Home care is NOT a beginning to the end

Many people are threatened by the mere suggestion they might need care of any kind. They can’t get past the feeling that bringing in an in-home caregiver is the first step towards taking away their independence.

It’s quite the opposite. Our goal is to help aging adults retain their independence. Here are five things you need to know about home care:

It doesn’t mean that you’re sick. Instead, it’s an opportunity to make life easier for you. A caregiver can come in to help with daily activities that have become difficult or tiring like preparing meals, cleaning the house, or taking you to doctors’ appointments. If you live alone, it’s an opportunity for some companionship, someone to play cards with, or take you for a walk in the park. Caregivers can do as much or as little as you want them to do.

It won’t restrict your independence. You will still be the boss. No caregiver is going to come in and tell you what you can or can’t do. In fact, the caregiver will do whatever they can to maintain your independence. By making sure you eat properly take your medication, and stay active for example, they are more likely to enable you to remain healthy at home. We are there to support you in your personal goals of staying in your home, whether that means a house of 50 years, an apartment or an Assisted Living community.

You won’t feel like there’s a stranger in your home. Freedom Home Care is happy to have clients meet prospective caregivers before they start. You will not only have a say on who is coming into your home, but can rest assured that the individual will have been carefully vetted by Freedom Home Care. Anyone you are meeting for the first time can be considered a stranger, but in our experience, you and the caregiver will quickly bond and might even become good friends.

You can afford it. With home care you can have a caregiver come as little or as often as you want (or feel you can afford). For those who are in relatively good health, a caregiver may need to come for no more than several hours a day. While it’s not cheap, most people can afford it – and, we are always willing to work with your budget. Many of our clients use their long-term care insurance policies to pay for home care and case management services.

It won’t be an omen of things to come. Many older people see home care as an indication of things to come. In their minds, it’s a caregiver today and tomorrow a nursing home. The reality is that many clients end up spending years in home care, often with the same caregiver. That’s why the sooner you bring in a caregiver the better.