Home Health Care vs In-Home Care: Which is right for your loved one?
Making the ultimate decision for full-time health care for your loved one is something that should be made with meticulous attention to detail. With that in mind, there are two options to consider.
Home health care and in-home care both carry their advantages and disadvantages. To properly analyze what choice you should go with, it’s best to assess all of your options. In this segment, we’ll go over the pros and cons that both of these facilities have to offer.
Home health care
Home health care refers to medical care and attention that is provided to the patient in their own home.
Advantages
- Supports home-based activities
Home health care is a great way to include the elderly in your daily home-based activities. Furthermore, hired help would also ensure that the patient can actively participate as well. - Medication management
Keeping up with medication can often get tricky and exhausting. Professional home-based help would smoothen out this process by ensuring that all medication is taken on time and properly. - One-on-one support
One-on-one personalized support would ensure that the patient gets the treatment and help that puts them at ease. Furthermore, the caretaker would attend to the patient at all times, which can often result in a caring relationship that makes them comfortable.
Disadvantages
- Limited choice
Depending on where you live, you’re restricted by the agencies you can use for home care management. If their reputation isn’t good enough, you might not get the best professional care you’re after. - Expenses
In some places, such as dense metropolitan settings, home health care can be quite expensive. It is important to keep in mind the amount of care your loved one will need so you can find a solution that fits within your budget.
In-home care
In-home care refers to institutions and organizations that provide lodging and medical care to elderly citizens.
Advantages
- Safe and secure
The environment created in such institutions is designed to be safe for elderly citizens. Furthermore, it also ensures that patients can engage in activities that are safe for their current well-being. - Good social engagement
Such settings give patients a platform to bond with other individuals who are in the same phase of life as themselves. This is cathartic and therapeutic as well. - 24/7 availability
In-home care has staff that is available 24/7. This makes it optimal for individuals who want medical attention from time to time.
Disadvantages
- Hard to adapt to
Some patients might find it hard to adapt to different settings and environments. They find this method a sort of intrusion on their independence. - Distance from home
Families of patients can often find it hard to visit if the care center is at a considerable distance. This also makes the patient feel lonely and away from home.
Conclusion
Choosing the right facility for your loved one can be a tough procedure. Keeping the aforementioned facts in mind, we hope that you can get a better perspective on what route you should stick with.