Companion Care or Personal Care – What is the Difference?
Many people will use the words personal care and companion care interchangeably. However, these two things aren’t the same. Yes, they both are provided by home care agencies, but your elderly loved one may need one of these and not the other. They may need both of these services, as well.
Learn About Companion Care Services
One of the services offered by elder care agencies is companion care. Companionship is one of the most basic needs for humans. They need to socially interact with other people. It doesn’t matter how old someone is, this is necessary for their overall health and well-being. With this being said, it can be tough for senior citizens to make friends being they don’t drive anymore and have a tough time remembering to stay in touch with people. For this reason, you might want to get companion care at home services for them. That way, elderly care providers can come to their home, take them places, and just hang out. Companion care providers can do some light cleaning and errands, too.
Learn About Personal Care Services
Another type of care that your elderly loved one might need is personal care. Dignity and privacy are vital to human beings. However, as people get older, it can become more difficult for them to complete daily activities such as taking a shower, brushing their teeth, or combing their hair. Does it seem like your elderly loved one could use this type of help? If they do need bathing, toileting, or dressing assistance, don’t worry. You can get personal care at home services for them. This is when home care providers go to their home and help with personal care tasks. They can also help change catheter bags, assist with taking blood pressure, and perform basic cosmetic assistance.
What Type of Care Does Your Elderly Loved One Need?
Now that you know a bit more about these two types of care, you can determine what type your elderly loved one will need. Remember, it is alright if they need both personal care and companion care services. Some senior citizens need help in multiple areas of their life and just need a companion, too. If that is the case, you can contact our home care agency to book both these services for your elderly loved one.
Do you have more questions about these types of care? If so, you can also reach out to our team to talk about your questions or anything else related to personal or companion care services.
Once you find out what services your elderly loved one needs, it will be much easier to ensure they are getting all the help they need. You may be wondering – well, can’t I just help with these things and you can. However, many family members find it to be tiring and overwhelming handling all the personal care tasks along with trying to be a companion for their elderly loved one.
Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/aging-place-growing-older-home
If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home in Clayton, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.