Elderly Care: When you think about elderly care, how much do you really know?
Did you know that many home care aides can help your mom take care of her pets? They can drive her to her appointments if you’re unable to do so. There are many things elderly care providers can help with, but is there anything they can’t?
Things Home Care Isn’t Right For
There are a few things home care aides cannot do. They’re not able to do anything of a medical nature. If your mom cannot give herself an insulin injection, home care aides cannot do that. You’d need to discuss home health care services.
Home care aides can remind your mom to take her daily medications. They cannot administer them. If she has a prescription that’s injected through a needle or IV, a home care aide couldn’t help.
They cannot insert or remove IV lines. They can’t work with catheters, colostomy bags, or feeding tubes either. Mixing medications is also something caregivers cannot do.
Caregivers cannot give your parents medical advice. Your parents shouldn’t ask their caregivers for medical advice. If your mom has a scratch that’s red and sore, she needs to ask her caregiver to arrange a doctor’s appointment. She cannot ask the caregiver to treat a possible infection.
A good rule to remember is no medical care from a caregiver. If your family remembers that, it’s easy to stick to the rules. However, there are a few other things caregivers cannot do that aren’t of a medical nature.
If the home care aide has been hired to help your mom, your dad cannot ask the caregiver for help. If he needs care services, you need to arrange care for him in an individual care plan.
The same is true if you stop by around dinner time to visit your mom. You cannot expect the caregiver to make you a meal while cooking for your mom. It’s not the caregiver’s job to prepare meals, do laundry, or help others in the home.
Elderly Care: What About Around-the-Clock Care?
People don’t always realize that around-the-clock home care services are available. If you have a parent with dementia who cannot be left alone, 24-hour home care is essential. It’s hard to tell when your mom will wake up and try to get outside. If you sleep through the noise, she could wander away and not be able to find her way home.
With 24-hour home care services, your mom has a team of caregivers working in shifts. She’s never alone, and you’re able to continue working and enjoying your free time. Call a specialist in elderly care to learn more.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elderly Care in Los Altos, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care.
Call today: (415) 795-2203
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