As the baby boomer generation reaches their 50s, 60s, and 70s, we are seeing a rise in the demand for live-in care services. We spoke with Rhonda Johnson, an expert in the industry, to help explain what these services provide and why there are becoming so popular among the elderly.
What do live-in care services provide?
A live-in caregiver can provide round-the-clock service and tend to all of a patient’s needs. They live in the home of the patient so that they are always within reach of them. The main role of a live-in caregiver is to provide independence to the patient. They help with all of the daily tasks that the patient has trouble doing on their own. This allows them to live outside of a facility and go about their lives as normal as they can, given their circumstances.
Where does a live-in caregiver stay?
A live-in caregiver should stay in the patient’s home. They should be provided with their own room for privacy. There given time off throughout the month, however, they will be one-on-one with the patient for the majority of the time. This arrangement helps the patient feel more comfortable in their home.
Comparable services
24-hour care is similar to live-in care with a few exceptions. With 24 hour care, the patient will have 1 to 4 different caregivers showing up throughout the day. These caregivers will work in shifts and stick to a schedule that accommodates the patient and their needs.
A major downside of this type of care is that it does not create a structured environment for the patient. They may be uncomfortable with different people coming in and out of their home throughout the day on a daily basis.
Why people are choosing live-in care services
This is why people are choosing live-in care support. With this type of service, the patient is only dealing with one or two people at most. The only time a second caregiver will be brought in is to cover for the main caregiver when they take personal days every so often. Aside from that, the main caregiver will be with the patient 24 hours day, seven days a week.
Rhonda explains that people, especially the elderly, tend to prefer the consistent attention that a single caregiver can provide for them. We see a lot of people struggle to accept other types of care.
By having a single caregiver focus all of the attention on them, it helps ease the transition.
It is easier for the patient to communicate what they like and don’t like to the main caregiver. When they have to go through this process with multiple caregivers, it can lead to frustration for them.
Live-in care services provide a lot more convenience than assisted-living facilities since it allows them to stay in their home. In many cases, it is the only way that the patient can continue to live in their home and go about their day as they need to.
