The decision to have in-home care is daunting. The immediate questions that come to mind are: where do I start? How much will the care cost? These and all the others that arise are important.
In past blogs, I have touched on how I found help for my mother, who had Alzheimer’s. I started our journey by calling local hospitals. They gave me the name of a dementia daycare facility. This daycare facility worked well for my mother’s illness’s beginning and middle stages, but when my mother’s needs increased, I knew I had to find in-home care.
I googled “in-home care” in our city. Google led me to three possible services. I had the Home Care Directors for each company meet at my father’s house with me in attendance, all within a couple of days. The choice was obvious; Home Instead sent out the most amazing woman. Their home care director was professional and personable. She, too, was dealing with her parents, who were elderly and in decline. I knew she understood our needs. She also asked great questions that helped my father and me know what was needed for my mother’s care.
The staff at Home Instead was well trained. The person who would be the caregiver for my mother was carefully chosen to be a good match. My father, on the other hand, would be the real challenge. I was worried he would take over and monopolize the caregiver’s time. The director explained that the caregivers were used to the spouse needing attention, another assurance that this would be a good fit. Home Instead was with my mother until she went into long-term care.
I respect the caregivers who work so hard to care for the elderly. They are dealing with your family members day and night. It is so difficult. We are lucky to have found a fantastic company in Home Instead. Please let me know how you found in-home care, which will help others in search of support.
