You’ve had heart-to-heart discussions with loved ones about long-term home health care. You’ve laid out your finances to ensure everything is paid for on time. Now, it’s just down to preparing for your long-term caregiver’s introduction into your loved one’s home.
Their comfort in a home is just as important as the comfort of your loved one. So, here are 5 steps you can take to make the final transition into long-term care, a smooth experience for everyone involved.
Have the Personal Essentials Ready for Your Long-Term Caregiver
You want your long-term caregiver to have all of the personal essentials before they arrive at your loved one’s home. Aside from clean, sturdy furniture in their living space, make sure that your home is well stocked with the following items:
- Toilet paper
- Paper towels
- Cleaning supplies
- Easily accessible storage
- Personal hygiene items
1. Set Clear Rules and Boundaries
Your loved one’s home will always be their home, however, they may need to be prepared for their new caregiver. So, please, don’t feel like you’re being demanding by setting some rules and expectations of your caregiver while they are living in their environment.
Boundaries and rules create a healthy environment for your loved one and their caregiver. These are viewed as a way to truly help someone feel comfortable in a new environment.
This is also an excellent time to share your family member’s daily routine with their long-term caregiver.
Some common items covered in these conversations include:
- Rooms that are off-limits to the caregiver
- Where the caregiver should park
- Specific entryways they should use
- Expectations of light housekeeping or cooking duties
2. Organize Your Loved One’s Medical Necessities
Gathering up all of their medical supplies and medications is essential. Their caregiver will need easy access to all of their medical supplies and information.
Make sure that where you store all medical items is one of the first areas of introduction for a long-term caregiver.
3. Make the Home as Safe as Possible for Everyone Inside
While your home doesn’t have to be spotless for a caregiver, it’s best to remove all clutter and arrange the furniture so there is always a clear pathway throughout the home.
This increases the safety of both your loved one and their long-term caregiver.
Another excellent step to take towards making your home a safe environment is adding some extra details that help make your caregiver’s job more effective:
- Install grab bars near your toilet and in the shower
- Ensure there is always great lighting throughout the house
- Add non-slip bath mats to all showers and tubs
- Test your smoke detectors
- Remove hazardous throw rugs
- Have a fire extinguisher on hand
4. Have Other Essential Information Prepared for Your Caregiver
Aside from the medications your loved one requires, their caregiver should also know other important pieces of information that can help them form a bond with the individual.
It would be important for a long-term caregiver to know:
- The current mental state of your loved one
- Their extensive medical history
- A bit about their general life story (i.e. where they were born, what jobs they’ve had, etc.)
- Activities they enjoy
- Current and past interests
Give Your Loved One the In-Home Care They Deserve With Angel Home Healthcare
If daily tasks have become troublesome or dangerous for your home-bound loved one, it may be time to consider a home health aide or long-term home health care.
At Angel Home Healthcare, we provide essential in-home health services to individuals with a range of needs. Our home health services are reliable and match or exceed the quality of care from a brick-and-mortar organization.
Contact us today to learn more about our services and to schedule an in-home consultation.