When is the Right Time to Start In-Home Care?

Naturally, as we age, we change both mentally and physically. These changes can present challenges that affect day-to-day life. This doesn’t mean you’re unable to live alone or unable to perform a majority of your daily tasks. It just means that particular everyday functions may become harder to accomplish and present more risks for falls or other injuries.

When to Start In-Home Care

When we meet with prospective clients, those who are new to home care often are unsure of where to start. Unfortunately, by the time most people start looking, the situation has gotten to the point where the starting of services is rushed and frantic for loved ones.

We recommend starting small with home care at the first sign of changes. One difference to look out for is a change in appearance. For instance, maybe grandma is typically very put together, but you start noticing her shirt is untucked, her clothes are wrinkly, hair is unkempt. Another change to look out for can be tidiness around the home. This could be a normally well-kept home with dishes piling up, stacks of unread mail piling up, etc. Again, these signs do not mean a person can’t live at home independently for the majority of the time. It just may be an indication that it’s time to start easing into home care.

Here are some examples of how we can help:

Bob uses Kore Cares sparingly (roughly once a month) to care for his wife, Annie, while he is gone. Annie is typically a companionship shift. Annie struggles from a mental illness and Bob wants to make sure she’s comfortable and her needs are being met when he can’t be there. Recently, Bob had to have emergent surgery which required him to be away from home and less able to be attentive while home. Because he had seen a need from the beginning and was proactive in finding help, he and Annie already had Kore Cares for home care. This means they already have services set up and caregivers they are familiar with which makes it easier for us to help in an emergency.

Meet Jim and Pam

Jim and Pam have been long-time clients at Kore Cares. After suffering from a stroke, Pam needed assistance with transfers, meal preparation, bathing assistance, and housekeeping for 6 hours a day. In the past couple of years, Pam has continued to improve and the need for many of the services she was receiving has decreased. They are now receiving services 2 hours once a week primarily for housekeeping assistance. We are pleased to see the progress Pam has made and happy that both Jim and Pam know that should another emergency occur, Kore Cares will be there to help.

Emergency preparedness is recommended in almost every aspect of life. If you or a loved one are starting to see a need in the future for a little extra care, start with as-needed shifts in order to see if the agency is a good match for you, form relationships with caregivers, and receive assistance in areas you may be overexerting yourself.

Kore Cares - In-Home Care Agency

Call us today at (605) 275-2344 or learn more about our in-home care services in Sioux Falls, Aberdeen, Mitchell, and Yankton, SD to see how we can help!