5 Distance Caregiving Safety Tips for National Safe at Home Week
Home Care Services Drexel Hill PA
If you are a distance caregiver for your elderly loved one, one of the greatest challenges that you might face are your worries about your parent’s safety. Because you are not able to be in the home with them as often as you would like to be, or as often as you feel that your parent needs you to be, you are less able to evaluate their surroundings and their condition to make decisions that will help them to stay safer and more secure as they age in place.
August 22 through 25 is National Safe and Home Week. This is the ideal time for you to evaluate your caregiving efforts as well as your parent’s lifestyle and make any necessary changes to keep them as safe as you possibly can.
Use these tips to help you create better safety for your aging parent even if you are caring for them at a distance:
- GPS. Getting older does not have to mean that your parent should have to stay at home all the time and not enjoy an active lifestyle. It might, however, mean that they are at increased risk for wandering, getting lost, or other potentially dangerous situations. Wearable GPS devices are ideal for ensuring that your parent can still stay independent while making sure that you can monitor their safety regularly. Look for a device that offers timely updates as well as lets you check in for up-to-the-minute information.
- Security system. A security system can make a tremendous difference in your parent’s safety, but choosing the right one is crucial. Look for a system that has two-way audio as well as video. This will enable your parent to see you and communicate with you through the security system. It will also permit your parent to check who is at the door without opening it, or monitor the perimeter of their home securely.
- Scheduled check-ins. Your schedule might be busy, but do not let that get in the way of checking in with your aging parent regularly. Checking in with your loved one at regular interval allows you to monitor their wellbeing and condition, and ensure that they know you are there for them. It also means that if they do not check in with you, you know that something might be wrong and you can respond promptly. These check-ins can be as simple as a short phone call or text, but they can also be a video chat, which provides more information and helps you feel more connected.
- Monitoring apps. If your aging parent struggles with medical issues or physical challenges and limitations, look into getting an elder care app for your mobile device. Many of these allow your parent to send information such as vital signs directly to your phone. This lets you keep informed about their health and wellbeing even if you are not able to be there with them, or do not have time for a long conversation.
- Home care services. One of the most effective and meaningful choices that you can make for your aging parent is to start home care services for them. If you live at a distance this in-home senior care services provider can be there for your parent to fulfill certain tasks and ensure that they are safe and secure. Because they offer flexible scheduling and personalized care, you know that they are going to get everything that they need, but that they can also enjoy the lifestyle that they desire.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Services in Drexel Hill PA, please contact the caring staff at True Direct Home Health Care today.
Owner & Administrator at True Direct Home Health Care
True Direct HHC owner and administrator, Perry C. Doc Alleva has been in the health care community for over 10 years as a therapy solutions provider, as well as a home care services coordinator. He has extensive experience in caring for the disabled and the surgical acute, sub-acute, and rehab population. Rooted in his home-town city of Philadelphia, with strong ties to it's vast neighborhoods and communities, he's now focusing all his energies towards innovating the home health care agency's role in providing the essential care needed from individual to the family throughout the community.
Doc, as he is called by everyone - staff, patients and clients - first experienced home health care and hospice care while as a colleg student at King's College as he cared for his mother every day while she first battled COPD and then lung cancer. It was during this time that he came to understand that caring for a patient was more than just clinical expertise.
"Admittedly, my strongest attribute is my communication skills and the simple fact that I love to help people. Even the smallest thing you can do for someone really can mean so much to them long term. In fact, it could change them forever. That's what providing quality personal home health care should be all about."
In his spare time, he cooks for homeless shelters and children's music and arts events. He also is highly involved in his local youth sports soccer academy as a coach and Board member.
Doc, as he is called by everyone - staff, patients and clients - first experienced home health care and hospice care while as a colleg student at King's College as he cared for his mother every day while she first battled COPD and then lung cancer. It was during this time that he came to understand that caring for a patient was more than just clinical expertise.
"Admittedly, my strongest attribute is my communication skills and the simple fact that I love to help people. Even the smallest thing you can do for someone really can mean so much to them long term. In fact, it could change them forever. That's what providing quality personal home health care should be all about."
In his spare time, he cooks for homeless shelters and children's music and arts events. He also is highly involved in his local youth sports soccer academy as a coach and Board member.
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