You likely want to stay in your home for as long as possible, and you are not alone — data shows that 75% of adults 50 and older want to remain in their homes for the long term. However, challenges such as chronic pain, complex medical conditions, cognitive decline, and a lack of support and resources can make living at home difficult. Fortunately, at-home services can give you the assistance, companionship, and support you need to thrive in your home.
What Are At-Home Services?
You might have heard the terms “home care,” “home health,” “in-home care,” “at-home care,” or even “concierge home care.” But what do all these similar-sounding services mean? They generally mean bringing hands-on support from an outside agency into the home of your choice.
Home care assistance can take a variety of forms. At WesleyLife, our at-home services include both medical and non-medical forms of assistance to help clients address a wide range of needs. For most services brought into your home, a caregiver, nurse, or other professional will visit you a designated number of hours per week to provide personalized support with tasks. But before that can happen, you will receive a thorough assessment from the organization that provides the services. This assessment initiates communication about why you need extra assistance and helps the agency develop a personalized plan to meet your health and well-being goals.
Learn more about non-medical and health care services below so you understand your at-home care options.
Non-Medical In-Home Services
Non-medical in-home services offer support without providing skilled nursing care. At WesleyLife, these services are called in-home services.
Non-medical services often are provided by a visiting caregiver and can include light housekeeping, meal preparation, grocery shopping, or transportation to and from appointments or events. Caregivers providing non-medical services also can offer support and hands-on assistance with bathing, dressing, or other activities of daily living. In many ways, in-home services are similar to those of a personal assistant: they can take care of any chores you would rather not do (e.g., wash dishes, walk the dogs on a rainy day) or tackle random seasonal tasks like wrapping Christmas gifts.
In-home caregivers also can provide companionship. The two of you can play games, stroll around the block, and share inside jokes. This type of companionship can help lessen the health complications that might come with isolation or loneliness. In most cases, organizations that provide in-home services work hard to maintain caregiver consistency and develop a relationship of trust.
Non-medical home care services typically are paid for out of pocket, but there are ways you can offset the costs if needed through Veterans Aid and Attendance benefits, third-party insurance, or community waivers.
In-Home Health Care Services
If you need more specialized medical help or care brought into the home, you could benefit from medical or health care services.
Health care services typically are provided by a visiting nurse, therapist, or other clinician. Examples of health care services include injection administration, post-surgical rehabilitation care, wound care, diabetes, and other chronic condition management. Physical, occupational, and speech therapy sessions also can be brought into your home.
In most cases, health care services require a prescription from your physician and can last for a short period, like after a hospital stay, or for a longer duration as needed. There are different ways you can pay for home health services, including Medicare, Medicaid, third-party insurance benefits, or Veterans Aid and Attendance benefits.
Benefits of At-Home Services
At-home services offer many potential benefits. For example, you can:
- Receive care tailored to your needs. The biggest benefit of home care services is that you receive the support you need where you feel most comfortable. You can choose the services that matter to you and help you achieve your ideal lifestyle at home. Your at-home services arrangement can also flex with your needs over time.
- Maintain your independence. Some people assume that accepting help compromises their independence, but the reality can be quite the opposite. At-home services can offer the level of support you need to remain independent in your home for as long as possible. When you receive just the right amount of assistance with daily tasks or chores, you can feel freed up to focus your energy on the pursuits you most enjoy.
- Free up family caregivers. Help from family and friends can be a blessing, but you may prefer to focus on simply being together during visits rather than tackling a to-do list. Plus, family caregivers may not be able to visit as frequently as you would like for help with routine needs. At-home care allows you to access the help you need, when you need it, allowing you to spend time with family however you desire.
- Enhance safety and peace of mind. Knowing someone will visit regularly to check in and assist you can provide tremendous peace of mind — both for you and your loved ones. Plus, at-home care teams can assist you in making your home safer and help you recover at home following a health incident.
Overall, your well-being can improve with the right forms of in-home support. A bonus? Receiving at-home services in a comfortable setting also provides an opportunity to learn more about the senior living network in your area, which can make future planning easier.
Maximizing Benefits Through WellAhead
If you want to fully capitalize on the benefits of at-home services, consider making these services part of a more comprehensive approach to empowering your independence and planning for your future. You can accomplish that through WellAhead — A WesleyLife Well-Being Experience. This program helps older adults invest in their well-being and remain at home for as long as possible through a variety of benefits, including some at-home services. The biggest perk of the program? You’re guaranteed access to any future care you need, whether delivered at home or in a WesleyLife community, at no cost beyond your WellAhead membership fees.
Learn more about WellAhead in our online guide.
WesleyLife at Home
WesleyLife at Home provides both non-medical (in-home) and health care services to clients throughout 15 counties in Iowa. Our team of experienced caregivers and clinicians ensures you receive the personalized support you need to meet your health and well-being goals.
At-home services can come to you in any type of home. We are here to serve you and give you the support you need, no matter where you live.
Wondering if WesleyLife at Home is the right fit for you? Complete this assessment to tell us more about your situation, or learn more about at-home services in our online guide.
