Opting for in-home care over assisted living and rehabilitation facilities is a growing trend that shows no sign of slowing down. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that home health and personal care aid jobs will grow 34% from 2019 to 2029, a growth rate they classify as “much faster than other occupations.” And as more seniors choose home care over assisted living facilities due to COVID-19, there’s a good chance this industry will grow even more quickly than predicted.

Home care allows adults to live independently longer. It provides security and choice for the individual receiving care and peace of mind for their family members. From occasional respite care to a few hours a day to around-the-clock care, home care allows for flexibility. 

Home caregivers can provide a wide range of services from help with personal care and daily living activities to rehabilitation assistance after surgery. When looking for a quality home care agency, evaluate each one you are considering with a thorough interview. The following questions will help you find a  trustworthy, compassionate and professional provider.

Questions to ask

Are you licensed and insured? Licensing requirements vary by state. Request a copy of an agency’s “insurance declaration page” as proof of coverage. You can also ask whether they hold any special certifications or accreditations.

How long has your agency been in business? Ask who owns and operates them.

How do you select your caregivers? Look for an agency that checks references. Verify the level of experience caregivers have before they are hired. Ask about background checks — a good agency will conduct background checks on all its caregivers.

Are your caregivers bonded? Look for a caregiver who is bonded against theft and ask the value at which they are covered. 

How do you train your caregivers? Ask whether the agency provides ongoing training after caregivers are hired.

Do you assign your caregivers a supervisor to oversee the quality of care your clients receive? If the answer is yes, ask how often the supervisor will visit the client’s home.

How much do you charge? When discussing cost, ask whether there are different rates for holidays and weekends. Verify how often you are billed, whether rates vary depending on services and training level of the caregiver, and whether they require a deposit. Ask if they accept credit cards, and if it applies to you, ask whether they accept long-term care insurance.

What hours are you available? Confirm whether they are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and holidays. Ask whether they are available for emergencies and if so, ask whether there is an additional charge for this.

Do I have to sign a contract that locks me into services? Look for a provider that offers flexibility in case your needs change. Ask about the process for submitting requests for changes. 

Do you write a personalized care plan for each of your clients? If so, ask what it includes and how often it is updated. Ask whether they include family members’ input.

How often and by what means do you communicate with family members? Ask whether they provide electronic communication, verbal communication or regular reports. Ask whether there is an additional fee for this.

How do you handle problems and complaints? Find out who you can call and how the agency follows up on and resolves complaints. 

How do you ensure the confidentiality of your clients?

Do you have back-up care if my caregiver becomes ill?

Can you provide references? Reference might include doctors, clients and family members?

For more information

How to Pay for In-Home Care, AgingCare.com, May 29, 2020.

6 Steps to Finding the In-Home Care Agencies That Are Right for You, AgingInPlace.org.

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When you think about where you want to live as you grow older, what comes to mind? If you’re like most adults, you probably imagine staying in your own home. In fact, 3 out of 4 adults ages 50 and older report they want to stay in their homes and communities as they age, according to a recent AARP survey. And for good reason. “Aging in place,” or safely growing older in your own home rather than in an assisted living facility has many benefits that contribute to the overall quality of life. To name a few, aging at home:

• Is often more cost-effective than an assisted living facility
• Allows you to keep social connections
• Provides the comfort of familiar places and service providers
• Enables you to live in a place filled with a lifetime of memories 

Research also shows that those who continue to live independently have less physical and mental decline when compared to adults living in an assisted living facility. 

In order to successfully age in place, the National Aging in Place Council strongly recommends some planning. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” While no plan is set in stone—financial and health circumstances can change—making preparations now can set you up for success. Later, be sure to reassess your plan as your needs change. 

