Preparing Your Parent’s Home for Live-In Care

Elderly care can be a meaningful enhancement to your aging parent’s life as they age in place. Depending on the type of care arrangement that you select for them, having an elderly home care services provider in the home with them can make a tremendous difference in their ability to manage their individual needs, challenges, and limitations, while staying safe and healthy and maintaining as much independence as possible. One type of care arrangement that might be helpful for your aging parent is live-in care. This term is somewhat misleading in that it does not actually mean that a care provider moves in with them. Rather, a live-in care provider is with your parent for 24-hour shifts during which they care for your parent during the day and then sleep in their home during the night. In order for your loved one to benefit from the companionship and support of this type of care provider, it is essential that they take the time to prepare their home for the provider.

Use these tips to prepare your parent’s home for live-in care:

• Establish a sleeping space. Part of live-in care is that the care provider has the expectation of a full night of sleep each 24-hour period. While they may occasionally need to get up to help your parent with an urgent need, this should not be a regular occurrence. In order to provide for this, there must be a private, clean, and dedicated sleeping space for the care provider. This means a separate room with a door that is not used for another purpose so that the care provider is comfortable both while sleeping and while managing personal time tasks such as getting dressed and relaxing.
• Equip the home. When preparing for a live-in care provider it is important to equip the home with the right supplies. This should include at least two sets of new bedding so that the rotating set of care providers can change out this bedding when they change shifts. It should also include personal care products that the care provider can use. Though they are likely to bring their own, having items such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and toothpaste available for them ensures that they are comfortable.
• Consider usage of features. In addition to a full night of sleep each day, the care provider is also entitled to personal time before and after each shift. This is the time when they will manage tasks such as bathing and relaxing. Before the care provider starts work, make sure that your loved one evaluates all of the features of the home and determines which they are comfortable with the care provider using. While they are entitled to features such as the bathroom and kitchen, your parent should also consider whether they are comfortable with them using additional home features such as the living room television, the radio, or a pool or hot tub. If they are, you should leave clear instructions on how to use these features and any limitations or guidelines your parent might have regarding them. This will help to prevent awkward situations and ensure maximum benefit for your parent.

If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Worcester, PA, contact the caring professionals at Reliant At Home Care today (610) 674-6860.