The Benefits of Companion Care

The need for in home caregivers or companions for elderly has risen dramatically in recent years. Statistics show that senior citizens are aging at a faster rate, leading to more elderly people with debilitating physical health conditions such as memory loss, falls and other accidents. The rapid rise in the number of these ailments in the baby boomer generation means that there will be a greater need in the coming years for skilled home healthcare workers to provide senior assistance.

Senior caregivers provide the caring voice and hands-on experience that older adults require in order to live better lives. They are valued members of the family because they offer emotional, social and recreational support that many senior adults lack due to their aging. With a disability, illness or injury, elderly adults need extra help to maintain independence and live safely in their home. Because home healthcare agencies have begun to hire in home caregivers, finding a caregiver who has these qualities is easier than ever.

A companion for elderly people is another person with whom the elder can engage in social interaction and retain the ability to take care of themselves. Many seniors are reluctant to allow someone else to help them with their personal hygiene habits or grooming. An elderly person needs the ability to use the bathroom on their own, and they need to be able to take their own medication. A companion for this duty will help them do both. A caring adult can also help to get them out of bed, help dress them and feed them when they cannot eat or take their medicine on their own.

Elderly caregivers also provide emotional support. Emotional support can be the difference between feeling frustrated and overwhelmed and feeling safe and secure in one’s environment. Many elderly individuals, especially those who are suffering from a long-term condition, may become lonely and isolated. They may also withdraw from the activities and social networks of their community. Adding another companion for elderly care provides a buffer of security that the senior in your life might not otherwise receive.

One problem that some seniors have in their homes is that they are not taking advantage of the many opportunities to engage in activities with other aging adults. Living in an assisted living facility or skilled nursing home is usually accompanied by restrictions regarding who (and what) they can socialize with. For those seniors who wish to retain the ability to socialize, companionship can help. Rather than placing restrictions on themselves, companions for senior family members provide an understanding, an interest and a support system that can make the senior feel better about living in his or her own home.

It is not uncommon for elderly family members to require different types of care in their home environment depending on the severity of their condition. Some elderly individuals are in need of more assistance with physical health care, while others may require assistance with emotional and mental health. Regardless of the level of care required, however, companions for senior family members are there for their own well-being, as well as to make sure the senior in their life has as little stress as possible. When two people are living together, each person can learn a lot about the other and develop better interaction skills.

The best way to determine if companionship is right for your elderly family member is to ask him or her directly. You can also ask family members and close friends to see if they would be willing to accompany the senior in a particular activity. Of course, you want to make sure that your companion feels comfortable with all the companions in the household, but having several companions at once can provide the senior in your life with a number of different experiences, all of which can benefit him or her. Having companions to help the senior in your life feel independent and confident is very important, and companionship is one of the best ways for you to achieve just that.

Regardless, of whether your elderly care needs include assistance with bathing, moving, eating, dressing or any other activity, it can make a huge difference for them if they have a companion who is there for them in their golden years. companionship can do a lot to improve the senior in your life, and in many cases, it is the first thing that is requested by the elderly person in their lives. Once you make the decision to add companionship to your loved one’s senior care needs, you will quickly see the difference in the quality of their life.