Resources to Help Keep Older People in Their Homes

If you are providing full-time care to someone who is aged, chronically ill or disabled, you will need to take regular breaks in order to avoid caregiver burnout. When people get relief from caregiving, the length of time they can keep their care receivers at home and out of a long-term care facility is likely to increase.

adult-day-careAdult Day Care Centers provide a group setting where seniors and disabled individuals can go for recreation, socialization, rehabilitative therapy, meals, and health care. Visit this website to see if there is an adult day care center in your area:

National Association of Area Agencies on Aging

Once you’re on the website, enter your city, state and zip code.

doctor and patient showing thumbs upNon-Medical Personal Care Assistants can come into a person’s home and help with activities of daily living (ADLʼs), such as bathing, dressing, and using the toilet. They will clean house, buy groceries, cook meals, do laundry and minor repairs. They can work a few hours a day a couple times a week, or they can provide around-the-clock companionship.

There are a number of good home care agencies, but you need to be aware that it is also one of the fastest growing industries in the U.S. today.  You want to be very careful about who you hire. It’s important to know if the company is licensed and bonded and if they do background checks on employees.  I think it’s also important to know how an agency trains and pays their care providers.

I especially like Right at Home In Home Care and Assistance because of its emphasis on training and support. They also can provide nursing care. In addition, they tend to pay more than minimum wage, which helps attract and retain a higher quality of caregiver than you might get with other agencies.

To see if they have an agency in your community, visit their website:

Right at Home

For a list of other home care providers, visit:

Home Care Association of America

Wound care by nursesHome Health Care is provided by licensed professionals, such as nurses and therapists who perform services such as rehabilitative therapy, administration of medications, wound care, and other medical help. It is prescribed by a physician, and Medicare may pay for a prescribed number of visits, providing the patient is not able to perform basic ADLʼs such as bathing, dressing, and using the toilet.
To find a home health care agency in your area, click on this link to:

The National Association for Home Care and Hospice

Old and Young HandsGeriatric Care Managers are professionals who will assess a personʼs mental, physical, environmental, and financial conditions, and then create a care plan to cover housing, medical, social, and other services.

This link will provide information that will help you make informed decisions and find someone in your area:

National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers

Female secretary writing on notepadDaily Money Managers are individuals who will come into the home, go through the mail and pay bills. This can be a wonderful service for people who are having difficulty managing their finances. Just make sure that the person and/or organization you hire is licensed and bonded.

Click this link to get a list of daily money managers in your area:

National Association of Daily Money Managers

Senior Woman Enjoying Cup Of Tea At HomeMeals on Wheels operates in nearly every community in the United States. They deliver food as well as regular check-ins for individuals who are homebound.

Click on this link to find resources in your area:

Meals on Wheels America

Woman giving keys from a car to another womanSenior Transportation to medical appointments, shopping, and senior centers is available in many communities at low or no cost.

Click on this link:  National Association of Area Agencies on Aging

Enter your state, city and zip code to see what senior transportation options are available in your area.