Six steps to creating a plan

As you develop your plan, consider these key areas:            

1. Analyze your finances. What are your monthly home costs, and can you continue to afford them after retirement? You might decide that you need to downsize. How much will it cost for any home renovations or modifications in order to comfortably and safely move around your home? (See below.) When considering expenses, account for medical and health insurance costs. Can you afford to hire a professional in-home caregiver if need be? Consider involving family or a trusted advisor to help you evaluate your financial needs. 
2. Assess your home. How do you want your home to be set up as you age? Do you need to make any modifications? Some common modifications older adults make to their homes include rearranging the home so the master bedroom is on the main level, adding grab bars to the bathroom, and installing non-slip flooring to prevent falls. 
3. Evaluate your health care needs. Your health care needs will change as you age. Talk with your doctor about any chronic health conditions you have and discuss what you can do to ensure you are able to age in place. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular exercise is an investment in your future. 
4. Research your transportation options. Even if you are able to drive now, look into transportation options in case you are not able to drive in the future. Does your community offer public transportation, are taxis available, or do you have access to ride services like Lyft? Do you have family or friends who can drive you when needed? 
5. Make a plan for care. There may come a time when you need part-time caregiver assistance. Do you have family who can help with this? Would you prefer hiring a professional caregiver? Now is the time to have these conversations with your family. Let them know your preferences for the future and discuss their ability to help with your care. 
6. Embrace technology. When it comes to living independently, technology is your friend. Smartphones, smart home assistants, telemedicine, wearable monitors, and other technological innovations can make independent living easier, safer and more comfortable. Take the time to become familiar with what’s available. 

For more information

The National Aging in Place Council has created a template and short questionnaire to help you create your own plan for aging in place.

Aging in Place: Growing Older at Home, National Institute on Aging.

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You may be caring for your aging parent and just need someone to be with them while you run errands or take care of your own needs. Home care services are versatile, flexible and customized for your comfort, peace of mind and well-being. Every person we provide care for has a unique situation. Every home is different, every schedule is different and every person needs a different type of care to meet their needs. Some of our clients utilize us for as little as a few hours per month, and others have 24-hour care. We can do anything in between. We care for everyone, with every need.

Children with autism

We all know children on the autism spectrum are vastly different in many respects from children who are not. 

Autistic children see their world through a different lens. And that’s the good news to embrace if you have a child with autism, even when their different lenses can cause disruption. 

This is how autistic children communicate;  they try to let you into their world so that you can witness its beauty and understand them. They see things you can’t and appreciate things you may take for granted. These different yet beautiful children have so much to offer. The onus is on the parents to raise their children on the spectrum with a life of compassion and routine,  often with the help of caregivers. 

Living with disabilities

Disability home care is a service that provides in-home support for individuals with disabilities. These services benefit not only the individual but can also provide significant value to family members and other caregivers. In-home care providers can assist by preparing meals, providing transportation to and from doctor appointments, bathing and showering, offering social interaction and much more. While places like assisted living facilities focus on set schedules, activities and meals for all residents, in-home care is developed around the needs of the individual. 

Childcare during the pandemic

With the proliferation of COVID-19, parents of school-age children are scrambling to secure safe child care as they go back to work. Parents who once depended on camps and daycare are questioning how safe it is to have their children attend programs with many children enrolled. Some camps and daycare centers are weighing steps to open—but others aren’t certain if or when they’ll reopen their facilities.  Parents are challenged with the “what ifs” of allowing their children to be exposed to other kids. It’s a hard decision for parents.

Parents need to get back to work to keep their households running. After months of quarantine, parents are reluctant to allow their children to reintegrate with the world due to the worry of them contracting the virus. Parents are juggling their fear of their children being exposed to COVID-19 against their need to earn money to house, nourish and clothe their family. Many parents have said, “If I let my child go to daycare and they get the virus, I’ll never forgive myself.”

Is it roulette or do parents have enough information to make a decision they can live with? Agonizing choices between health risks and paychecks are plaguing parents throughout the country.

With no signs of the coronavirus decreasing its wrath or a clear message on how the spread of the pandemic is being handled, parents are in the biggest predicament of their lives.  

In-home child care certainly is a safer option for both children and parents. While over 50% of the nation’s child care centers have closed with the uncertainty of if or when they’ll reopen, many parents are trusting home care agencies to care for their children. 

Post-hospital care

Many of the risks that arise during post-hospital recovery can be reduced or eliminated by hiring a professional in-home aide who is trained and experienced in providing post-hospital care to people who need support. 

With the uncertainty of living with COVID-19, the considerations for transitioning from hospital or rehab to home have changed tremendously, particularly for seniors. Similarly, with safety in mind, many seniors are voluntarily transitioning from assisted or skilled nursing facilities to home under the care of a single caregiver to minimize exposure to the coronavirus.

