bones and other problems. When a person is in the home to care for the resident, they can assist with lifting the person off the floor, and are able to call immediately for medical help, if needed. In some cases, the caregiver may even be able to catch the person as they fall to minimize any injury.

Promotes independence

One of the harder things about getting older is having to give up one’s independence. This loss of independence is one of the reasons that elderly people are reluctant to be placed in a care home. But when the person is in need of a caregiver, this can present a challenge. In home nursing care in San Francisco provides the best of both worlds. The person gets to remain in their home, while also getting the care they need. In this way, the elderly person is able to maintain independence, which can be good for their mental health.

One-on-one care

When a person requires care, it is good to know that they are getting the care and attention they deserve. In a situation where the caregiver is in their home to provide 24 hour live in care in San Francisco, the person is receiving a more personalized and more attentive level of care than if that caregiver needed to split their time and attention between several people. In a personal care home, or nursing home, this is often the case, as budgets do not typically allow for a one-to-one patient to caregiver ratio in old age homes.

One-on-one care also can help the person receiving care in other ways, too. For instance, it can improve a person’s emotional state, since they have companionship.

When a person ages, they are often unable to get out of the house as often or as easily as they once could. One of the reasons for this is mobility issues. Once a person becomes reliant on a walker, they tend to move about less. Some elderly people view a walker as a sign of weakness, and would rather not go outside than be seen having to rely on a walker.

For others, it’s just too much of a hassle to deal with. When standing and walking become difficult, there are many barriers to going outside. Let’s take a look at the situation of an elderly person in their living room who wants to go outside. First, they must get up out of the chair. This alone is a significant achievement for some, as sore muscles and bones, illnesses such as arthritis, and the loss of muscle mass can combine to transform the once-simple task of standing up into an ordeal. This act of standing is complicated by the need to get the walker into position.

Once standing, the person must then make it to the door. What used to be done without a thought in a few seconds now becomes a journey, as the person likely finds walking to be quite difficult. It could take an elderly person several minutes to cross a room, and this movement can be quite tiring for the person.

Then, once they have made it to the door, they must put on their shoes. This means having to sit again, which can be a bit of an adventure in itself, as we’ve already seen. Another option is that the person has a long shoe horn to aid them in putting on their shoes without sitting. This can require standing on one foot to get the shoe on. When simply walking is difficult, balancing on one foot can be a very difficult task.

As you can see, this entire process would be made much simpler if the person had some assistance. That way, they could get out of the house easier to enjoy some fresh air and sun without being worn out by the time they get outside.