Changes in the health and well-being of our aging loved ones can happen suddenly (heart attack, stroke or a broken bone) or gradually as each day passes. If your loved one needs help with daily living, consider some home care services. The type of home care will depend on the level of help needed. Does your loved one require Personal Care or Companion Care? What is the difference between the two?
Personal Care
This can be a sticky conversation as no one likes to admit they
can no longer dress or bathe properly. In some activities, our loved ones may not want to ask family members for help. Personal care means anything done for you that’s of a personal nature.
Those activities may include things like:
- Bathing/showering, including shaving or washing your hair
- Oral hygiene (brushing teeth and denture care)
- Nail care
- Toileting
- Personal grooming
- Dressing
- Eating
- Administering medications
Companion Care
The pandemic exposed a brutal reality: as humans, we all need some form of social interaction for our mental well-being. We lose hope and purpose without interaction with our loved ones. Companion care offers non-medical services to older adults. The purpose is to provide company, emotional support and friendship.
A few examples can include:
- Getting outside for some fresh air – walks (or “rolls” if in a wheelchair) in a park/favourite venue
- Running errands and shopping
- Going out for a meal or a movie
- Accompanying to/from a doctor’s appointment
- Meal preparation
- Laundry
- Connecting with family/friends via video calls
- Puzzles
- Special occasion shopping (ie: birthdays/Christmas)
- Driving to/from special occasions (ie: weddings)
Here are a few examples of things we have done for our clients:
- A walk along the Mission Creek Park greenway, stopping for a burger and some music at the Kelowna Farmer’s Market and finishing the day buying a birthday card for a loved one.
- Bringing our dogs to walk/roll in the park. So many seniors had pets before they entered care. The enjoyment our client has just petting and interacting with them is so fulfilling.
- Dropping off library books and buying some milk before we went to Bean Scene for coffee.
- Picking out clothes, books, an electric shaver, sunglasses and a watch at Walmart before “rolling” to Montana’s for a burger.
- Driving a client to her doctor’s appointment, assisting with her walker and waiting in the waiting room for safe transport back to her home.
- Taking a long-term care patient to KGH for follow-up x-rays and doctor consult.
Hiring a caregiver to assist your loved one – whether in their home or a care facility allows you to know that your loved one is getting the care and social interaction they need. The level of care can change as your loved ones needs change.