Often heard is the wish “I want to stay in my own home!” The findings of a 2021 Housing & Development Board (HDB) survey show that more seniors living in HDB flats hope to ‘age in place’ - to grow older and continue living in their existing homes. Home Care services can be engaged to help your senior loved ones age in place.
What is Home Care
Home care is a range of services and support offered to individuals in the convenience and comfort of their own home. Our services include having our professionally trained Care Associates visit your loved one at home to help with activities such as showering, physical maintenance exercises, and meal reminders and preparation. Medication reminders, medical escort services and weekend respite care can also be provided.
If your loved one requires skilled nursing care, our registered nurses can visit your home to support procedures such as administering medication, changing feeding tubes and wound care. Our Home Medical doctors are also available to perform medical check-ups, consultations and write prescriptions.
Selecting a home care provider for yourself or a loved one can be intimidating and overwhelming, especially if it is your first time. The key is to know what to look for and here are some essential elements for consideration:
Affordability
When it comes to finding a home care provider, affordability is important to consider. Home care services can be costly, especially for caregivers or seniors who are no longer working or come from low-income families. By choosing a home care provider that is within your budget, you can have a better quality of life while still being able to stay within your means.
Affordability does not just mean finding an inexpensive service; it also means getting a service that offers quality care for a reasonable price. To make sure you are getting the best possible value for your money, research potential providers thoroughly and read reviews from past clients who have used them before. Also, find out if you are eligible for financial assistance here.
Home Care can be slightly more costly than a Day Care or Nursing Home, but it gives you or your loved one an opportunity to receive personalised home health care. Also, it gives time for family caregivers and foreign domestic workers to take a break, thereby improving their well-being and preventing caregiver burnout.
Engaging a home care provider can be an affordable option for many, depending on the services you require. The average price of home personal care is about $24.50 per hour before means-test subsidy; NTUC Health's home personal care rate starts at $7.60 per hour. Find out more about our prices for Home Nursing services, Home Medical services, and other home care services here.
Flexibility
Flexibility is another important factor to consider when choosing a home care provider. In some cases, the care that an individual needs can vary from day to day, or even hour by hour. Having a provider who understands and can accommodate these changing needs is crucial to ensuring that all of your loved one's needs are met.
For example, if a patient is recovering from surgery, they may require more support in the hours immediately following the procedure. Having a provider that can be available for that short period can make a huge difference in the recovery process. Similarly, if the person being cared for has complex medical conditions, having someone that is familiar with their specific conditions and can respond accordingly can help maintain their health and safety. NTUC Health has Home Nursing services and Home Medical services to support such needs.
A home care provider can help families plan ahead and have peace of mind knowing that their loved one will be safe and well taken care of. If your provider can adapt to varying schedules or unexpected events, it allows you to focus on other aspects of life without worrying about whether your loved one’s needs are being met. This also gives families more flexibility when planning activities around their loved one's physical and mental health since they know there will always be someone available to provide assistance.
Personalised Services
Personalised services means tailored and individualised solutions that are specific to the person’s needs, rather than delivering generic, one-size-fits-all solutions that may not be effective or suitable.
When a person needs home care assistance, they or their family members will want to be able to trust that the provider can meet their requirements in an effective and compassionate manner. This could include designing a personalised care plan that fits into the individual's lifestyle, providing dementia care or communicating exactly how often and when assistance is needed.
For your loved one requiring help with activities of daily living (ADL) such as bathing and dressing, NTUC Health's Care Associate's personal attention can be invaluable for both safety and dignity reasons. They also offer companionship services which can help individuals feel less lonely or isolated. And we have doctors and nurses who can offer tailored advice on matters such as nutrition, exercise, and medication management.
Reliability
Having a reliable home care provider means that your loved one would not be left unassisted and without the necessary help and support they require. For family caregivers, it would also mean having peace of mind when you leave your loved one to the care of the provider. A reliable provider can also build trust through consistent communication and regular check-ins which will directly benefit the client's physical and mental wellbeing in many ways.
Summary
It is important to understand what type of services you need in order to choose the right provider. Make a list of tasks that will require assistance, including daily activities like dressing or eating as well as more complex tasks such as managing medications or providing transportation. Knowing the medical needs of yourself or your loved one will help narrow down potential providers who specialise in those specific services.
Choosing the right home care service provider can make all the difference when it comes to ensuring your loved one receives the highest level of quality care in a safe environment where all their needs are met effectively.
Get the support you need for your loved ones to lead a fulfilling and healthy life at home. Visit our page at NTUC Health Home Care.
