Some families forgo nursing homes to save costs by taking the care of their elderly into their own hands. While Los Angeles hospice care providers like Lakeview Hospice Care honor decisions made by any family, cost-cutting measures shouldn’t—in any way—compromise the quality of care. Those deciding on home care are urged to be more responsible.
If you and your family are intent on going down this road, Dr. Richard Earl Lewis of healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente offers a few basic tips.
Safety and Accessibility
Nursing homes and other assisted living facilities are designed with the safety and accessibility of seniors in mind. To name a few, they have ramps for wheelchairs, handlebars in rooms and hallways and enough elbow room to help get them around. These features are required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Residential homes aren’t as heavily regulated by the ADA as nursing homes, but you’ll need the changes nonetheless. Mitigating the risk of slips and falls in the house usually makes a suitable home for home care. To ensure that for your home, you can install grab bars, build ramps and put automated chair lifts if your house has stairs.
Finances
One way or another, safety features and constant treatments will leave their mark on your bank account. You may have saved a few hundred bucks by handing senior care yourself, but never rest on your laurels. Your folks’ health can change when you least expect it and the symptoms are usually subtle, leading to unexpected expenditures.
You’ll have to pull out all the stops to save as much as possible, from selling unused stuff to racking up coupons. Couponing, in particular, is a trending practice among households due to its hundreds of dollars in savings so it wouldn’t hurt to try it for yourself.
Choice of Care
Just because you chose to care for your folks at home doesn’t mean you won’t need home care professionals. Providers of hospice care in Los Angeles can arrange a schedule so that they administer proper senior care while you deal with matters around the house. It makes sense to hire one, especially if your folks have a chronic condition.
Overall, be responsible. You volunteer to take care of your folks yourself, so it’s your duty to see things through to the end.
Citation:
“Golden advice: Planning for senior health needs now,” The Press Enterprise, April 27, 2015
“Fall Proofing Your Home,” NIH Senior Health