In-home caregivers can help with daily living tasks that could cause further injury to a patient who was recently discharged or is recovering from injuries due to a car accident. Many people do not adequately follow the directions of the hospital after they return home due to a lack of care and support. Feeding pets, preparing a meal, buying groceries – all of these simple activities can potentially cause an injury and require readmission. With the help of in-home caregivers, these activities can be taken care of without adding risk to the patient.

After returning home from a hospital stay, patients may find it challenging to remember when to take medications, how the medications should be administered and what the proper dosages are, or when to get prescriptions refilled. In-home care provides medication reminders so medications are taken responsibly and on-time; caregivers can also monitor any side-effects that may occur so that a doctor can be notified. 

Continuous care and monitoring by experienced in-home caregivers help identify problems faster and can alert the patient and medical professionals of concerns that could cause readmission if not addressed early enough during the recovery process.

Along with the safety value that in-home care provides, home care also allows patients to recover in their own comfortable environments where they aren’t constantly interrupted by noise outside the hospital rooms and nurses checking in on them. Comfort alone can help people relax and recover a little faster; and these are just some of the many benefits that home care provides to patients recovering after a hospital stay.

Senior Isolation and Loneliness

Unless you have a reason to notice, you may not recognize the startling reality of the aging adult population who are plagued by loneliness and isolation. There isn’t a single factor contributing to this growing concern, but several complex reasons that over the past 10 years, the AARP Foundation is reporting a significant increase (a total of about 5 million people) over the age of 45 reports feeling lonely.

Social connections and interactions increase both psychological and emotional well-being and play a significant decisive role in physical health.  Caregivers, caregiving facilities and even communities are starting to acknowledge how much social involvement and companionship contribute to the well-being of seniors and are taking active measures to help reduce the risks of isolation and loneliness. Here are a few steps you can take to help improve the overall health and well-being of a loved one who may be at risk.

Care for special needs children

Parenting is not the easiest task in the world, but it is rewarding. As parents, we spend most of our time trying to take care of our children. Feeding and bathing them, dropping off and picking up from school, and helping with homework are just a handful of tasks that parents do daily. The list of tasks is endless, and as the laundry finishes, dinner made and dishes cleaned up each night, parents are already exhausted thinking about the next day.

When you are parenting a special needs child, the daily list of tasks changes and often increases, there are more doctor visits, therapy appointments, and health problems that bring constant worry and stress. Many parents do not realize that they can ask for help and support from outside services, but they can! 

In-home care is an option for parents who need an extra hand or respite during emotional and physically overwhelming times. Taking care of a child with special needs can quickly take its toll on a parent who does not have time for themselves. In-come care for children with disabilities also allows parents to better focus on other children and family members as well as providing extra time and help to complete tasks that need to get done.

Respite care for family caregivers

Caregiver burnout often happens when caregivers spend so much time caring for a loved one that they miss out on needed rest and leisure to recuperate and gain strength. Caring for a family member can be stressful, time-consuming, exhausting, and can put a strain on emotional and physical health. With the proper precautions and steps, caregivers can ultimately avoid caregiver burnout and remain in optimal health to provide the best support and care. 

COVID-19 did not create a need for in-home care, but it has given caregivers and disabled individuals a need to find alternative solutions to outside support and facility living. From the comfort of your home, you can find the help and support that will allow you to integrate with today’s world with flexibility and ease. In-home care for disabled individuals is an empowering solution. 

If you are considering home-care for your situation, call SYNERGY HomeCare for more information.

Aging parents

One of the hardest moments for an adult son or daughter is realizing an aging parent needs help with daily living. The signs are apparent: a once meticulous home becomes untidy, they wear the same clothes almost every day, new dents in their car, the refrigerator has little food inside, poor personal hygiene goes by the wayside. And sadly, the list goes on.

Most adult children begin with in-home care where a caregiver visits the parent on a regular schedule. It could be a half-day where the caregiver prepares meals, helps the parent with hygiene and dressing, ensures their medicine is taken on time and tidies up their home.  Or it can be up to 24-hours a day, which allows the adult child to help their parent remain independent, at home, and each is happiest with this decision.

