It’s a sad reality that other than a wealth of wisdom and valuable life experience, the elderly also gain health conditions or physical difficulties as they age. Therefore, to address the latter issue, seniors and their loved ones rely on dependable Cook County senior services from established companies like Comfort Keepers of Chicagoland Area, IL. With the help of professional caregivers, an elderly person’s quality of life is improved—and his independence maintained.
Who Needs In-Home Care?
Majority of seniors, particularly those who are still (to a certain degree) able to live on their own and don’t have any chronic illness prefer in-home Cook County elder care—but who or how many of them, exactly? The answer can be provided by the following excerpt from Dr. Howard LeWine’s article for the Harvard Health Blog, wherein he reports on the data collected from a recent National Health and Aging Trends Study:
Researchers interviewed more than 8,000 older Americans, most of them living at home.
From the data, the researchers determined the percentage of older adults in five categories of function or adaptation:
- 31% were as mobile as they desired and performed all activities of daily living without any assistance
- 25% were as mobile as they desired and performed all activities of daily living but needed help from one or more devices, such as canes or bathroom grab bars
- 21% needed someone to help them get around or with one or more activities of daily living
- 18% said they had trouble being mobile or performing activities of daily living, even with assistive devices and changes in the home
- 6% limited their activities and mobility, even with assistive devices and changes in the home
Needless to say, those who belong to the groups that require assistance for activities of daily living (ADLs) can greatly benefit from senior care services. In fact, contrary to popular belief, such services don’t only cover medical or therapeutic purposes. Take companion care services, for example.
Companion Care Services
As its name implies, companion care focuses more on providing “companionship” for the elderly in a home environment so as to maintain, promote, and/or restore their health. This is why companion care services usually include engaging the client in conversation and participating in a variety of social and recreational activities. For example, the assigned caregiver can assist the elderly client in planning appointments, and even escort them to social events (e.g. a granddaughter’s wedding).
Assistance with light housekeeping, meal preparations, and running errands also fall under companion care services. Thus, if you or a loved one requires assistance with ADLs, or even specialized care, professional home care services in Cook County should be on top of your solutions list.
(Source: Two-thirds of seniors need help doing one or more daily activities, Harvard Health Blog)
Comfort Keepers of Chicagoland Area, IL 