Planning Home Care for Mom

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

Good Morning Friends! 

I hope you all are doing well and staying active and healthy. Now more than ever, I feel that we are truly appreciating our time with loved ones. If you are caring for aging parents, you might be feeling worried about their well-being. 

Recently, I have had several friends asking me for some advice on elder care in-home assistance for their parents. Care assistance is something that a lot of my friends are facing as their parents age. I know firsthand how difficult it can be when you are tasked with finding reliable and trustworthy in-home care for aging family members.

A few years ago, my mother started having trouble with daily tasks. Dirty dishes were stacking up in the sink, eyeglasses were lost, medications were missed and all the while, she was getting very lonely. I started to worry about her and it made me sad because my mother had always been on top of things in her life, even after my Dad passed away.

 

My brother and only sibling split up visiting on the weekends when we were not at work to try to help her. As much as my brother and I did provide some help, the truth was that she needed help every day, not just on the weekends. We decided we needed to plan to get mom some help.

 

After a few discussions with our mom, she too realized that she needed some additional help. While she was not at the point where she needed assisted-living level care, she certainly did require assistance with day to day activities and really could use some daily interaction. 

 

To start our search for help, we first made a list of the areas that Mom needed assistance. While there were some tasks Mom was able to do herself, we knew that she needed help with getting dressed, taking medications, meal preparation and clean-up.

 

We then determined the amount and frequency of assistance necessary to help with the tasks. At the time, she just needed help a few hours a day.

 

Next, we considered the cost, because we truly needed support that was affordable for mom.

 

Finally, we wanted a service that not only had a good reputation, but was trusted by others. 

 

After researching, we chose Comfort Keepers, because they offered customized services and were also a leading provider of in-home care. There were several reasons that Comfort Keepers stood out from the rest.

 

Mom’s Well Being - Comfort Keepers maintains an Interactive Caregiving® program on which all of their caregivers are trained. It’s holistic and active approach to care focuses on the mind and body, which was important as mom needed personal and mindful care. They also focus on the spiritual and emotional aspects of their clients. 

 

Matching Needs - Once we completed the questionnaire and discussed our Mom’s needs with our assigned contact, Comfort Keepers sent out a matched caregiver to meet my mom. We wanted to make sure that Mom was part of the decision and felt comfortable with the caregiver assigned. This was important as mom had a tendency to get frustrated at times when she didn’t have the energy that she used to. 

 

Comfort Keepers brought a positive attitude and spirit from the moment we first met with them. Part of their mission is to elevate the human spirit every day and make their client’s lives brighter. 

 

Beyond Comfort - The caregiver was very helpful in helping mom stay physically and cognitively active with simple exercises, crafting activities and daily conversations.
It was comforting to know that the caregiver had not only the experience necessary to help our mom, but was able to provide camaraderie and companionship.

 

Reasonable Cost In addition, Comfort Keepers costs were fair and reasonable and in our budget range. We were relieved to know that mom was receiving more one-on-one care, while being able to stay in her home. The caregivers were supportive, communicative, trustworthy and positive. 

 

 

Once the Comfort Keeper was assigned, my mother looked forward to her coming over and interacting with her. Mom’s caregiver was professional, cheerful and helpful. It was a relief to know that mom was getting help and being seen by a caregiver during the week.

 

They offered support while allowing mom her freedom and control to enjoy and experience moments each day. Mom was able to have daily aspects of her life enhanced by a little assistance.

 

Finding someone who is attentive, caring and communicative makes all the difference when providing adult care. Mom’s caregivers offered her more freedom and joyful moments by providing her personalized activities, attention and interaction.

 

I have so much gratitude for Comfort Keepers providing great care at Mom’s home. They truly allowed my mother more independence while treating her with dignity and compassion.

 

Check out Comfort Keepers for more information, resources and services. They also have a helpful worksheet you can use to see if some in-home care can help your loved one.