How Elder Care Can Help You Move Beyond Task Management Care in Conway, AR
Visiting Angels of Conway, AR provides quality comprehensive elder care services
Are you struggling to care for an aging loved one? You probably have a list of tasks to complete while attempting to give your senior the best quality of life possible. As we see our loved ones face various issues such as vision loss, hearing loss, limited mobility, and the inability to complete household chores or personal grooming, we naturally tackle each issue as it arises. This process is daunting for even the most loving and attentive families.
As these issues become overwhelming, many of us are faced with important decisions to make for the continued health and well-being of our aging loved ones. We want their immediate physical needs met but also must consider their emotional health. Seniors are prone to depression due to loneliness, and this can affect physical health and longevity. When considering the best elder care services for your loved one’s mental and physical health, it’s vital that you know the difference between task management care and professional in-home care.
The Basics of Task Management Care
Task-centered care is what most medical and nursing facilities provide for their residents. Just as the term implies, it is setting and working towards a series of goals. Once each task is accomplished, caregivers move on to the next goal or the next patient. Task management is a necessary method in facilities whose reimbursement and evaluations are dependent on checklists. Unfortunately, this is not a personal approach as the tasks only focus on measurable accomplishments such as walking so many steps unaided or using a walker appropriately. While these goals are important, they fail to consider the full scope of quality elder care services.
According to a study published by the National Institute of Health, a task-centered approach does not foster the critical need for interpersonal relationships. Instead, task management care is “primarily granted and delivered based on physical and functional needs, while psychosocial needs and quality of life needs (quality of life) have been given less priority [leading to a] gap between needs and services, between expectations and experiences, which may lead to expressions of dissatisfaction.” Senior care requires more than a checklist, and the focus on relationships and emotional well-being are equally important.
Elder Care Services with an Interpersonal Approach
Quality in-home elder care services ensure that companionship needs, as well as physical and functional needs, are met. Professional caregivers form strong bonds with seniors. Through companionship, a caregiver helps seniors remain safely and comfortably in the home they love while still being active and engaged in the community. The National Institutes of Health cites multiple studies that stress the adverse effects of social isolation in seniors, including increased risk of Alzheimer’s or dementia, cardiovascular disease, elevated blood pressure, some forms of cancer, and even morbidity and mortality. Elder care services must take into account the mental and physical health of our aging loved ones.
The Benefits of Visiting Angels of Conway Elder Care Services
When a senior can age gracefully at home with the help of a professional caregiver, quality of life improves beyond what a task-management approach can provide. Our elder care services not only include assistance with grooming, meal preparation, mobility, and transportation but also include companionship. Each caregiver is carefully matched with senior clients because we know how vital a strong bond is for the emotional well-being of a senior. Caregivers help seniors stay connected and engaged with the community even while living at home. This connection gives seniors a much-needed sense of purpose, as they can safely and comfortably participate in various activities. Family members gain peace of mind knowing their senior loved one is happy and living a safe and fulfilling life while remaining in their cherished home.
If you’re interested in learning more about our comprehensive in-home elder care services, contact Visiting Angels of Conway, AR today by calling 501-381-1630.
