Assisted Live-in Caregivers help older adults stay healthy and safe at home

Curtailing the amount of traffic in our clients’ homes is prudent during these challenging times. Older adults and those living with a disability are at higher risk for COVID; they fare much better at home than in an assisted-living facility or nursing home (also known as a skilled nursing facility). A limited number of visitors to the home means fewer opportunities for possibly life-threatening infections.

How Do I Find Assisted Live-in Care?
When you have decided that a live-in caregiver is your best support option, you’ll find that locating the right person can be a grueling process. At Professional Care Match we have the experience to help you find the perfect candidate to whom you can entrust your loved one. Our experienced professionals have been thoroughly vetted and trained to assist people in their homes; our services reduce the burden to families and give them peace of mind. 

In-home Care Services For Vulnerable People
At Professional Care Match, we rigorously prepare our in-home staff to use preventative measures to minimize the risk of COVID-19 or other infections, and are mindful of the many lingering health problems that could accompany such an infection if the person survives the ordeal.

Assisted Live-in Care
Only Professional Care Match offers assisted live-in care services to clients and families. We ensure our clients receive everything they need to allow them to remain at home for as long as possible. We serve people from all backgrounds: seniors, people with disabilities, and people who are most at risk for infection and injury. There are innumerable benefits to such an arrangement.

What Is Aging In Place? 
Remaining at home as one ages is an attractive concept for 9 out of ten people. Regardless of age, economic status, or level of ability, there are many benefits to aging in place. The familiarity and comfort of home reduces the stress on our clients’ wellbeing and allows them to enjoy their lives. Remaining within their familiar community means less distress and confusion, particularly for those with cognitive deficits. We can all agree that when mom is happy, everyone is happy!

Assisted Live-in Care Curtails COVID Infections
Keeping our clients safe and healthy at home is our objective. Access to a reliable helper who cares for only the person with whom they live is an extraordinary opportunity for our clientele. Keeping a “closed-loop” of contacts is proven to be an effective measure to combat coronavirus infections and possible long-term complications. When caregivers have only one client, there is less concern of infection being brought from one home to another. 

​What Does An Assisted Live-in Caregiver do?
For clients requiring modest assistance, the live-in caregiver remains available as the person manages daily life. They offer direction or supervision with most day to day house tasks. Live-in caregivers look after clients who are debilitated or have pain, reducing the risk of serious events like a fall or cooking accident. Consistency of care means the helper knows their baseline and notice acute changes; observe and report signs of illness, like weight loss or wounds; and maintain clear communication with the family and the medical team.

Greater Comfort At Home
For clients with cognitive impairments, an in-home assistant can help diminish the common experiences of fear and distress that accompany progressive diseases, like dementia. In familiar surroundings, the cognitively declining person escapes the disquietude of transferring to a care facility. Transitioning to a nursing home is emotionally exhausting for everyone involved. The person needing care is not only in an unfamiliar physical space, the other senses are assailed as well, leading to greater anxiety. The sights and feel of home, the way it smells and sounds, brings comfort and security.

Quality Of Life
Quality of life is important, but arguably it’s most needed as we approach our sunset years. Older adults grieve the loss of their independence or health; their friends and family. With diminished opportunities for entertainment and enrichment, having a consistent caring companion in the comfort of home helps enrich your loved one's quality of life.  

Solutions for homecare: What does a professional caregiver do for clients?
Many families opt for in-home caregivers to either live-in or visit, and provide professional services for a loved one whom they wish to remain at home. What are the qualities of a professional caregiver? Who becomes a professional caregiver?

A caring profession
Professional caregivers come from all walks of life. They have varied educational, social, and economic backgrounds. Some caregivers are new to the field, while others are retired and looking for a meaningful way to spend their free time. Some are introduced to the field while caring for a friend or family member in their home. Nurses who work in home health care are often seasoned veterans who prefer the personal relationship; as they approach retirement age they want to leave the grueling hospital environment. The common thread is that all caregivers work in a helping profession.

Individualized care
An in-home caregiver provides the same services as facility-based caregivers. The home care client may need various levels of care at different times. Bathing, dressing, grooming, and using the bathroom are some tasks the home care professional can help with; the in-home helper also provides companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders; and sometimes errands, transportation, or laundry and light housekeeping. Oftentimes, it’s the professional caregiver who notices changes in the client. The relationship between the home care team, the client, and sometimes the family, is more personal. Preferences are anticipated, wishes are honored. Home care professionals have ample time to get to know the person they are caring for, one on one. 

