Aging is an inevitable part of living. And as we age, we often need care. Over the last year, about 10% of all Americans, 34.2 million people have provided unpaid care to an adult age 50 or older. Thank you to San Antonio Woman for interviewing Andres Cruz of the Pride team to explain how home care can help you live independently as you age.
Here is an excerpt:
It’s a story facing families every day: Mom has had mild dementia for a while, but she and Dad have been married 48 years, and it’s his “job” to take care of her. So he compensates, compromises his own care and ends up in the hospital himself. The family never knew how advanced Mom’s dementia had gotten, because Dad covered it so well. Now they both need help.
The details may vary, but at some point, everyone is faced with a situation that requires home health care or home care. Understanding your options so you’re prepared to make decisions for your family and loved ones is key.
Home care and home health care sound interchangeable, but they’re vastly different. Home health care requires a doctor’s prescription, is paid for by health insurance and involves the services of skilled labor, such as licensed nurses or therapists.
Home care is a much wider array of services, including everything from companionship (so someone is not home alone) to personal grooming and other activities of daily living. Home care does not require a prescription, is usually paid for privately or through long-term-care insurance, can range from a few hours a day/a few days a week to 24-hour care and is not provided by skilled labor. Unskilled labor does not mean untrained — it simply means someone who is not licensed, but the companies providing the care services are licensed and regulated by the state.
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