We help you or your loved one in their own home by providing services that help aging seniors who need help to live independently. It’s the key to your loved one living the highest quality of life possible. It allows for safety, security and independence.

You might be thinking it would be a good idea to have some help for a few hours, every other day. Or your needs and expectations could require more hours and days. We provide more home care to aging parents initiated by their children than any other type of care.

Insider information

There’s a deeper meaning to our mantra, “Care for Everyone,” than you might realize. We typically reserve divulging the deeper meaning to insiders only. You’ve come this far, so you ought to know our special meaning of “Care for Everyone.” 

The deeper meaning is really simple. Sometimes we call it “trickle-down love.” You see, once you have home care for your spouse, your elderly mother or disabled son, that most excellent, compassionate care that they receive, trickles love down to you. Your loved one is happier and you are relieved. You have peace of mind just knowing they’re in good hands. That is trickle-down love, or “Care for Everyone,” is what makes SYNERGY HomeCare the right solution for you and your loved ones. 

So remember, when your loved one receives home care, it’s a gift for you and your family, too.

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A choice you can live with

With the proliferation of COVID-19, parents of school-age children are scrambling to secure safe child care as they go back to school, either online or in the classroom.  Parents who work from home seek uninterrupted workdays, and those who go into their office need to know their children are in good hands and are taking safety measures to prevent COVID-19 infection.

Parents who once depended on daycare and afterschool programs are now questioning how safe it is to have their children attend programs with many children enrolled. Parents are challenged with the danger of their children being exposed to kids who may be infected.   

What can parents do?

Parents can follow guidance from their state’s governor, the CDC, and local ordinances. They can stay informed about COVID-19 by reading from reputable sources such as the CDC and WHO. 

Suppose their children attend an in-person school or a childcare program. In that case, parents expect enhanced health and safety measures, including health checks on every visitor entering the facilities, employees wearing masks, and frequent handwashing and disinfecting workplace surfaces. 

Even with enhanced safety measures, the downside is enforcing the children to comply with the school or program’s safety measures mentioned above. If their children don’t comply, the safety measures taken by school or childcare employees are futile. 

Are there any safe child care options available?

An option that limits transmission potential is child care in your own home.  The logic behind in-home care is fewer people involved, less chance of COVID-19 exposure.  Plus, in-home care offers more than help with school and activities. Professional caregivers prepare meals, tidy the home, do laundry and run errands, and more.

“Parents who once depended on daycare and afterschool programs are now questioning how safe it is to have their children attend programs with many children enrolled.”

Home care for children is increasingly popular, as parents opt for a reliable and professional caregiver to care for their children and help with online school in their own homes, minimizing exposure.  Some ‘quarantine-partner parent couples’ have created a hybrid model of childcare where they pool resources to provide in-home care for both families’ children. The children stay at one family’s home with the caregiver while the parents go to their office or work from home. This hybrid model of pandemic childcare is popular for many reasons, with safety and peace of mind being the top two. 

Home care agencies such as SYNERGY HomeCare are amenable to the hybrid model. This model complements its 6-step safety protocol used in clients’ homes:

1. Complete fitness for work / Lack of exposure questions before each visit
2. Wash hands upon entering client’s home
3. Wear face masks when working around clients
4. Wear gloves when touching clients
5. Sanitize frequently-touched surfaces
6. Taking their temperature throughout the workday

It’s a hard decision for parents

Some parents need to get back to work to keep their households running. Others need the ability to work at home without interruption by their children.

After months of quarantine, parents are reluctant to allow their children to reintegrate with the world due to the fear of contracting the virus. Many parents have said, “If I let my child go to daycare and get the virus, I’ll never forgive myself.” 

Is it roulette, or do parents have enough information to make a decision that sits well with them? Agonizing choices between health risks and paychecks are weighing on parents throughout the country.

As one might imagine, this is the type of dialogue that prompted the birth of the hybrid childcare model of families who have been quarantining together since Spring and have chosen to care for their children together.

In-home child care certainly is a safer option for both children and parents, based on the number of people involved alone. While over 60 percent of the nation’s childcare centers have closed, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center, with the uncertainty of if or when they’ll reopen, many parents are trusting home care agencies to care for their children. 

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