Home Care Providers provide more than Task Management Care
Visiting Angels Home Care Providers are here to meet your family members needs in Auburn, NH, and the Surrounding Areas.
Seniors face many issues as they age, such as hearing loss, limited mobility, and inability to manage household chores. As you arrange for care, it is expected that there are a few straightforward tasks that come to mind, like hearing aid, walker, help with dishes. While these are essential tasks that need to be handled, much more doesn’t meet the eye. Many older people suffer from loneliness and depression. Loneliness is a problem that is not always easily fixed. Sadly, loneliness has been shown to precipitate declining health and even death. Loneliness can also lead to a decrease in independence and mobility. This loneliness doesn’t only affect seniors that live alone either. It can inflict any senior living anywhere. When approaching care options, you will see there are multiple choices; most are task-centered care. However, there are person-centered home care providers. It’s essential to weigh the strengths, weaknesses, and outcomes when choosing a care route for your loved one.
Task Management Care
What is Task-Centered (or Task Management) Care?
Task-centered care is typically used in hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities-- not by home care providers. It is a social work practice form of senior care used to accomplish measurable, specific goals quickly. You start with a target condition that a medical professional identifies; this professional will provide the steps to get there and a checklist to work through to be discharged. Once the goal is reached (in this case, being discharged), the project will be over.
The main issue with task-centered care is that the person receiving the care is often not even involved. A current study explained that the effects of person-centered care note the many problems with the task-centered model. The study shared that typically care is provided and given all depending upon physical and functional needs. In contrast, the psychosocial needs and quality of life needs have received less importance that has led to a canyon between needs and services and expectations and experiences.
Additionally, the study shared other research articles showing how a trusting relationship between professional staff and seniors has led to seniors having more autonomy and a sense of being respected.
This same study also shared a second major issue with task-centered care, specifically those in nursing homes: quality staff. This study mentioned many other articles and research. Still, the authors note that “when it comes to age care staff in-home care services, a growing crisis has been described with high turnover rates and challenges in recruiting and retaining skilled care professionals. The staff has reported experiences of dissatisfaction and frustration with work, concerning a stressful and hectic work situation, increasing demands for efficiency, not having sufficient time to converse, provide the “little extras” and provide care in the psychosocial domain.”
The positive is that it doesn’t have to be this way-- and person-centered, home care providers are the answer.
The Importance of an Interpersonal Connection
Unlike task-centered care, professional home care providers can offer the interpersonal connection that supplements task-centered care essentially and exponentially. Experienced caregivers provide a more holistic approach to care, leaving seniors with the emotional and social support they require. These needs may not fall under typical task-centered care.
The previously mentioned study also explains the danger of isolation and how it can be beneficial to consider real anecdotes. For example, An 86-year old Floridian woman that lived most of her life alone had a stroke. She began receiving regular visits from a physical therapist and a nurse to aid in her recovery. Her family lived nearby and was able to relax knowing that their senior was receiving experienced care. Her family anticipated a boost in her health. However, they did not expect what ended up being the most significant benefit: her absolute joy in having these people regularly come to visit and immediately improving her mental health. This Floridian woman enjoyed all of her conversations during care; it provided a chance for her to express a social side of herself that her family hadn’t seen in years. In the end, the senior woman was happy to forge new connections and not feel isolated. Within weeks, she was walking with the energy around the house and completing tasks she hadn’t handled by herself in years.
It’s important to note that not every senior will experience this the same way. The stroke was her wake-up call for this woman, which led to an expeditious treatment that allowed for a full recovery. However, this is not your typical example of home care providers making a drastic difference in seniors’ lives. Having visits, conversations, and the company regularly can all assist with defeating loneliness while boosting seniors’ quality of life. The National Institutes of Health cites several studies that even showed the adverse effect (not just the mental or emotional) of social isolation in senior adults.
What Can a Professional Caregiver Do Differently?
It is common for seniors and older adults to be vocal about staying in their own homes. Sadly, when their health begins to decline and they can no longer complete day-to-day tasks on their own, it can become challenging to stay in their home alone. This health decline is why many families have turned to live assistance from home care providers. Home care providers offer assistance with grooming, household chores, exercise, and taking medication.
These professional home care providers also assist with much more-- they also are there to keep loneliness and depression at bay by providing bright spots in what often feels like long and empty days that can stretch into weeks or months. Visiting Angels can help find your loved one a caregiver that they can connect with and look forward to spending time with them. Home care providers offer clients their energy while also providing the benefits that come with them being in your loved one’s home-- letting your senior loved one maintain their sense of independence. Nursing homes and living facilities only focus on task management, with an in-home caregiver checklist the priority-- the client’s health and safety are.
Visiting Angels of Auburn is Here When you Need Help
Home care providers work to go beyond the usable measurable task; they do not get shuffled from room to room, from client to client. They offer consistent and long-term to their one focus client. Home care providers become reliable conversation partners and aid in health, well-being, and day-to-day needs.
It is essential to know that loneliness is a severe health issue and that it can be avoided if your senior has a professional caregiver around throughout the day. This caregiver can focus on their client (your loved one) and not on a list of tasks that need to be completed. For more information on isolation in seniors, click here.
If you’re interested in more information about how an in-home care provider can help your senior loved ones call 603-483-8999 and speak with a personal care assistant.
