Getting older brings with it a wealth of experience and knowledge. However, many elderly adults will need help with personal and medical care at some point in their lives. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that the job outlook for home health and personal care aides is growing faster than average. The number of openings available in this field is slated to grow by 41 percent by 2026.
Demand for home health workers is increasing, but not everyone feels comfortable hiring a stranger to care for themselves, their friends or their family members. Fortunately, the CDPAP program allows individuals to care for loved ones while receiving a stipend for their services.
Someone who has been considering hiring a home health aide might want to look into the benefits of having a close friend or family member take on the role.
A Better Understanding
In many cases, things move quickly. When a loved one falls in the shower, for example, they may need help as soon as they are discharged from the hospital.
Bringing a stranger into the home at the height of a stressful time can add even more tension to the situation. When a friend or family member becomes a personal assistant, he or she enters with an inherent level of love and understanding.
A loved one won’t have to spend time finding outpatient likes and dislikes or get comfortable with a fiery personality. Moreover, loved ones often spend time caring for their siblings, parents or relatives when these individuals are down and out already. The CDPAP program allows them to continue taking on that role while getting paid for their efforts.
Compassionate Care
It’s important to entrust the care of an aging parent, spouse or friend to someone who knows what they’re doing. But professionalism isn’t the only concern. It’s crucial that a family member is treated like, well, family.
When hiring an aide from an agency, patients and family members need to ensure that the employee’s background has been checked thoroughly. It’s also necessary to gauge whether the representative’s personality is compatible with that of the patient.
Many home health care companies tout the friendliness and compassion of their aides. But will anyone have more empathy for a patient than someone who already knows and loves them?
Family members need to make sure that their loved ones feel comfortable with their care. Individuals who receive nursing care at home tend to be more satisfied when they have kindhearted aides they already know.
Compassionate care also improves individual health outcomes. Patients who have compassionate nursing aides may experience fewer falls and bedsores.
Physical and emotional health are closely linked. Poor mental health can quickly cause someone’s physical health to deteriorate. When people experience physical health challenges or limitations in their mobility, they can become anxious or depressed. Dealing with physical ailments is frustrating because elderly adults often feel deprived of privacy and freedom.
A loved one can provide the listening ear that a patient needs to remain in good spirits. A friend or family member already wants to make their patient’s life more comfortable, and they’re often committed to being a companion for them.
A Higher Level of Comfort
Many home health care aides enter the profession because they have a loved one who needs their help. They learn the ropes and realize that being a personal health assistant is rewarding.
Home health aides don’t just provide nursing care; they act as companions to the patients. A friend or family member may already fulfill this role, ensuring that the patient feels relaxed and at ease.
Personal assistants may also help out with activities that could be embarrassing for an elderly adult, such as going to the bathroom, getting dressed or eating. In some cases, the patient may feel less vulnerable receiving care from someone they know and love.
A CDPAP assistant might have to perform duties such as shopping for groceries, paying bills and organizing paperwork. The patient may not want a stranger going through their medical records or dealing with finances. A loved one can provide peace of mind in situations like this.
A Loved One Is Always Near
Going through physical or psychological hardship toward the end of one’s life can be isolating. Patients may feel like no one understands what they’re going through. Those who experience mental decline may feel nervous around people they don’t recognize.
A family member who is also a personal assistant can keep the patient calm during tough times. They can read patients’ moods more easily than a stranger who is hired as a home health aide. Patients may feel comforted knowing that a family member is always close by.
In some cases, a personal assistant that works through the CDPAP program is authorized to perform medical tasks that a home health aide is not allowed to do. This can expand the scope of practice and ensure that the patient receives well-rounded physical, emotional and psychological help from someone who cares.
Staying at home may help an elderly or disabled person feel more comfortable. They can remain with their spouse and continue to receive nurturing support from their family members. They don’t have to disrupt their daily routine to get the care that they need.
When circumstances outside of someone’s control cause their health to change rapidly, the one thing that they can often count on is family. The CDPAP program keeps loved ones close and lets patients seek the sensitive, empathetic care that they deserve.
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