There are various reasons you may consider moving from a visiting caregiver situation to a live-in care aide. A family member may be experiencing mental illness, dementia, chronic illness, or terminal illness. As a primary caregiver, you may find that round-the-clock caregiving is becoming too much for you to handle on your own. The question you may have is not about getting a care aide, but what exactly the live-in care aide would do. Here are a few of the tasks this type of aide provides to help your family member and for you.
Medication Management
Medication needs can be difficult for many caregivers to maintain. If live-in care is necessary, there are likely several medications your family member needs. These can range from several medications once per day to medications and treatments given throughout the day. In addition to medication disbursement and management, your family member may also have injections or the need for glucose and blood pressure monitoring. A live-in caregiver handles all of these tasks.
Bathing and Hygiene Assistance
The task that many family caregivers find difficult is daily bathing and hygiene. It can be difficult to maneuver your family member in and out of a shower or bathtub. Also, bed baths may not be enough or may lead to skin damage if not properly done. A live-in care aide will handle all the bathing and hygiene needs. They can bath your loved one, provide oral hygiene care, ensure the skin stays lubricated to avoid dry and painful areas, and can notify you if there are skin or hygiene issues that should be seen by a physician.
Medical Transportation Needs
Medical transportation is an ongoing need as people grow older. This can be made stressful if there are multiple appointments with various doctors and specialists. You may have difficulty with keeping up with all the appointments and helping your family member to arrive at the appointment. Getting your family member in and out of a vehicle can also be a challenge. The live-in aide is trained to help your loved one safely in and out of a vehicle and can act as a support system during the doctor's visit.
If your family member has specific health or daily needs, make sure to discuss these with the home health agency. They can match you with the caregiver that is ideal for the position. They can also match you with relief care so you and your care aide can have momentary breaks and downtime.
