A Home Health Aide Can Provide These Personal Care Services For Your Loved One
Posted on: 28 June 2017
If you have an elderly family member who has moved in with you because he or she can no longer live independently, you may find yourself thrust into the role of caregiver. While you might not mind cooking for your loved one, cleaning his or her room, and taking him or her to medical appointments, some of the personal care elements may be difficult physically or emotionally. In this scenario, a home health aide can be a valuable ally. He or she can take care of a wide range of personal care services, including the following.
Dressing
You might not be overly comfortable with helping your loved one to get dressed and undressed. And, even though you may do it because it needs to be done, you probably wouldn't shy away from getting help in this manner. Helping a client get dressed and undressed is a personal care task that home health aides can skillfully handle. In many cases, your family member might not feel quite as awkward being undressed in the presence of a health professional compared to in front of you.
Bathroom Tasks
There are several bathroom tasks that your elderly loved one may need help with — and that you might feel relieved to turn over to an experienced home health aide. Bathing someone with mobility issues can be difficult. In addition to the process being uncomfortable because of the nudity, you may also feel that you lack the physical strength to do the job effectively or safely. Another bathroom task for which your loved one may require help is using the toilet. Some people will struggle with getting onto and off the toilet, as well as cleaning themselves after using it. These personal care tasks are all in a day's work for an in-home aide.
Grooming
Personal grooming tasks can take a significant amount of time each day, which may make them a challenge if you work full time and have a family that you're raising in addition to caring for your elderly family member. Things such as brushing the teeth, shaving, combing or styling hair, moisturizing, and other daily tasks — which are especially important if you'll be taking your loved one out of the house — are all essential but you may struggle with making time to perform them. Instead of allowing these things to slip through the cracks, hiring a home health aide to perform these personal care tasks will ensure that your loved one is comfortable.
Contact a service like ActiveCare Home Care to learn more.
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