When it comes to deciding on how to care for an aging parent or loved one, there is no single solution that fits all family’s needs and values. Assisted Living or memory care units may be the right choice for some, while others may feel the desire to participate more in the day to day of their mom or dad and supplement their care with the help of hourly private duty home care aides. Still others want their parent at home, but know that they will need around the clock care and supervision. Having a live-in caregiver can be just the right option in some cases.

Tips to make a Live-In last

Certain criteria should be considered before committing to the idea of a live-in caregiver in order to make the choice a successful one. Like a family member that provides 24/7 care, burnout of a live-in caregiver can sabotage the arrangement quickly.

1. Proper rest is a must. A minimum of 7 hours per night of uninterrupted sleep should be expected. If your mom or dad get up to use the bathroom or for other reasons multiple times throughout the night and the live-in is awakened to assist, this could lead to burnout within a couple of months.
2. The Live-In caregiver should have separate quarters for themselves and ideally a separate bathroom. This allows the caregiver the space to be an individual and to relax and reflect when their charge is settled in for the night.
3. Scheduled time off will help the relationship last. No one can be “on” 24/7/365. It is a good idea for the Live-In caregiver to take every other weekend off from the client. This allows for a break from work, time to visit with family or friends and time to take care of things in their personal life. Remember, caregivers have lives too!

Be at Home

An advantage of live-in care is that your loved one has the chance to stay at home while receiving high-quality full-time care. You don’t have to relocate your loved one, which can be very stressful. Most polls show that seniors wish to remain in their homes as they age. The liv-in option may be a great way to help your loved one “age in place.”

Personal Care

In home care, whether it is hourly or live-in, is one-on-one attention. Assisted Living communities cannot offer this level of care and attention. In a nursing home or assisted living where the staff must cater to multiple clients during their shift. Depending on the number of residents a staff member is responsible for and the communities staffing ratios, this can mean a few minutes every few hours of personal attention. With a one-to-one caregiver, you know the energy of the private duty aide is directed solely at mom or dad. Their personal care is the only goal of the one-on-one caregiver. This is a comforting feeling.

Health

Because your loved one can stay home with the help of a live-in caregiver, he or she is less likely to feel vulnerable and lonely. This can benefit the person’s physical and mental health. In addition, a caregiver can even take your family member to an appointment or outing so that he or she can still enjoy some variety in life. Isolation is a main source of depression among seniors and having the companionship of an personal aide can help alleviate this in many ways.

Cost and Flexibility

Another major advantage of live-in care services provided by Capital City Nurses is that it’s relatively cost-effective when compared to a high-quality nursing home or the standard hourly rate of home care. A live-in caregiver may take care of two people as well. Depending on the level of care each person needs, live-ins can be a cost effective option for couples. Your loved one gets to stay at home, has one-on-one attention to their needs and it can save families money. When all the factors align to make a live-in arrangement successful Live-in care can positively impact your family member’s life and be a great long term care solution.