Many seniors choose to age at home, where they can be close to friends and family. If you’re considering home healthcare agencies in Philadelphia for your loved one, it’s important to know the steps you should take to prepare for home care. As you and your loved one consider options, begin Home Health Care in Philadelphia, PA by following these 4 steps to help make their transition as smooth as possible.
Discuss Home Health Care Options with Your Senior Loved One
Remember that your loved one will have someone new coming into their home on a daily or weekly basis. It’s important that you respect their boundaries for their home and their desire to live independently. Discuss with your loved one the need for choosing a home healthcare agency, health concerns, and safety concerns. Discuss if this will be temporary (for example following major surgery) or a permanent arrangement. This is also an ideal time to choose a home health care agency in Philadelphia, whose experts can help you through the next steps.
Collect Important Information
Ensure you have the required information that your chosen home health care agency will need to determine your loved one’s care needs. This includes necessary contact information for your senior doctors as well. This is also a good time to determine how you will pay for your loved one’s home care. If you’re using Medicaid, Medicare, or private insurance, make sure you have the necessary paperwork filed for your loved one’s care. Your chosen home health care agency has experts who can assist you with this step.
Prepare Your Loved One’s Home for Home Care
Ensure that your loved one’s home is ready for home care living. If your loved one is moving into a new home, has been living with family and returning to their home, or has been hospitalized for surgery or illness, you’ll likely have a lot to do to prepare their home. Even if your loved one has been living in the same home, adjusting for convenience and safety is a good idea. Consider adding missing handrails, decluttering the home, and making needed items easily accessible to your loved one and convenient for an in-home caregiver.
Create an Action Plan for Emergencies
Your loved one will have an in-home caregiver and live independently. However, you’re still an active and engaged part of their care plan. We encourage families to have an action plan for emergency situations – preferred hospital and ER, priority contacts, and check-in schedules with your chosen home care agency. In addition, setting up a medical alert system for your loved one’s homes will help ensure their safety at night and at times when their home caregiver is not with them.
Are You Looking for a Home Health Care Agency in Philadelphia, PA?
Do you or your loved one need home healthcare services in Philadelphia? We offer a wide range of services to help seniors and those with special needs live their best lives. Contact us to set up an appointment and we will match you with one of our Angels or help you choose your Angel as part of the PAS program.
