24 Hour Live In Care - The Option of Staying Home

September 28, 2011

For many seniors and the elderly, their greatest fears are “becoming a burden” on their loved ones, or having to remain in convalescent care for an indeterminate future. Their fears are often based on their own personal history and accounts, from a bygone era that often neglected senior needs on a 24 hour basis.

Today there are many wonderful options for seniors in need of care and assistance.

From options including assisted living, to board and care homes, as well as in home care – seniors today can select their own personal options and needs to their living environment.

One such option for those in need of round-the-clock care is the senior remaining in their own homes.

For many, who have resided in their homes for decades, the choice is simple.

“I have lived in my own home in Sacramento since 1961,” replied a senior client of Right at Home, “I raised my family in my house and I want to stay here as long as I can.”

Many clients of Right at Home of Sacramento/Yolo share similar sentiments, including the fact that they feel more “comfortable” or “at ease” with remaining in their familiar environment, and can feel less “overwhelmed by change”.

“I like the fact that my Mother can remain in our family home and still have the care that she needs,” said Chris Costello, who’s Mother has had 24 hour care provided by Right at Home for over a year.

“We all knew that Mom needed someone all day and night, and we were glad that she now has a great team of caregivers to provide her with the care that she very much needs.”

For many seniors with physical challenges, such as ambulation assistance or even bathing help, having a caregiver with them at all times enables them a feeling of confidence.

“My Mom feels less stressed,” added Costello, “since she fell and was hospitalized, she has had a fear and anxiety about being alone in the home – even with a monitoring system in place.”

For other families – who are not living near their parents, and may be living out of state, it is the idea of one-on-one care and the ability to communicate with the Right at Home care team that makes the difference.

“I just loved the fact that my Father would be taken care of and we didn’t have to worry,” explained Tina Jaramillo, who had to move to the state of Washington for a new job, which left her Father at their home in Davis. “I had lived with Dad since Mom passed, and then had to move away. Having Right at Home there 24 hours a day gives me comfort knowing that his meals are all prepared for him, he has rides (transportation) to his doctor’s appointments, and he has someone there all the time for him.”

For Jaramillo, her Father appreciated the one-on-one care the most. “Having someone there with him for 24 hours a day, who can bond and develop a relationship with my Dad is very important to me. My Dad has said how he could ‘never do it alone’, and having his caregivers there seven days a week is a huge relief to me.”

For Chris Costello, his Mother at first was resistant to having someone living with her on a full time basis.

“We asked her what options she wanted. At first she thought of moving into an assisted living place, but thought it over and wanted to just stay in her own home – her own bed – and where she was most comfortable. Then selecting her caregivers – Right at Home offered us choices for caregivers – was a big difference maker for her. The fact that she had choices, options, and was in charge of her own life was really important. I like the fact that Right at Home is also less cost than a home, and that she is getting personal care and all the attention of the caregiver versus a caregiver taking care of many people.”

Costello added that, “Mom has never been happier. Her caregiver is able to share cooking and recipes with her, since Mom no longer cooks. She also appreciates her wash being done and linens being changed, and is a lot more confident after her physical therapy and her caregivers working with her.”

For other families, the decision on having a 24 hour caregiver in the home has been quite challenging.  For Erich Steinberg, his selection of care for his Father was far more difficult. Mr. Steinberg’s Father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease over a year ago.

“My Dad started showing signs of losing his memory a while ago,” said Steinberg, “He was very upset with the idea of having someone in his home too. It took a while – including some near accidents in his home – that led us to consider getting a full time caregiver. Once we had one come into the home for 24 hours a day, it helped us out immediately. Especially with Dad’s memory going and all of his cognition issues. You don’t want to worry about if he is safe or may possibly get lost just by walking outside of his house. With the caregiver there full time, it is a huge difference to me, and allows me to go to work each day without worrying about my Dad.”

24 hour care is something of a challenge for caregivers providing memory care as well. With sundowners syndrome playing a role in Mr. Steinberg’s Father’s Alzheimer’s disease, Right at Home provides two caregivers a day – 12 hour awake shifts.

“It is important to support our care team just as much as our clients,” explained Lyndsey Franceschi of Right at Home Sacramento/Yolo, “A caregiver cannot be awake the entire 24 hour period, as we honor the state of California’s labor laws. Some clients require 24 hour care, but may require two 12 hour shifts versus someone working and sleeping over the client’s home for 24 hours.”

Right at Home also provides 12 hour overnight care in the home as well as in assisted living facilities.

“Some families may need to have a caregiver for overnights, or even during the day when many families struggle with their own work schedules, or children’s needs. Our 12 hour shifts are an affordable alternative for them,” replied Franceschi, "many facilites like to use our services to provide awake overnight 12 hour care for their patients or residents. Especially if the families feel more relieved having someone with their loved one overnight."

“I am quite alright with having two caregivers for Dad each day,” explained Steinberg, “Dad needs that kind of devoted attention. We are considering moving him to a memory care facility in a couple of months, but for right now – I feel very confident in Right at Home’s 24 hour care services giving Dad what he needs.”

“Our 24 hour caregivers are the best,” smiled Right at Home’s Franceschi, “being able to provide our clients with that personal choice of remaining in their home and still being able to have care 24 hours a day is truly a great feeling.”