Senior Home Care: What Does It Really Cost?
When you begin to think about senior home care for a family member, one of the first things that comes to mind is cost. Is hiring a caregiver worth the price? Would it be better for a family member to provide senior care? While these and other questions must be answered by each family, here are some things to consider when thinking about the cost of senior home care.
Time
One of the first things you need to figure out is how much caregiver time your family member is going to need. Maybe they just need someone to stop in a few hours each week to help with things like meal prep and laundry. Perhaps they need someone there more full time, like every afternoon or even all day.
As you can see, this can add up to a lot of time for the caregiver. If a younger family member is trying to take all the senior care duties on themselves while also managing their own job and home life, they will quickly become overwhelmed. The cost of all of your time may be too high for one person. In cases like this, it is best to reach out to others for help, whether that is other members of the family or professionals in senior home care.
When you spend time with elderly parents or grandparents, you want to spend that time making memories that you can hold on to when they are gone. It can be difficult to do this if you are caught up in the day to day of helping them with eating, cooking, and cleaning. Paying others to do these duties can clear up space for you to spend quality time with your family.
Stamina
Similar to time, another cost of senior home care is energy. If someone needs a full-time caregiver to help them with things like going up and downstairs, that person needs someone with a lot of stamina to help them. Sometimes family can take on this role, but it’s a tricky line to walk. It is easy to become frustrated, stressed, and burnt out, leading to them feeling bad for feeling this way. You need to be realistic about what senior care services you can provide. Not everyone can perform the duties of a nurse or a rehab specialist. People in those roles have received lots of training so that they can be the best they can be for their patients.
Money
This is what most people are thinking of when they think of the cost of senior home care. Something to be aware of is that different services cost different amounts. Someone providing transportation is obviously going to be paid less than a full-time nurse. One way to save money is to research different senior care providers. Find the one in your area that is not only well priced but also experienced. Then talk to them about making an individualized care plan. By only paying for what you need, you save money. By letting professionals help, you save yourself from becoming stressed and tired.
Senior care with your needs first
A Better Solution in Home Care knows the importance of personalized care. As every family is different, A Better Solution prioritizes needs assessments and planning. They provide all kinds of senior care services, including:
- Personal care
- Companion care
- Homemaker services
- Nursing care
- Care management
- Transportation services
- Aftercare services
- Placement services
Best of all, A Better Solution can provide caregivers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call (877) 585-9011 to learn more.
