How Do Senior Home Care Services Compare To Nursing Homes?

Posted on: 10 December 2021

Share

There are many reasons aging adults fear nursing homes and seek to pursue other alternatives for rapidly evolving health and care needs. Many do not realize that senior home care services present viable alternatives that allow them to remain in their homes, help them maintain independence, and provide the health services they require to optimize their health. Here's what you need to know about senior home care services and how they compare to nursing homes.

Customizable for Individual Needs

Nursing homes typically offer a specific list of services to their residents. They hire staff that can offer the care their patients need according to their list of services and little more. That isn't the case with senior home care services, which can be completely adaptable to the needs of each individual patient. If one patient needs light assistance and companionship, while another needs complete memory care services, and yet another requires complex medical treatment, there are senior home care providers that can meet those needs.

One-on-One Care and Attention

Home care providers deal with one patient at a time. This means their attention is devoted to a single person and not shared with several others as it would be in a typical nursing home. Because each senior home care patient receives individual attention, it is likely that these patients will experience more favorable outcomes. This is especially the case if they are non-verbal, facing dementia, or have other medical conditions that leave them confused and unable to communicate their needs effectively in an institutional environment.

Greater Convenience for Friends and Family

Friends and family are vital to a person's mental health as well as their physical health. Nursing homes often have restrictions in place as to when friends and family can visit. Unfortunately, these hours don't always work with the schedules of visitors or the patient. Older adults often experience a condition in which their internal body clocks go a little sideways. When this occurs, they are often awake and alert once the sun goes down and sleep frequently during the day. The ability to have visitors during these moments of alertness can have a huge impact on health and happiness, which is something that senior home care services allow that many nursing homes do not.

Finally, there is the benefit of being surrounded by familiar things. Many people have spent years or even decades in their homes. The items, the walls, the smells, and more are familiar and comforting to them. Something no nursing home can replicate and a solid reason to consider senior home care services for your loved one.

For more information, contact a local care provider, like Specialty Home Care.