Weymouth is a south shore coastal town in the Greater Boston area of Massachusetts. It has a population of 55,643 according to the 2010 census and is the second oldest town in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts offering quick transport into Boston via car, rail or bus service. The need for competent, reliable home care in Weymouth, Massachusetts is no different than the rest of the US. The need for senior care is clear and professional caregiver agencies stand ready to assist.
New England’s Population is Aging
New Englanders can argue about plenty of things: the economy, politics, sports. One thing there can be no argument about is the indisputable fact that our population is aging. Just look around you: older people in our area are working longer, taking classes, volunteering and traveling. Those 80 years of age and older today comprise the nation’s fastest-growing age group. This is a group that, relative to their predecessors, is generally better educated, better off financially and more likely to live alone.
Yet, at the same time that we’re living longer, more and more of us are prone to such disabling conditions as heart disease, cancer, respiratory illness and stroke, as well as Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.
Weymouth, MA Home Care Agency
The need for home care in Weymouth, MA has never been greater. Caregivers and home care agencies have become a critical part of the answer to such questions as: Who will be there to help my parents when they need it (if I can’t be there)? Will they be safe living at home? And, will they be able to maintain their independence as long as possible?
An elderly individual typically will require a caregiver if he or she needs help with the activities of daily living (e.g. washing, feeding, grooming, toileting.) However, there may also be a need for a non medical home care aide should the person require support in the “instrumental” activities of daily living. This includes housework, preparing meals, taking medications as prescribed, managing money, shopping for groceries and using the telephone or other forms of communication.
Problems in performing functional or instrumental tasks of daily living tasks tend to be closely connected with an elderly person’s health status. Those with heart failure, lung disease or mobility issues may be compromised to the point that it becomes difficult for them to clean, cook or do laundry. An inability to medicate oneself may be related to poor eyesight, a lack of dexterity in handling small pills, or simply a problem in remembering to take the medication in the first place.
The older person can often be the best judge of his or her own needs when it comes to requiring a caregiver. That’s why these decisions, if at all possible, should be discussed opening with them, and with sensitivity.
Considering whether or not there is a need for a caregiver, and to what degree, begins with taking a hard look at the individual in question. Simply requiring help in preparing meals, for example, may limit the need for a caregiver to several hours a day. Conversely, an elderly person who is unable to bring a spoon to her mouth or has difficulty swallowing might require a live-in aide. Similarly, a problem in going to the toilet may range from a problem in getting there because of a lack of mobility, to being incontinent due to physical and/or mental reasons, thereby determining the type of home aide needed.
The Home Care Conversation
It is never a good idea to have a caregiver come into an elderly loved one’s home without first discussing it with them. Understandably, when they are not part of the discussion, there may be push back for fear their routines and rituals may be disrupted. Justifiably, they may feel a loss of control when strangers become involved in their intimate daily lives.
Senior Home Care Weymouth, MA 02188
Taking it a step further, the arrangement works best when the older person is actively involved in the care plan. Those who feel they are able to retain as much control as possible are less likely to refuse help or sabotage its effectiveness. Suggesting a trial run or a time limit is often a good way to get the ball rolling. If you or a loved in needs home care in Weymouth, MA or elsewhere in our service area please contact us to discuss your options. Call (781) 430-8599
