In-Home Care Is The Right Choice For Many Seniors: Here’s Why!

Blog  |  July 10, 2020

In-home care offers unique benefits and comforts 

Providing the care and support our ageing family members need is not always possible. The responsibilities of work, home maintenance, and children often leave us without the time to be as present as we would like to be. Likewise, many of us live at a distance from our senior parents which makes consistent hands-on support and quality time difficult to accommodate. While many families make the choice to transition their senior parents into an assisted living residence, keeping seniors home offers significant advantages. For example, the in-home care of a qualified caregiver can help foster independence, better mental-health, and an overall higher feeling of comfort and joy for seniors in a safe and familiar environment. 

Staying home with the support of an in-home caregiver can help seniors avoid a decline in their mental health. 

It is an unfortunate reality that seniors are often affected by declining mental health.  Social isolation, the loss of a spouse, mobility problems and memory loss make seniors vulnerable to depression and loneliness. Making sure our ageing parents and family members feel connected and cared for is very important to their overall wellness and quality of life. Ageing at home can help. 

Keeping seniors living at home for as long as possible has been identified as a priority in maintaining their mental health by organizations such as the CMHA. In-home care from family members or in-home care services like the ones provided by Comfort Keepers Peterborough are identified as a key element in supporting mental health and ageing at home for seniors. In their publication Backgrounder on Seniors Mental Health, the CMHA states: 

“The role of home support services in promoting the mental health of seniors living in their homes cannot be overemphasized. These include meal preparation, shopping, housework, yard work and transportation services. The researchers heard consistently across the country about how important these services are to help to maintain seniors’ independence, self-sufficiency, sense of autonomy and empowerment.” 

One of the many benefits of in-home care is the high level of personalized support seniors have available to them. With in-home care, routines can be maintained and a sense of belonging and history is preserved. All of this has a positive effect on mental health for seniors and increases their quality of life greatly. 

The simple comforts of home foster joy and a higher quality of life for seniors.  

It is not hard to understand why the seniors in our lives would prefer to stay in their home. Home is a place where they have created memories. In their own home, seniors know the location of all necessities, furniture, light switches, and restrooms. There is an ease in staying home where things are familiar. 

As we discussed above, this can be especially important for seniors living with dementia or other mental health concerns.  We all know the saying “Home is where the heart is.” In the case of seniors, this may be especially significant. Staying at home isn’t only emotionally comforting, it has practical benefits as well. 

In-home care fosters more independence among seniors. 

Seniors continue to be vibrant and capable people, despite needing extra support with the tasks of day-to-day life. Preserving a senior’s independence is a very important part of ensuring a good quality of life. The continued ability to take charge of their own lives adds to a sense of self-worth and purpose that is so important to each of us, regardless of age. 

Ideally, in-home caregivers will work with seniors and their families to create individual care plans. A personalized care plan allows seniors the opportunity to age in place, safely and securely. The same high level of individualized support is not always possible in an assisted living setting. 

In-home caregivers recognize that every senior’s needs are different.

Care plans ensure that it isn’t only the practical aspects of life that are being attended to; comfort and joy should be factored into the plan, too.  From companionship and tackling the daily To-Dos to personal care and comfort, the in-home care offered by Comfort Keepers Peterborough caregivers always has the best interests of seniors at heart. 

It is natural to worry about our ageing parents and family members. We want the best for them. For many seniors, staying home while being properly supported is the right choice. In-home care providers, like the ones Comfort Keepers Peterborough offers, can make this possible. We understand that your parents and family members are important to you; they are to us, too! The hands-on support we are able to provide makes life so much easier and more enjoyable for seniors and helps them maintain both dignity and independence.  

If the senior in your life wants to age at home, Comfort Keepers Peterborough can help with compassionate in-home care. 

When your ageing parents or family members reach a stage of life where additional care and support are needed, you have options. Make sure to include them in the conversation. Fully understanding their abilities and needs will determine what kind of support and care you will need to access.

Independence, physical and emotional health, comfort and joy can all be achieved with the support of an in-home caregiver. 

Comfort Keepers Peterborough is dedicated to providing professional and compassionate care for the seniors in our community. Contact us to find out more about how we can help. 

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