As we age, many of us (or those we love) fall victim to various afflictions. These may or may not impact a person’s ability to live independently. One such affliction is dementia, and there are many options available for care (nursing home, assisted living facility, private duty care, etc). While each has its benefits, our agency has helped multiple Philadelphia-area families navigate a dementia diagnosis and lifestyle through private duty care.
When Vicky first found out she had dementia, her family moved her around to different skilled nursing homes, state funded institutions, and were trying hard to find the best fit for her. Each location had pros and cons, but the cons usually prevailed. Her disease was slow but sure, and nothing seemed to be helping. Although Vicky was increasingly forgetful, she felt most comfortable, familiar, and more like herself in her own home when she was brought home on the weekends. Unfortunately and understandably so, her family did not have the time or energy to dedicate towards her even though they
wanted to. Read our blog Four Signs You Need to Hire a Geriatric Care Manager.
Vicky’s family finally opted to bring in a third party to help four days each week. Her caregiver helped out with personal care, light housekeeping, transport to doctor appointments, medication reminders, and much more. She was sure to enlist Vicky’s help when it came to laundry, meal preparation, making grocery lists, and other small interactive tasks. The caregiver had the inspiration to test out some new activities after looking at old photo albums of Vicky in her younger days dancing and playing games. They attended line-dancing classes together and played weekly bridge matches at the local senior center. Although dementia is not reversible, her family saw change over time. It was not drastic, but consistent small measures of success through out the day…such as an interest in cooking, humming, and singing on her own. They could tell Vicky was happy, and that meant more to everyone than anything else.
Private duty caregivers: providing a personal touch for Philadelphia-area families
A personal touch makes all the difference when it comes to quality care for your loved one. As a client, you have the ability to be selective when searching for the in home care agency that is best for you or your loved one. Read our blog on the differences between agencies and registries. When preparing to meet with an in home care agency as part of the hiring process, make sure to create a list of what your loved one enjoys, dislikes, their favorite activities, music, preferred meals, etc. This will allow you to get the best and most natural fit as a caregiver…making the transition smoother and the experience better for everyone. Due to the smaller size of most private in home care agencies, it is easier to find that personal touch. It truly maximizes the care your loved one receives (instead of being responsible for dozens of patients at one time, private duty caregivers generally only care for one client at a time). This allows for a relationship to blossom between the client and the caregiver (see examples of this on our Caregiver Profile page). This is just one example of how private in home care can provide the happiness and freedom that your loved one desires.
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