Caring for elderly or infirm relatives is a big issue for many families. As our relatives age, they become increasingly frail and many find it hard to cope with everyday life. The need to care for a relative can also arise after an accident or debilitating illness.
Since most people prefer to stay in their own home for as long as possible, finding the right homecare solutions is a pressing concern. Thankfully, there are plenty of homecare solutions available to make caring for an elderly or infirm relative a lot easier.
Safe Accommodation
Once an elderly or infirm person can no longer take care of themselves, it is important to make sure their home is safe and warm. If the person still has some mobility, you may need to put up grab rails in the bathroom and extra supports in the bedroom.
You may also need to move their bedroom to a ground floor room if they can no longer cope with stairs. Make sure you remove all potential hazards and install any extra safety devices they may need.
Carers in the Home
A lot of families choose to care for their own relatives. They may even choose to move the person into their own home in order to care for them. However, if the person lives too far away or there are other reasons why you can’t be the primary carer, it may be necessary to call in an external agency to provide home care.
Home carers can be employed to visit once or twice per day to provide meals and take care of personal hygiene. If the person is severely incapacitated or bedridden it may even be necessary to provide 24/7 home care.
When to Employ Professional Carers
Caring for an elderly relative can be a full time job, especially if they are suffering from the latter stages of dementia. Simple tasks such as lifting a heavy person into bed can be a nightmare if you do not have the correct training. This is why it can often be better (and safer) to employ a trained carer to look after your loved one.
Homecare Telephony Solutions
If your relative wants to retain some of their independence or there is not a 24/7 care system in place, it is essential to have some kind of homecare telephony in place. Alarms and sensors can be set up so the person is able to call for assistance if they need help. Homecare telephony systems can also be used to document when carers arrive and leave, thus making it easier to keep a check on their home visits.
The time may come when caring for an elderly or infirm relative at home is no longer viable and they need around the clock nursing care at a level home carers cannot provide. At this point, for their own safety, it is better they are moved into a nursing home. It is often an extremely difficult decision to make, but your loved one’s safety must come first at all times.
Today’s feature writer, James Morrison, is a sales executive at Simplified Telephony Solutions, a company dealing in Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems in Toronto. He enjoys his job and he works on antique restoration projects in his free time.
