Each hour, it’s estimated that around 90 people in the U.S. suffer a stroke. A stroke can be mild or severe. Either way, therapies are needed to restore abilities like speech, mobility, and eating. If your mom or dad had a stroke, you’re going to sit down and talk about home care services. There are five ways home care will help.
Housekeeping
Vacuuming, mopping, dusting, putting away clutter, and wiping down counters are standard household chores. They’re also tedious. If you’re already busy preparing meals, spending time with your dad, running errands, or walking pets, finding time for housework is challenging.
Housekeeping is a popular home care service. Caregivers complete daily housekeeping for you, which leaves you time to take your dad to his therapy sessions.
Showers and Baths
After a severe stroke, your mom may be unable to shower independently. It may be uncomfortable for both of you at first. If you accidentally scrub too hard or turn the water too cold, it’s going to leave unpleasant memories.
Home care aides have the benefit of training and experience. They could handle the tasks that you’re less comfortable completing. That leaves you free to do things that are more enjoyable with your mom.
Toileting
Similar to showering, it can be hard helping a parent who has used a toilet or needs to change into new incontinence pants. You could let caregivers help with toileting instead. While a caregiver does that, you could focus on another task like paying the bills or doing the laundry.
Meals
If your dad cannot hold his arm or hand steady, eating a meal is challenging and can be messy. A caregiver can feed him for you. Caregivers can also pick up groceries, cook meals, and clean up the kitchen when he’s done.
Respite Care
Even families working together will run into obstacles. If someone picks up a cold or stomach bug, they should stay home and recuperate. You might have made a promise to your child that you can’t ignore. There may be too much for one person to do each day.
When you need a break for illness, appointments, or miscellaneous plans, respite care helps. A caregiver takes over for you. Your mom or dad isn’t left with a shortage of carers, and you don’t have to worry about others being overloaded.
Home care services are easy to schedule. It starts with a call to a home care specialist who will discuss your parent’s strengths and weaknesses. From there, you can choose the services that would benefit your parents and schedule caregivers.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/facts.htm
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Alamo, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.
Right now, it’s hard to navigate being a family caregiver. You know if you’re not with your dad that he is isolated. You can ease some of this by calling him daily and trying to get him to video chat.