Spending time with your loved one over the festive season may have got you thinking about elderly care arrangements.
Spending time with your loved one over the festive season may have got you thinking about elderly care arrangements.
If you’ve begun to spot signs that a loved one isn’t coping as well as they once did, a formal care arrangement could make a real difference to their overall quality of life. It could also prevent a crisis further down the line.
Why the festive season is a time to take stock and plan ahead
There are several reasons why you may be thinking more about care for an elderly relative at this time of year.
Snow, ice, cold, fallen leaves and other adverse weather conditions present additional challenges for older people. These factors can change their regular routine, affect their confidence and increase the risks of a fall and of contracting an infection.
Over the festive holiday, you might have noticed that your loved one was less able to cope without their regular support network in place, or seen a worrying change in their behaviour. These are all signs that a new care regime might be necessary.
What to think about when considering elderly care
There’s lots to consider when thinking about setting up a care arrangement. These are some of the key factors and how live-in care helps to tailor support for individual needs.
Independence
Live-in care enables your loved one to stay in their own home, surrounded by cherished people, pets and possessions.
Carers are trained to help your loved one maintain independence by encouraging them to carry on with domestic activities in the way they’re familiar with, and provide support for the aspects they’re no longer able to do themselves.
This means they can continue eating their favourite meals, engaging in social activities and practising beloved hobbies.
Medical support
A live-in care arrangement makes sure your loved one’s taking their medication at the right times, and in the right circumstances. This ensures that the treatment prescribed is as effective as it can be.
Live-in carers are also trained in many age-related medical conditions. This enables them to recognise when a person may need medical support, and react to your loved one’s condition as it changes over time. The early identification of conditions, like infections, enable a swift medical response and can avoid deterioration, falls and unwanted hospital admissions.
Availability
Possibly the most important factor in any care arrangement is that help is on hand when your loved one needs it most. With a live-in care arrangement, a small team of carers will be on active duty 24/7 to make sure your loved one’s needs are catered for.
The unique one-to-one staffing model means that care is tailored around your loved one, their needs and their wishes. Nothing else.
This means that daily arrangements can be structured around their preferred customs, even if their condition has made it less regular. It also ensures that someone will be there in the event of an accident. Many feel much safer as there is someone within the home they can call on if help is required.
Live-in carers are hand-picked to fit gently into the life of the person they’re caring on. Many share similar interests, and eventually become a companion as well as a carer.
Setting up a formal care arrangement can seem like a major change. But, with a bespoke live-in care arrangement, your loved one can receive the support they need while carrying on with the life they’re familiar with.
If you want to find out more about planning ahead for elderly care, contact the friendly team at The Good Care Group.
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