What are the qualities of a professional caregiver?
Home care requires many skills that most people already possess: for example, companionship and conversation, errands and chores, laundry and housekeeping, kindness and respect, and keeping appointments. However, professionals receive additional training specific to the population they serve. Older adults have commonalities: they need safety and cleanliness, perhaps reminders to take medications, and health and behavioral monitoring. Caregivers should be trained for dealing with emergencies; they should know how to perform CPR and be able to provide basic first aid. A non-clinical caregiver is the eyes and ears of the clinical team. They observe, document, and report changes in the client’s status, including changes in mental or physical health, appetite, functional ability, injuries, and improvements, for example. Every day is different, and your care professional must be ready to address whatever issues that arise.

Family members who live far away from their loved ones often call periodically. The parent will usually say everything’s fine, no problems, everything’s great, or something similar. Too often that is not the case. Without being able to lay eyes on the situation, we don’t know if mom’s really okay; the truth is, mom doesn’t want to worry you, or perhaps she isn’t aware that things are going downhill. Families may not be aware of the situation until they get a call from a hospital or nursing home. Home care offers benefits that will ease families’ minds

Find a trustworthy in-home caregiver agency
In-home help is needed, whether or not families can manage caring for loved ones. Perhaps they need respite so they can care for themselves. Maybe they need someone to come help their parents a few days a week, or only at night. Every family’s needs are different. 

Our staff cares for your loved ones and we handle everything that comes with being an employer: background checks, payroll taxes, training, compliance, and certification. When it’s time to find a reliable and professional caregiver agency, Professional Care Match is here for you. 

While they sound the same, there is a distinct difference between home health care and in-home care ( or home care). Both are professional services that support persons in their home, but home health care includes a nurse on the care team.
 
Value-based In Home Care Services 
Aging in place is much less expensive than facility-based care. Home care allows clients to stay in their homes and receive assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as dressing, bathing, eating, and elimination needs. 

The people who need in-home care are not only elderly people; younger people also wish to remain in their homes but need extra help because of medical set-backs, chronic health problems, or are living with a disability. 

The familiarity of one’s home is comforting and calming to a person who is ill or confused. A change in environment triggers confusion and panic, potentially leading to safety concerns or worsening health.

Dependable Caregivers
As family members care for their loved ones they are also trying to live their own lives: work, children, and perhaps most importantly, taking care of themselves. Having a dependable resource to ease the burden is crucial to family caregivers who may be getting burned out. Professional Care Match provides qualified and highly-trained caregiver staff who have been thoroughly vetted during the hiring process.

Who Qualifies For Home Health Care Services?
Home health care service requires a physician order to be covered by insurance, usually Medicare. The home health team includes a nurse; depending on the client’s needs, there may be a rehab team to help improve the person’s mobility or ADLs. 

Home nursing care includes wound care, injections and IV medication administration, medication management, and other medical monitoring.

A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) may work with the nurse and visit the home to assist with ADLs. The frequency of CNA visits depends on the nurse’s individualized assessment; sometimes three weekly visits are enough. Sometimes two daily visits are needed. All care is coordinated by Professional Care Match.

When Does Home Health Care Stop?
If insurance is paying for services, the usual cut-off point is when the client returns to baseline functioning, or is evaluated as having reached a plateau in improvement. 
You Deserve “Above and Beyond”
Home care teams often become a part of the client’s extended family; they celebrate holidays and witness important events in the person’s life. They share in the sorrows the client may experience. Empathy, support, and consistency are the hallmarks of a good caregiver. 

The demand for home care has increased 44% in the last 5 years. Professional Care Match is here for you and prepared to assist you or your loved one with nursing services or extra help when you need it most. We offer care for short periods or 24 hours, as well as live-in help.

How Can We Help?
Professional Care Match does everything so you don’t have to. While a “private duty” nurse or CNA sounds good, hiring a healthcare professional on your own is risky. We manage payroll taxes and insurance coverage, much like a care facility. We also run rigorous background checks and run mandatory training to ensure our staff is safe, qualified, and has up-to-date information that preserves stability and quality of life for the client and family. 

Home Health Aides provide non-medical assistance in the home. These trained professionals are qualified to help with managing daily routines. They help the person by preparing meals, running errands, housekeeping, and completing ADLs like bathing and grooming. If non-medical assistance is needed to help your loved one remain independent in their own home, Professional Care Match can provide exactly that.