The need for home care services, at least initially, is often a gray area. Family members may begin to notice subtle changes in their older loved ones, such as increased forgetfulness, a slower pace, or difficulty with some everyday tasks. Yet they often hesitate to raise the topic of receiving help at home – whether from a sense of wanting to deny that the need exists, or a fear of upsetting the senior, who may be opposed to the idea or feel as though freedom and independence will be threatened, or both.
At SYNERGY HomeCare, we fully understand how challenging it can be to begin to explore in-home support for a senior loved one. Our aging care experts are compassionate, empathetic, and focused on truly listening to each caller’s concerns. We work hard to make the process as smooth and comfortable as possible for seniors as well as their loved ones.
To that end, after an initial phone call, our first step is always to provide a free consultation in the comfort of the senior’s home. An in-home assessment provides a number of benefits for families, including:
- Seniors and family members have the opportunity to share in more detail the difficulties being faced. We can see the staircase that’s hard to climb, the kitchen appliances that are becoming challenging to utilize, any fall risks, and more.
- We get to know the senior personally. Our goal is never to come in and simply take care of tasks for the senior, but to get to know his/her likes, dislikes, interests, personality type, etc. This allows us to select just the right caregiver. For instance, a senior who is outgoing and conversational, loves baking cakes from scratch, and has a cat will be paired with a compatible caregiver for a fast and lasting bond.
- You also get to know us! Because home care is such a private and personal service, it’s important to feel comfortable with the provider you select.
- A personalized plan of care is developed during an in-home consultation that outlines all of the senior’s needs/concerns, wishes, desired routine and schedule, etc. We outline how we will meet each need and which days/hours support will be provided, and then monitor the plan ongoing, adjusting whenever warranted.
Know that part of our mutual goal is supporting each senior’s independence. We offer support in areas that may jeopardize safety, or with tasks the senior no longer wishes to do, but otherwise, we want seniors to be able to do as much as they’re able to do safely. We offer an online care assessment to help with estimating care needs, which allows seniors and their loved ones to think through things they may not have previously considered.
Once the assessment is complete and the care plan is approved, home care services can begin immediately. With our strict hiring guidelines, extensive training, and careful matching process, families quickly discover a sense of relief, and seniors enjoy the companionship of a care professional who is there to provide as much or as little help as needed to make life the very best it can be.
Take the first step today! Call us at (773) 868-3183 and let us know about the challenges a senior loved one in your life is facing, and request your free assessment. The SYNERGY HomeCare team, expert providers of home care in Lincoln Park, IL and surrounding areas, is here for you any time.
