In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, horror stories about how the senior care business has failed people are becoming more and more commonplace. But senior care is supposed to be a positive experience and certainly not a bad one. While it’s impossible to avoid tragedies like the pandemic, there are things that we can do to improve care, especially for those that are dependent on it.
When institutional care becomes the norm, there are always people that will fall through the cracks and not get quite the help that they need. When that someone is a loved one or a close friend, this can be really hurtful. No one wants to see someone that they care about not get the help that they receive, especially if they are fully dependent on others to help provide for those needs. The people that we love deserve better than this.
That’s not to say that institutionalized care is bad. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities provide wonderful and necessary services a lot of the time, regardless of whether they are public or private in nature. But just because they are great for some doesn’t mean that they are great for all. Care isn’t one size fits all. The people we care about deserve to have the variety of choice to find the type of care that will most fully meet their unique needs.
We start our lives fully dependent on adults to help us eat and stay safe. Parents often have no problem looking at others for help caring for their children through daycares, nannies, schools, and more. As people age and begin to need more help, looking to professionals for help is completely normal. In fact, many families do not have the knowledge or background to provide for an elderly loved one. Unfortunately, because some communities do have a stigma against senior care, this means that some elderly folk are missing out on the high quality care that they deserve. Families can be well-intentioned, but sometimes this can be less than helpful.
This is why it’s important to know what’s best for the people that you care about, and then getting them connected to the resources that they need. Taking cultural and community differences into account is important, but so is the health of those that we care about. This is why a personalized approach to care is vital. It makes accounting for different lifestyles, traditions, and needs a lot easier. When a caregiver can focus on the individual, they can provide a stronger service because that individual is the focus of attention. Senior care can and should help individuals accomplish personal goals and help them get the most out of their care.
We help to provide this type of help through in-home care. If you’d like to learn more about this kind of care and how it might benefit your family, please give us a call. One of our care professionals would love to talk more with you about how we can help your family and your one of a kind situation.
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