Asking for help is hard. We are taught from a young age to value independence and self-sufficiency. Asking for help involves acknowledging your limitations as well as being vulnerable. Many seniors rank losing their independence higher than any other fear. They may worry that asking for help is the first step to losing their independence and therefore shy away from the topic of hiring a professional home care agency.

Why a Little Help Can be a Good Thing

In reality, accepting some assistance can help seniors maintain their independence and autonomy. This is particularly true when help comes from trained professionals who understand the challenges of aging and have the resources, knowledge, and skills to empower their clients. Knowing that the person you hire will be professional and caring makes asking for help easier.

Once you’ve decided to get help, consider the type of assistance you need, both in the short-term and the long-term. Many families find it helpful to focus first on household duties, such as cleaning, laundry, and meal preparation. These concrete tasks allow clients to get familiar with caregivers while seeing the benefits of a clean, comfortable, and safe home. Other areas where a professional home care agency can make a tremendous difference include assisting with personal care and companionship. When planning for long-term needs, it is helpful to know if a home care agency also offers respite, overnight, and live-in care options as well.

Benefits of Working with a Professional Home Care Agency

Home care agencies, like Seniors Prefer Homecare, are fully licensed and insured. This gives you peace of mind, knowing that you are receiving the benefits and protections of the highest quality of care.

Quality Care

Caregivers who work for a professional home care agency undergo trainings and hold qualifications. These training sessions ensure they provide the highest quality care according to the most up-to-date standards. Companies offer supervision and coaching so that caregivers continue to grow their skills and implement best practices. This supervision gives an additional level of support to family members, who benefit from the oversight and perspective that agency supervisors can provide.

Legalities and Logistics

Home care agencies manage the hiring, background checks, training, payroll, insurance, and taxes that would otherwise fall to families working with independent caregivers. The process and logistics of hiring a private caregiver can be overwhelming for even the most business-savvy families. You have to figure out employment status, taxes, and insurance needs.  You may also be responsible for things like social security, unemployment, and payroll taxes. Companies like Seniors Prefer Homecare make the process easy and remove worries about tax and legal pitfalls.

Flexibility

Home care agencies are able to offer a higher level of flexibility to meet the changing needs of your family. Agencies have a variety of staff in order to find the best fit for each family. This also means they have people available to cover vacations, sick time, and other scheduling needs. Agencies also offer a variety of services, so that as the needs of your family change, familiar and skilled staff can provide additional help and support.

Family Roles

Perhaps the greatest benefit of hiring professional caregivers is that it gives you, the family member, the ability to step out of the role of primary caregiver and back into the role of family member. It is difficult to care for someone’s practical and intimate needs while also providing emotional support and making important decisions. Caregiver burnout is a growing problem with real consequences, both financial and health-related. Partnering with a home care agency gives caregivers much needed support and peace of mind.

Why Choose Seniors Prefer Homecare?

At Seniors Prefer Homecare we specialize in helping seniors enjoy the comforts of home while providing dependable and affordable in-home assistance. Our caregivers are well trained, highly qualified and carefully selected individuals who are thoroughly screened, and insured. Most importantly, our priority is to have caregivers who are completely trustworthy and extraordinarily caring of others.

Our home care services allow our elderly clients to maintain as much independence as possible by providing the appropriate in-home assistance and companionship, lifting the spirits of both the elderly and the family caregivers as well. Our highly qualified and trained caregivers are ready to help you and your loved ones with a variety of services such as:

Our personalized services are available seven days a week and can range from a few hours daily to 24 hours and live-in-care. We offer services in Birmingham, Huntsville and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Visit our website today at: www.seniorspreferhomecare.com to find out more information.