Getting Home Care Before Its Too Late

 

Independent Living has been delivering care for over 12 years and we must have been to assess possibly over thousand people for care.  There is no denying that care is usually a “distress purchase”, you buy support at home because you need to, it is rarely a choice.  This is for a variety of reasons. Firstly, people delay care because they feel “things will get better” but most illnesses in older people are progressive, they get worse.  Understandably the older generation can be proud, they delay getting care because they feel they should be able to cope – just get on with it, even if they are struggling.  Other people worry about spending money, we are all conditioned to “save for a rainy day” and then when it comes we feel uncomfortable spending on things like care.  It is also common to have family differences of opinion, one person may want to get care but another person is reluctant.

 

The problem of delaying care is the point may come when it is too late.  For example, if someone has severe dementia they may not accept a carer but if the person had got to know a carer when the condition was milder it might have worked.  In other instances a person may refuse care and as a result of believing they could manage, they may then not cope well and experience an illness or fall which results in a hospital or move to a care home.

 

Independent Living recommends considering care earlier when it is clear things are becoming more difficult. Research shows that when support is in place it can improve matters, for example having social interaction can help raise a person’s mood. A carer ensuring a loved one is eating, drinking and taking medication correctly will also help their general health.

 

If you are considering care for a loved one why not give Lilian or Amanda a call in office hours on 01257 696 050