When your mom or dad needs home care, you probably think of what you see in the movies. An older man chauffeuring an elderly woman around. A young woman who is desperate for a job who realizes caregiving is harder emotionally and physically than she ever would have imagined.
There’s so much more to caregiving than the movies cover. Plus, home care services are always changing and adapting to meet the changing world. These are the trends so far in 2019.
Demand is Increasing
Baby boomers are starting to reach the point where chronic health conditions become factors. Some chronic conditions require care in the home or an assisted living setting. These older adults don’t want to move from a home that’s comfortable and familiar, so they’re looking into having caregivers make regular visits.
While the demand for caregivers is increasing, some areas are having a hard time finding people willing to work in that field. This is starting to impact supply and demand and leading to caregiver shortages. Families need to get home care arranged sooner rather than later.
Companies Are Starting to Help Out
Realizing that their workers were often balancing full-time jobs with the duties of being a family caregiver, some companies are starting to add employee benefits to help out. Starbucks is one company that has started offering free senior care planning services.
Referrals Are Driving People to Specific Caregivers
It used to be that people valued the input of reviews online for finding home care services. Many people still start their searches this way, but they go beyond that. More people are listening to past and current clients of area caregivers and home care agencies now. They want to talk to someone they know and trust to get a recommendation rather than a stranger.
Care Is Becoming More Specialized
Home care services used to be a case of home care vs. skilled nursing care at home. Today, the range of older adults with specific care needs is leading to some specialized care needs. For example, a person with Alzheimer’s is going to need a lot of emotional support and redirecting. Families have to make sure they’re getting a caregiver who can handle the verbal and sometimes physical abuse someone with dementia can dish out.
Learn more about these and other home care trends by talking to a home care agency. When you make a call, you can discuss pricing, available services, and ways to use home care to ensure your parents remain independent in their home for as long as possible.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care services in Franktown, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare today at 303-953-9924.
