Are you trying to find a caretaker? So you ought to be aware of your choices. Home health care, assisted living communities, nursing homes, and adult day care facilities are the four main categories of caregivers.
Knowing the differences between the various caregiver types can help you feel less overwhelmed when setting up home care for a loved one. Making the best decision for you or a loved one’s needs in terms of a caregiver can be influenced by this information more easily. These are the most typical caregiver types, along with a description of their main duties.
What Are Four Types of Caregivers？
Nursing Homes
Short-term rehabilitation care and long-term care for chronic conditions are the two main types of care that are typically offered in nursing homes. Patients receiving rehabilitative care, most often due to an acute illness or surgery, may continue staying at the facility as long-term care patients if they do not recover the ability to live in their previous environment. The patient will have to switch rooms because the long-term care units are typically in different part of the facility.
Most nursing homes have staff on hand to take care of daily medical needs, accommodate patients who are bedridden or need significant help with some or all activities of daily living, and provide rehabilitative therapies. A patient’s nursing home will call the local emergency services to arrange for treatment or hospitalization if they suffer an acute illness or injury.
While medications can be administered at all levels of assistance, the majority of nursing homes demand that staff members fill prescriptions and refills, typically from a pharmacy of the nursing home’s choosing. Patients with mild to severe dementia can typically be accommodated in nursing homes, but if a resident exhibits aggressive behavior, they may be transferred to another facility that has a special unit for these patients.
Home Health Care
Perhaps the most flexible option is receiving care at home. Home-based caregivers can offer a range of services, from a few hours per week of standby supervision to 24-hour care. A home health care agency that you hire will send out caregivers who have the necessary skills for the duration of your requested time. Before you plan for services with a home care agency, you should get an assessment of your loved one’s care needs. Sometimes the agency can arrange this assessment, and it should be performed by a registered nurse.
The majority of agencies prefer visits to last at least 3 to 4 hours, and some also have weekly minimums. The agency will typically divide the 24-hour care you request into two 12-hour shifts. Staffing for full-time caregiving also takes into account particular state labor laws. Some agencies will provide “live-in” caregivers, but there are requirements as to where and when they are allowed to sleep and how much free time they have.
Assisted Living Facilities
For assisted living facilities, there is no standardized design. They vary in size, appearance, and types of services they provide. Because they typically offer a community setting where residents can live relatively active lives and a variety of social programs, assisted living facilities are a popular option. A community garden, a pool, a hair salon, and other amenities might be available when you visit. Throughout the day, residents have access to group activities and social gatherings, and on Sundays, they can attend a worship service of their choice.
Although residents may receive periodic nursing care in the facility as needed, this care is not provided on a continual basis. For instance, the staff may administer medications (take it from the container and give it to the resident) but most residents are expected to take their medications with the assistance that is limited to reminders and/or set-up in special dispensers. When residents need some help during the day, but not constantly, the staff is really there to help. In fact, many facilities won’t take a resident who spends most of their time in bed or who is unable to move around independently without running a constant risk of falling.
Adult Daycare Centers
In a community-based group setting, adult daycare facilities offer programs for adults. These programs are typically designed to offer a range of health, social, and related support services in a safe environment for adults who require supervised care outside the home for a portion of the day. There are many cities and towns that have adult daycare facilities and adult daycare centers. They may run on a public or nonprofit basis, and they may be associated with multi-service organizations that provide home care, assisted living, nursing homes, hospitals, and other non-profit services. Depending on your loved one’s care requirements and capacity for social programs, you will need to make the best decision possible.
If your loved one seems incapable of managing daily tasks, is unsafe when left alone, and spends significant amounts of time alone each day, you may want to think about enrolling them in an adult day care facility.
What to Consider When You’re Looking for a Caregiver?
Because caregivers assist their loved ones with a variety of tasks, the qualities that make a good caregiver depend on what that person’s loved one needs. Several caregivers are billpayers. Others monitor their medication. Still, others live with their loved one, providing company as well as hands-on care.
- Patience: Taking longer to complete simple tasks is common for people who require care. They might repeatedly ask the same queries. To handle anything, from a loved one’s memory lapses to angry outbursts, good caregivers need patience. They work on maintaining composure and avoiding anger.
- Compassion: There is no doubt that empathy and understanding are essential. Caregivers make an effort to maintain compassion and understanding, even when providing care for an abusive person.
- Being Present: Respecting their loved one’s current capacities is crucial for good caregivers. A good caregiver tries to be in the moment with their loved one, looking at photos, listening to music, cooking a favorite meal, and keeping in mind that they weren’t always sick, rather than concentrating on what they can no longer do.
- Focus on Details: Good managers make for good caregivers. They create schedules, plan for emergencies, and organize information so they don’t have to scramble.
- Cooperative: An effective caregiver is a member of a care team that may also include doctors, family members, and friends. Being a successful team player requires being forgiving and adaptable.
Conclusion
Pick the best caregiver for your needs from the four available categories. After all, they vary in cost, environment, hours, and training, and you need to consider them carefully.
